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COMMEMORATIVE 

BIOGRAPHICAL  RECORD 

OF 

PROMINENT  AND  REPRESENTATIVE  MEN 

OF 

RACINE  AND  KENOSHA  COUNTIES 

WISCONSIN 


CONTAINING 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES   OF  BUSINESS  AND 
PROFESSIONAL  MEN   AND  MANY  OF  THE 
EARLY  SETTLED  FAMILIES. 


ILLUSTRATED 


J.  H.  BEERS  &  CO. 

CHICAGO 

1906 


HC«K  POB^^^ 


preface:. 


HE  importance  of  placing  in  1x>ok  form  biographical  history  of  rep- 
resentative citizens — both  for  its  immediate  worth  and  for  its  value 
to  coming  generations — is  admitted  by  all  thinking  people;  and  with- 
in the  past  decade  there  has  been  a  growing  interest  in  this  commend- 
able means  of  perpetuating  biography  and  family  genealogy. 

That  the  public  is  entitled  to  the  privileges  afforded  by  a  work  of  this 
nature  needs  no  assertion  at  our  hands ;  for  one  of  our  greatest  Americans 
has  said  that  the  history  of  any  country  resolves  itself  into  the  biographies 
of  its  stout,  earnest  and  representative  citizens.  This  medium,  then,  serves 
more  than  a  single  purpose;  while  it  perpetuates  biography  and  family  gen- 
ealogy, it  records  history,  much  of  which  would  be  preserved  in  no  other  way. 
In  presenting  the  Commemorative  Biographical  Record  to  its  patrons, 
the  publishers  have  to  acknowledge,  with  gratitude,  the  encouragement  and 
support  their  enterprise  has  received,  and  the  willing  assistance  rendered  in 
enabling  them  to  surmount  the  many  unforeseen  obstacles  to  be  met  with  in 
the  production  of  a  work  of  this  character.  In  nearly  every  instance  the 
material  composing  the  sketches  was  gathered  from  those  immediately  in- 
terested, and  then  submitted  in  type-written  form  for  correction  and  revision. 
The  volume,  which  is  one  of  generous  amplitude,  is  placed  in  the  hands  of 
the  public  with  the  belief  that  it  will  be  found  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
library,  as  well  as  an  invaluable  contribution  to  the  historical  literature  of  the 
State  of  Wisconsin. 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


INDEX 


PAGE. 

Acker,  Marvin  W 585 

Adams,    John    W 559 

Alirens,    Otto    E 458 

Alaxon,    Edwin    315 

Alaxon,    Knut    315 

Alexander,  Rev.  Walter  S 625 

Allen,    Charles    W 27 

Allen,    Nathan    27 

Allen.  Nathan  R 26 

Andrewson,  Christian 163 

Andsion    Family    219 

Apple,    Hon.    Adam 40 

Apple,  Charles  E 41 

Apple,   Harry    41 

Arnold.   John    175 

Ashy,   William    311 

Bailey,   Hon.   Alexander 104 

Bailey    Family    104 

Bain,    Edward    394 

Baker,    George   R 401 

Baker,    John    R 421 

Baker,  jily ron  A 55 

Baker,    Robert    H 23 

Baldwin,  James  G 131 

Barnes,  Mrs.   Clara   P 411 

Barrows,    Alvin    510 

Barrows,    Mrs.    Clarissa 511 

BiEsett,  Mrs.  Adeline  F 591 

Bassett,    Edgar    625 

Bassett,   George    626 

Bassett,  Reuben  L 581 

Bassett,    Volney    L 591 

Bayley  Family   181 

Bayley.    Herbert    0 181 

Beardsley,   Ezra 207 

Becker,    Dr.   Bernard   A 589 

Becker,    Peter 606 

Beecher,  Gustavns  A 180 

Beimer,    Henry  G 432 

Beimer,  Rudolph   432 

Belden,    Hon.   Ellsworth    B 48 

Belden,   Hon.    Philo 22 

Benson,    Mrs.    Elizabeth 427 

Benson,   Elliott   C 426 

Bever,  Michael    319 

Bevins,  Arthur  N 636 

Bierce,  Rev.  Daniel  E 625 

Billings,   Edward   T 331 


P.ACE. 

Bird,  Walter  B 164 

Bishop,    Isaac    T 323 

Blakey,   John    S 172 

Blood,    Alvin    H 597 

Bloss,   Ward    539 

Bolton,    James    363 

Bones,   Benjamin   R 317 

Booth,    George    H 416 

Botsford,  Ahira  F 551 

Brehm,    Bernard 127 

Brook,    James     223 

Brower,   William    B 428 

Brown,  Charles  C 572 

Brueggenian,   Frank   H 391 

Bryant,   James    5S0 

Buchan,    Edwin    166 

Buckmaster,  Albert  E 168 

Buell    Family    576 

Buell,    Fred   J 5/6 

Buell,    Thomas    W 576 

Bull,    Frank    K '27 

Bull,    Silas    H 557 

Bull.   Stephen    i 

Bull,  Wakely  T 396 

Bullamore,   Henry   L 256 

Burfeind,  William  F 257 

Burroughs,  Eben   596 

Buttles,   Elijah    T 310 

Buttles,    Mrs.    Nancy    E 310 

Cadwell,  Rev.  Christopher  C 621 

Caley,    Henry    613 

Calkins,   Orla   M 235 

Callaghan,   John   J 414 

Callender,  John    456 

Callender,    William    J ......456 

Cape,    James,    Jr 78 

Carswell,  Charles  N 454 

Case,    Henry    C 328 

Case.    Jackson    1 59 

Case,  Hon.  Jerome  1 2 

Cavanagh,  James   232 

Chandler.    James    G 31 

Choak,  Charles   380 

Christien,  Joseph  M 299 

Clausen,  John   392 

Clemons  Family  326 

demons,  Ward  C 606 

Clergyman,    The    Pioneer 620 


INDEX 


PAGE, 

Collar,  Deacon  Daniel  N 4^9 

Collier,   Joshua   Z 5'- 

Colville,  Rev.  George  M.,  D.  D 625 

GonnoUy,   (Patrick    H 67 

Cooper,    Archibald 211 

Cooper,  Hugh  R 212,  322 

Corwin,  Rev.  Eli,  D.  D 625 

Cox.  Francis   158 

Crabb,    Odle    L 213 

Crane,  John   W 307 

Crane,  William 546,  553 

Crane,    William    A 240 

Cunningham,    Matthew    223 

Curtis,  Cyrus  A 409 

Curtis,  G.  Harry  574 

Curtis,    Philo    408 

Curtiss,  Hon.  Walker  M 448 

Cutting,  Andrew   J 611 

Dabbs,   William   G 308 

Daniels,    Anton    39° 

Daniels.    Nicholas    374 

Darbv,  Henry  C,  M.  D 412 

Dardis.  H.  Gene 117 

Davidson,  Joseph  F 58 

Davies,  John  P 208 

Davis   Family    33t 

Dearsley,   John    W 53- 

DeVuyst.    Abraham 643 

Dexter,  Hon.  Walter  L 116 

Dingee,   William   W 66 

Dixon,  Joseph  E 403 

Dow,    William    C 182- 

Dowse.  James   C 148 

Drake,    William    H 3S8 

Dunkirk,   John    437 

Dunnebacke,  Ferdinand 603 

Dyer,  Judge  Charles  E 459 

Early  Settlers  of  Racine  County 461 

Eastman,  J.  Russell,  M.  D 588 

Edwards,  Hugh   R 332 

Emerson   Family    152 

Emerson,    Thomas    J 152 

English,    John    J 95 

Erskine,  IMassena  B 273 

Esmond,  James  0 546 

Essmann.   Theodore   H 451 

Evans,  Dr.  Christmas  E 438 

Evans,  Dr.  Evan  R 598 

Evans,    John 371 

Faulkner,    George    W 604 

Feldshau,    Frederick    C 375 

Fennell,  John 503 

Feuerer,  Pious   547 

Findlay.  Charles  M 373 

Fink,    Eugene    540 

Fisher,    Frederick    176 

Fisher.   William    F 178 

Flegel,  Albert  L 71 

Foltz,   Charles  G 140 

Folwell.  John  H 602 

Fonk,   John    263 


PACE. 

Foote,    Rev.    Hiram 622 

Foster,  Julian   A.,   Sr 348 

Foxwell,   John    102 

Fratt,    George    N 43 

Fratt,  Hon.   Nicholas  D 278 

Frost,    Charles    N 352 

Frost    Family    352 

Gaines,    Harvey    B 640 

Garnetz,  August  W 287 

Gehr,    Rev.    George    F 558 

Gittings,   Christopher   C 70 

Gittings,    John    T 612 

Gittins,    Elmer    E I39 

Gleeson,   Bartholomew 382 

Goodland,  Walter  S 51 

Goold,    John    F 49 

Gould,    Myron    A 563 

Graham,   Charles    L 525 

Graham,   Owen    P 410 

Gray,   James   H 123 

Greeley,    Horace    C 333 

Grenier,   George    W 288 

Griffiths,  Thomas  P no 

Gunder.son,    Gouty 150 

Gunter,    Charles    615 

Gunter,    William    615 

Hale  F'amily   250 

Hale,  George 250 

Hale,  Myron  H 252 

Hallock,    William    H 297 

Halter,    Henry    198 

Hansen,  Thomas   284 

Hansen,   Valdemar    521 

Hanson,  Dr.  William  C 541 

Harbridge,  Frederick   44 

Harcus,    Adam    H 347 

Harden,    Delbert    354 

Harden,    Theodore 353 

Hartnell,   Frank   G 368 

Hartnell,   John    368 

Harvey,    William    J 129 

Haumersen,    Frederick    H 62 

Hausner,  Christof   528 

Hausner,   John   W 529 

Haven,   Wiltsie   S 146 

Hay,    John    S 413 

Hay.  Thomas    155 

Head.   Eugene  R 372 

Head,   George   D 96 

Heck,   Judge   i\Iax  W 60 

Hcg,   Ole    313 

Hegeman,    Louis    590 

Heidbrink,    Dr.    Jay    A 627 

Heidersdorf,    Christian 255 

Henningfeld,  Louis  542 

Herzog,   George   H 608 

Hewitt,  Benjamin  F 169 

Hewitt,   Mrs.   Louisa   M 170 

Higgins.  Michael,  Jr 136 

Hildebrand,    Andrew    79 

Hilker,    Adolph    280 

Hilker,   Adnlph    W 280 

Hilker,  William    272 


INDEX 


PAGE. 

]Iinchliffe,   Tom    316 

Hocking,   James   N 537 

Hocking.  Josiah   525 

Hocking.   J\Iiss   Prudence   M 525,  538 

Hoffman.   Martin   L 424 

Hogenson,   Christopher    420 

Holhster,   Homer  T 618 

Holloway,    Morris    W 538 

Holton   Family    75 

Hood.   William   C 247 

Hoyt    Family    26g 

Hcyt,    Franklin    E 269 

Hoyt.    William    E 268 

Huck.  Mathias   113 

Hueffner,  Ernst  J 22 

Humphrey,  Rev.  Zephaniah  M 623 

Hunter,  Adam    2,2"] 

Hunter,    Mrs.    Charlotte 328 

Hurd,    James    405 

Hurn,    David 197 

Hutchins.  Rev.  Charles  J 624 

Hyde,    Henry    H 63 

Jacobs,    Rev.    Theodore 184 

Jasperson,   Orlando   A 643 

Johnson,    Charles    K 203 

Johnson,   Charles  0 286 

Johnson    Family    200 

Johnson,    Halvor    K 242 

Johnson,  Henry  F 233 

Johnson,    John    F 204 

Johnson,   Joseph    C 545 

Johnson,    Samuel    C 200 

Jones   Family    350 

Jones,   Richard    262 

Jordan,    Henry    F 141 

Jorgensen,  Dr!  Palle  P.  M 39° 

Kaltenbach,  Louis  E.,  D.  D.  S 119 

Karcher.    Adam 436 

Kehlor.   John    M 64 

Killeen.   John    A 146 

Kimball,    Roger    N 637 

Klein,    Francis    G 265 

Kolander,    Frederick    W 550 

Kradwell,    Gustave    V 579 

Krenzke,  Charles   587 

Krichbaum.   Joseph   E 326 

Kruckman,  August   H 427 

Kupfer,   William   M 291 

Lane,   Capt.  Theodore 132 

Lawton.  IDavid   236 

Leber.    John    5^4 

Lee.   Charles   H 115 

Leet.    George    F 253 

Leonard,    Harry    J 632 

Leonard.   Peter  F 632 

Lewjs,    Arthur    W S36 

Lewis.    William   H 535 

Lichber,    George    362 

Lintner,    Frank    567 

Litzenberger,    Charles    434 

Loescher,    Mathias    534 


TACE. 

Lothrop,  Jason   156 

Lugg,    James    397 

Lund,    Jacob    C 5S1 

Lytle,  Henry   143 

McBeth,    Daniel    174 

McBeth,    Mrs.    Elizabeth    A 369 

McBeth,    John    369 

McCanna,   Charles   B 68 

McCarron,    George    B 633 

McCarron,   Jeremiah    634 

i\IcFarland,  David  E 555 

McMamis,   Charles    16; 

McNeil,    Charles    D 94 

McQuarrie,    Frank    507 

Malone,  Edward   600 

Alabch,  Fredrick   21  r 

IMarlatt.  Walter  T 566 

Maxwell,    Elmer    A 160 

Maxwell.   Hon.    Walter    S ito 

Maver.    Joseph    A 441 

.Meachem,  John   G.,  M.  D 38 

Meadows,    George    357 

Meadows,   Hon.   William 245 

Mealy,   Mrs.   Alice   M 444 

Mealy,    Patrick    444 

Meredith,    Charles    E 501 

Mever,  Rev.  Theodore  B 192 

Miles,    Herbert    E 281 

Miller,  Frank  J 74 

Miller,   Joseph    T2 

Miller,    Joseph    F 7=; 

Miller,   W.   Henry 46 

Moeller,    John '. 604 

Mohr,  Charles  J 513 

Mohr,    Jacob    54 

Monaghan,   John    388 

Moore   Family    506 

Moore,    Col.    Webster    P 504 

Morey,    Darius    J 124 

Moth.    Robert    H 393 

Movie.  John  F 114 

Movie.  Dr.  Thomas  F 616 

Mungen,    Matthias    383 

Murdoch.   John    439 

Murdoch,   William   M 440 

Murphy,    James    300 

^lurray,  James  H 295 

Mutter.   James    122 

Mutter,  James  W 599 

Mutter,    Robert    .■ 87 

JNIyrick  Family  320 

Myrick,    Mead    0 320 

Myritp.    Mars    213 

Nelson.    Hans   P 264 

Nelson,    Ole    258 

Nelson,    Peter  B 112 

Newell,  Frank  F.,  j\L  D 592 

Newell,  George  E.,  M.  D 561 

Newell,   Henry   B.,   M.   D 336 

Newman.  Hiram    154 

Nichols.  Rev.  Cyrus 620 


INDEX 


PAGE. 

Nickerson,  Rev.  Charles  S.,  D.  D 625 

Nims,    F.    H 147 

Nisen,  Michael   126 

Noble,   John    446 

Noll,  Louis,  Sr 215 

Northrop,   Byron    B 31 

Northrup,  O.sro  S 243 

O'Laughlin,   John    593 

Orvis,   Charles  W 520 

Orvis    Family    450 

Orvis,  Miss  Flora  B 521 

Oversen,   Andrew   547 

Overson,  Henry  M 227 

Ozanne,    Lawrence    E 351 

Ozanne,    Peter    351 

Paddock,  Alva   422 

Palmer.    Walter    C 216 

Park,    Linus    H 42 

Parker  Families   67,  348 

Parker.  Frederick   0 191 

Patterson,    Albert    345 

Peacock,   Arthur   H 376 

Peacock,  George  W 338 

Pearce,   John   P 128 

Peat.   Richard   229 

Perkins.   Edward  D 135 

Petersen,   George   C 441 

Peterson,  Halvor  N 292 

Pettit.    O^sian    M 276 

Pfeiffer,    John    P 529 

Pfennig,    Charles    C 569 

Pfister,    Fred    149 

Phillips,    Charles    594 

Pierce,   Alzo   B 560 

Pierce,   Andrew  J 29 

Pierce,  Joshua   138 

Pjerce.    William 138 

Pioneer    Clergyman,   The 620 

Pirsch.   George   R 629 

Pirsch,  John  B 629 

Pirsch,  Nicholas  628 

Powles,    Henry    G 90 

Pow'les.    William 532 

Prasch.   Frank  J 573 

Puffer,   Kneelon    C 443 

Pugh,  William  H 279 

Purvis,  William  R 271 

Racine  County,  Early  Settlers  of 461 

Ramsden,   John    139 

Rasch,    Gustave    C 312 

Rasmussen.   Matt  A 626 

Reesmann.   Henry    178 

Remer.    Clarence   E 144 

Reynolds.   Samuel    106 

Reynolds.    William    F 631 

Richards.  Clarence  J 24.  47 

Richards,  Griffith   304 

Ripley,    Everett    W 619 

Ripley,  George  H.,  M.  D 75 

Ritter.    Hiram    159 

Robbins.    Herbert    E 518 

Roberts,   Robert   F 544 


PAGE. 

Roliinson,    Dwight     499 

Riil)inson,  Mrs.  Frances  S 500 

Ri)l)inson,    Frederick    34 

Robinson,  Hon.   Frederick 56 

Robinson,  Rev.  Henry  D.,  D.  D 30 

Robinson,  Richard  T 39 

Rogers,   Zophar    344 

Rooker,   Joseph    C 502 

Rowntree   Family    238 

Rowntree,    George   W 238 

Rowntree,   James    C 289 

Runkel,    John    P 607 

Russell,   Andrew  J 296 

Russell,    James     447 

Russell,   Richard    445 

Ryan,  Dr.  Charles  C 394 

Rygh,    Carl   J 218 

Rygh,  ]\Irs.  Ellen  A 219 

Sage,   Miss   Emma   M 82 

Sage  Family  80 

Sage,   Sidney  A 82 

Sage,    Stephen    H 80 

Sanders,    ^Irs.    Eunice 70 

Sanders,   Horace   T 69 

Schaeffer.    Jacob    P 343 

Scherf.  Anton   399 

Schiefen.   Rev.   John   H 570 

Schlax.  John  H 433 

Schlax,    Peter    402 

Schlegel,    Leonard    335 

Schmitt,   Peter    457 

Schnederman,  Edward  H 316 

Schreck.  Frederick  R 568 

Schroeder,   Frederick   C 610 

Schweitzer,  Charles  T 53 

Sears,  William   439 

Secor,  IMartin  M '84 

Scngbusch,    Frederick   J 565 

Shepbard.    Wesley    638 

Shields.    George    A 634 

Shumway,  Walter   G 406 

Simmons,  Ezra  6 

Simmons,   Gilbert   M 224 

Simmons,   Gilbert  M.,  Library 224 

Simmons,  Samuel  S SS4 

Simmons,  Hon.  Zalmon  G 6 

Smieding.  Judge  William,  Jr 103 

Smieding.   William,    Sr 46 

Smith,    Arthur   D 509 

Smith,    Frank    F 365 

Smith,    Frank  J 641 

Smith,    Hiram    J 134 

Smith,    Rufus 364 

Snyder.  Clarence   628 

Sorenson,    Soren    C 642 

Spear.  Hugh  S 277 

Spencer   Family    356 

Spencer.    James    E 355 

Spiegelhoff.   Erwin    614  , 

Spillum.    George    82 

Sprague  Family   349 

Stanbridge.   William   309 

Stanley,   William  J 635 


INDEX 


PACE. 

Starbuck,  Frank  W 120 

Stebbins,  James  M 260 

Steinmetz.    Martin    387 

Stevens   Family    ol 

Stevens,  Frank  E.,  M.  D 61 

Stevens,   John    L *» 

Stocker,   Bradley   H 524 

Stoel,   William   N 452 

Stone,  Dr.  George  \V.,  Jr 355 

Stone,   Dr.   George  W.,    Sr 209 

St.  Patrick's  Church  Society 99 

Sturges,    Benjamin    0 86 

Summers.  Joseph   W 293 

Swantz,   Fred   W 4i8 

Swenson,    Richard   B 53° 

Tate,    William    R 267 

Thelen,   Nicholas   C 435 

Thiers,   Edward   C 34 

Thiers,   Louis   M 226 

Thronson,  Bartholomew  C 171 

Tiedemann.    Peter    52 

Timme,    Henry    H 303 

Tilley,    Henry    520 

Titus,    Alonzo    S 552 

Toner,    Charles    302 

Topp,  Albert  J So4 

Torrey.   James    P 55° 

Trant   Family    98 

Trant.  Rev.  Stephen  Dean 98 

Turnock,  James   H 384- 

Udell,  Lathrop   A 568 

Upson   Family    378 

Upson,  Salmon  E 378 

Van  Alstine,  James  J 381 

Van  Arsdale.  William 630 

Veitch,  Dr.  John  H 385 

\'incent,    Dow    J 039 

Vnorhces,   Elias   S m 

Vos,    Frank    H 503 

Vyvyan,   Henry    453 

Vyvyan,  John   5io 

Wadsworth,   John    339 


PAGE. 

Walker,  Mortimer  E 118 

Walker,  Robert  M Si7 

Wallis,  George   455 

Wallmann,  George  F 121 

Ward,  Lorenzo  C I94 

Washburn,  Charles  H 418 

Weber,    Adolph    583 

Wells,  Frank  L 45 

Wendt,    Frank    531 

Wentworth,  John  T 65 

Wentworth,  Hon.  John  T 21 

Werve,    Alathias    248 

West,    Benjamin    37° 

West,  George    330 

West,  George  A 331 

West,    Thomas     234 

Whitcher,    Charles    H 584 

White,  Joshua  H 361 

Wicks,   Frank  B 609 

Wieners.   Joseph.   Sr 508 

Wigley,   David   P lOO 

WiUerton,  Charles  H 359 

Willett,    George    P 522 

Willev,   John   R 400 

Willey,    Samuel    400 

Williams,    Daniel     366 

Williams  Family  .  . .  . .' 196 

Williams,    Henry    252 

Williams,   Henrv   C 162 

Williams.  John   G I95 

Williams,    Lewis    C 54^ 

Williams,    Thomas    L 168 

Williamson,   Capt.   Halvor 217 

Wilmore,  William  J. 386 

Worthington,    Francis    E 34i 

Wright,  Edwin  E 407 

Wustum,  Charles  A 76 

Wustum   Family    76 

Yule,   George    36 

Yule,    George    A 38 

Yule,    John    T 283 

Zimmermann,    Henry   E 360 


A 


i^> 


.{Ec^^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


STEPHEN  BULL,  one  of  the  pioneer  residents  and  business  men  of  Ra- 
cine, Wis.,  residing  at  No.  119  Eleventh  street,  is  a  well-known  capitalist  of 
the  city,  having  large  investments  in  real  estate  and  various  business  concerns. 
Although  now  living  retired,  in  spite  of  his  eighty-four  years  he  is  a  vigorous 
man,  of  mental  strength  and  activity,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  Racine  since 
1845.  He  was  born  in  Scipio,  Cayuga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  March  14,  1822,  son 
of  DeGrove  and  Amanda  M.   (Crosijy)   Bull,  natives  of  New  York. 

DeGrove  Bull,  the  father  of  Stephen  Bull,  was  a  farmer,  and  came  to  Wis- 
consin about  1846,  locating  in  Raymond  township,  Racine  county,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  engaged  in  farming.  His  death  occurred  in  his 
seventy-second  year,  while  his  widow  survived  him  until  1880,  when  she  passed 
away,  aged  eighty-four  years.  They  had  eleven  children,  six  of  whom  are 
still  living:  Mrs.  Sally  Fish,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Ira  Fish;  Jeanette, 
widow  of  Thomas  Gage,  resides  in  -Racine ;  George  is  deceased ;  Stephen ; 
Clarissa,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Robert  Dilly;  Lydia  A.  is  the  widow  of  J. 
L  Case:  Daniel  is  deceased;  Caroline  is  the  widow  of  Lorenzo  Waite,  of  Ra- 
cine; Wakely  T.  is  of  Racine;  James  is  deceased:  and  Charles  H.,  formerly  a 
farmer  of  the  town  of  Mount  Pleasant,  now  lives  retired  in  Rac'nie. 

Stephen  Bull  started  out  in  life  for  himself  when  a  boy  of  ten  years,  his 
first  employment  being  the  driving  of  a  horse  in  front  of  a  team  of  oxen  which 
were  plowing.  He  worked  on  the  farm  until  eighteen  years  of  age.  and  went 
to  school  during  the  winter  seasons  to  the  old  subscription  schools,  at  the  time 
that  the  teachers  boarded  from  house  to  house.  From  the  farm  Mr.  Bull  went 
to  New  York  City,  where  he  clerked  in  a  grocery  store,  and  in  184^  came  to 
Wisconsin,  locating  in  Racine  for  one  year.  He  then  removed  to  Walworth 
county  and  settled  in  Spring  Prairie,  where  he  operated  a  general  store  and  re- 
mained about  ten  years.  In  1857  he  returned  to  Racine  and  has  remained  here 
ever  since.  On  locating  in  Racine  he  entered  the  employ  of  his  brother-in-law, 
T.  L  Case,  and  so  remained  until  1863.  when  the  employe  became  a  member  of 
the  firm.  Mr.  Case  and  Mr.  Bull  continued  together  until  the  former's  death. 
At  that  time  the  firm  name  was  known  as  J.  L  Case  &  Co..  but  in  1872  the 
T.  L  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company  was  established.  Mr.  Case  being  the 
first  president.  On"  his  death  Mr.  Stephen  Bull  became  president,  and  the 
presidency  has  passed  down  to  Mr.  Frank  K.  Bull.  Mr.  Steven  Bull's  son,  who 
is  the  companv's  present  president.  From  the  time  of  Mr.  Case's  death  until 
1897  Air.  Stephen  Bull  was  this  company's  able  president,'  and  it  was  largely 


2  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

through  his  foresight  and  good  management  that  the  success  of  the  firm  lias 
been  so  marked.  Mr.  BuU  was  also  president  of  The  ^Nlihvaukee  Harvester 
Company  for  twenty  years. 

Stephen  Bull  has  been  a  stockholder  in  the  Manufacturers  National  Bank 
since  1872,  of  which  Mr.  Case  was  the  first  president,  being  succeeded  by  Mr. 
M.  B.  Erskine,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Bull,  who  held  that  office 
-until  Jan.  i,  1904,  when  he  resigned. 

On  June  7,  1849,  ^i'"-  Bull  married  Miss  Ellen  C.  Kellogg,  of  White 
Pigeon,  Mich.,  daughter  of  A.  B.  and  Rhoda  (Lawrence)  Kellogg.  She  died 
March  27,  1880.  There  were  seven  children  born  to  this  union:  One  son 
■died  when  three  months  old;  Ida  R.,  who  married  H.  W.  Conger,  lives  in  San 
Francisco.  Cal. ;  Frank  K.,  president  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine 
Co.,  married  Miss  Arabella  Jones,  of  Milwaukee;  Jeanette  married  Richard 
T.  Robinson,  and  they  live  in  Racine:  Lillian  M.  married  Frederick  Robinson; 
Herbert  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years ;  and  Bessie  ]\I.  married  A. 
Arthur  Guilbert. 

Among  the  heads  of  the  prominent  families  of  Racine,  none  is  more  con- 
•spicuous  that  is  Wx.  Stephen  Bull.  The  great  benefits  to  the  community  that 
have  come  from  the  institutions  and  enterprises  with  which  he  has  been  con- 
nected can  hardly  be  estimated.  Their  influence  will  continue  to  be  felt  as  long 
as  the  city  stands,  hundreds  of  families  having  been  sustained  and  deriving 
benefit  therefrom.  The  name  of  Mr.  Bull  will  endure,  and  cannot  be  effaced 
from  the  histoiy  of  the  city  and  county.  The  fame  of  such  men  should  be 
written  not  for  a  brief  moment,  but  as  an  everlasting  example  worthv  of  emu- 
lation. Notwithstanding  his  strenuous  life,  Mr.  Bull  is  noted  for  his  genial 
•disposition  and  affable  manner,  and  he  has  hosts  of  friends  in  all  classes. 

HON.  JEROME  I.  CASE  (deceased)  was  undoubtedly  the  most  re- 
markable of  the  many  strong  characters  who  came  to  Racine  county  in  pio- 
neer days.  In  his  own  line,  as  a  manufacturer,  he  was  foremost  among  the 
most  successful  in  the  world.  Yet  the  influence  of  his  success  was  not  so 
much  on  manufacturing  interests  as  on  agricultural  interests,  and  especially 
on  the  developing  farming  lands  of  Wisconsin.  The  use  of  the  wonderful 
machines  he  improved  or  invented  has  spread  until  they  are  known  in  almost 
every  agricultural  region  on  the  earth,  but  Wisconsin  had  the  first  benefit 
of  these  products  of  his  genius.  Thus  the  limitations  of  poverty  are  not 
aUvays  prejudicial.  In  the  struggling  days  of  his  early  manhood  he  was 
obliged  to  use  the  facilities  at  hand  for  the  fulfillment  of  his  ambitions,  and 
he  likewise  chose  the  field  nearest  at  hand,  in  which  to  introduce  his  first 
attempts  at  improved  farm  machinery.  This  was  one  manifestation  of  a  trait 
which  always  predominated  in  his  character.  He  never  wasted  his  energies 
looking  for  something  particularlv  worthy  of  his  efforts,  or  rejected  imme- 
diate opportunities  for  those  that  looked  better  because  their  disadvantages 
were  less  apparent  at  a  distance.  He  did  the  work  that  lav  nearest  to  him, 
Avith  the  facilities  available,  and,  like  many  another  modest  but  aspiring  spirit, 
found  that  when  ambition  and  industry  go  hand  in  hand  the  road  to  success 
■cannot  be  closed  against  them.  His  particular  road  to  success  mav  well  be 
compared  with  the  roads  of  his  adopted  State.  When  he  came  to  Wisconsin 
the  pioneers  of  this  section  were  still  making  their  wav  through  the  dense 
forests  bv  means  of  blazed  trails,  the  beginnings  of  the  fine  roads  which  now 


COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RFXORD.  3 

traverse  the  country.  So  he  started  his  career  in  a  practicaUy  untried  field, 
making  slow  progress  at  first,  with  the  uncertainty  of  first  steps.  But  no  man 
ever  came  to  realize  more  fully  than  he  that  "nothing  succeeds  like  success." 
His  interests  broadened  with  the  years  until  the  road  was  so  wide  and  well 
laid  that  it  afforded  room  for  many  besides  the  man  who  unconsciously  laid 
out  a  great  highway  to  prosperity  for  so  many  of  his  fellowmen. 

Mr.  Case  did  much  for  his  fellowmen  in  other  ways,  though  of  course 
/he  building  up  of  the  great  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company  may  justly 
be  considered  his  most  important  work,  especially  from  a  material  standpoint. 
He  was  essentially  a  business  man,  hut  the  executive  ability  which  was  so 
manifest  in  the  management  of  his  own  affairs  enabled  him  to  give,  time 
to  other  things.  As  a  leading  business  man  of  Racine  he  was  naturally  con- 
cerned in  the  advancement  of  the  city,  but  his  interest  was  not  a  selfish  one. 
He  gave  of  his  means  and  influence  to  the  furtherance  of  every  good  cause, 
and  as  an  official  gave  considerable  time  and  personal  attention  to  the  proper 
management  of  civil  affairs  at  a  period  when  a  progressive  but  wisely  con- 
servative leader  was  much  needed.  He  was  the  object  of  appreciative  regarn 
among  the  best  element  of  the  citizens  of  Racine  and  his  business  associates 
and  employes  had  the  utmost  respect  for  him  as  a  man,  inspired  by  many  years 
of  congenial  association. 

Mr.  Case  was  the  product  of  old  New  England  stock,  of  English  de- 
scent, his  first  ancestor  in  America  being  one  of  four  brothers  who  came  hither 
from  England  in  Colonial  days.  He  himself  was  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  born  Dec.  11,  1818,  in  Williamstown,  Oswego  county,  of  which  county 
his  parents,  Caleb  and  Deborah  (Jackson)  Case,  were  pioneers,  having  moved 
thither  from  Rensselaer  county,  same  State.  These  hardy  people  cleared  a 
farm  from  the  woods,  the  sons  assisting  in  the  work,  which  was  arduous  and 
apparently  never-ending.  Jerome  I.,  though  the  youngest  son,  had  his  share. 
He  received  such  education  as  the  local  schools  afforded,  but  as  the  country 
was  sparsely  settled  school  was  held  only  for  a  few  weeks  in  the  year,  and 
the  instruction  was  elementary.  Thus  he  continued,  helping  at  hqme  and 
attending  school,  until  he  was  about  sixteen,  at  which  he  practically  began 
the  work  to  which  'he  devoted  his  life.  At  that  time  his  father  secured  the 
right  to  sell  and  use  a  one-horse  treadpower  threshing  machine,  a  wonderful 
thing  in  that  day,  and  he  turned  the  management  of  same  over  to  our  sub- 
ject, who  must  have  given  evidence  of  some  special  abilitv  in  that  line  to  en- 
title him  to  such  trust. 

As  w^as  the  custom  in  those  times,  Mr.  Case  faithfully  gave  his  services 
to  his  father  until  he  was  of  age,  after  which  he  began  to  run  a  threshing 
machine  on  his  account.  However,  he  was  anxious  to  add  to  his  intel- 
lectual acquirements,  and  his  first  savings  were  devoted  to  that  end.  In  Jan- 
uary, 1 84. 1,  he  entered  the  academy  at  Mexicoville.  N.  Y.,  where  he  took  up 
such  studies  as  he  thought  would  help  him  most  in  business  life.  But  with  all 
his  ambition  for  and  appreciation  of  book  learning  it  is  not  to  be  denied  that 
the  greater  and  more  valuable  part  of  his  knowledge  was  acquired  by  his  con- 
tact with  men  in  the  management  of  his  vast  interests. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-three,  in  the  spring  of  1842.  Mr.  Case  tried  a  new 
field.  He  bought  six  threshing  machines,  on  credit,  which  was  then  his  only 
capital,  and  brought  them  to  what  was  then  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin,  ar- 


4  CO.MMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

riving  at  Racine.  He  sold  five  of  them,  and  with  the  remaining  machine 
went  about  the  country,  doing  threshing.  With  constant  usage  the  machine 
at  the  end  of  the  second  season  needed  rebuilding,  and  Mr.  Case  applied  him- 
self to  the  task  with  interest.  He  had  no  special  mechanical  training,  and  his 
tools  under  ordinary  circumstances  would  have  been  considered  inadequate, 
but  he  had  no  time  to  remedy  either  lack,  and  did  have  definite  ideas 
of  what  he  wished  to  accomplish.  Until  that  time  there  was  no  machine  that 
would  thresh  and  separate  the  grain  in  one  operation,  but  Mr.  Case's  ex- 
perience convinced  him  that  such  a  machine  was  possible.  The  open  or 
"ground  hog"  threshers,  as  they  were  generally  know^n,  only  beat  out.  the 
grain,  which  was  thrown  out  together  with  the  straw  and  chaff,  after  which 
the  tedious  work  of  winnowing  had  to  be  done.  A  thresher  that  would  do 
away  with  this  was  the  ideal  Mr.  Case  kept  before  him,  and  in  the  winter  of 
1843-44,  in  the  kitchen  of  a  farmhouse  in  Rochester,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  he 
made  a  model,  showing  his  ideas  in  practical  form,  which  must  certainly  have 
been  gratifying  to  the  ambitious  young  man.  He  found  himself  in  possession 
of  a  thresher  which  could  not  be  equalled  even  by  the  best  product .  of  the 
East.  During  the  summer  he  demonstrated  the  practical  qualities  of  the  ma- 
chine and  improved  it,  and  in  the  fall  (1844)  he  rented  a  small  shop  in 
Racine,  as  he  had  planned  to  build  a  few  machines  for  sale. 

Modesty  was  ever  one  of  Mr.  Case's  most  prominent  traits,  especially  in 
estimating  his  ow^n  worth  and  achievements,  and  while  he  knew  his  invention 
filled  a  long-felt  want  he  never  dreamed  of  the  popularity  it  was  destined  to 
win.  Even  his  most  optimistic  encouragers  thought  that  a  half-dozen  ma- 
chines, if  they  were  proved  successful,  would  fill  the  demand  in  Wisconsin, 
and  the  further  extension  of  the  business  does  not  seem  to  have  entered  into 
the  original  plans.  It  may  be  that  the  business  gained  much  of  its  solidity 
from  this  natural  grow-th.  Mr.  Case  always  exerted  himself  to  keep  up  with 
the  demand,  but  he  never  forced  it — such  a  course  would  have  been  contrary 
to  his  nature.  He  did  good  work,  he  turned  out  a  product  the  people  w-anted. 
he  managed  his  own  affairs  tvell,  and  did  right  by  his  associates  and  his 
patrons — and  success  took  care  of  itself. 

In  1847  Mr.  Case  erected  near  the  site  of  the  present  manufactory,  a 
three-story  brick  building  30x90  feet  in  dimensions.  It  was  more  than  the 
needs  of  the  business  called  for  at  that  day,  but  his  public  spirit  impelled 
him  to  put  up  a  structure  that  would  reflect  credit  on  the  town.  But  farmers 
in  the  Western  State  were  beginning  to  prosper,  and  the  merits  of  the  T-  I-  Case 
threshers  and  horsepower  machines  became  known,  the  demand  running  ahead 
of  the  supply.  The  small  plant  was  enlarged  from  time  to  time  by  the  erec- 
tion of  new-  buildings,  each  supplied  with  the  most  up-to-date  machinery  of 
the  day.  and  the  process  of  expansion  and  improvement  has  never  ceased,  until 
now  the  establishment  is  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  No  one  could 
have  predicted  the  phenomenal  prosperity  which  attended  the  undertaking. 
That  the  modest  little  shop  opened  in  1844  would  ever  develop  into  a  factory 
of  such  immense  proportions  would  have  seemed  beyond  belief  at  that  day, 
when,  for  one  thing,  business  enterprises  were  not  conducted  on  so  larsre  a 
scale  as  nowadays.  Moreover,  Racine  was  then  only  a  small  town,  with  no 
promise  of  its  present  importance  as  a  lake  port  and  manufacturing;  center. 
There  is  no  question   that   many  other  business  concerns  of   more   or   less 


COMMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  5 

magnitude  liave  been  attracted  to  the  place  through  the  influence  of  the  Case 
estabhshment,  but  it  has  continued  to  be  the  great  industry  of  the  place,  one- 
sixth  of  the  total  population  of  the  city  being  made  up  of  the  employes  and 
their  families.  The  annual  output  is  valued  at  over  $2,000,000,  and  the  ]: 
I.  Case  threshers  and  plows  are  shipped  to  almost  every  country  on  the  globe. 
The  buildings  now  cover  some  thirty  acres  of  ground,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Root  river,  just  inside  the  lake  harbor,  with  its  docks  for  loading  an/1  unload- 
ing vessels. 

With  all  the  changes  and  all  the  improvements  which  have  been  made 
in  the  thresliers  since  their  manufacture  was  started,  the  basic  idea  is  still 
the  same,  the  problem  of  a  perfect  thresher  having  been  solved  in  the  first 
model.  But  many  changes  have  taken  place  in  the  conduct  of  the  business. 
In  1863  Mr.  Case  admitted  to  partnership  three  men  who  were  then  in  his 
employ,  and  the  mere  mention  of  their  names  justifies  his  choice — Steolien 
Bull,  the  late  ;\I.  B.  Erskine  and  the  late  Robert  H.  Baker.  Thev  did  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  J.  I.  Case  &  Co.,  and  continued  together  until  Mr. 
Baker's  death,  on  Oct.  5,  1885.  Meantime,  in  1880,  the  concern  had  been  re- 
organized as  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  with  a  paid-up 
capital  of  $1,000,000,  and  Mr.  Case  was  president  of  the  same  from  the  time 
of  its  organization  until  his  death. 

An  important  advance  in  the  threshing  business  was  made  with  the  in- 
troduction of  the  portable  steam  engine,  and  later  the  traction  steam  eneine, 
which  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  ^lachine  Company  manufactures  extensivelv. 

In  1876  a  company  was  organized  to  manufacture  plows  at  Racine, 
under  the  style  of  Case,  \\'hitney  &  Co.,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $120,000, 
which  was  increased  to  $150,000.  Mr.  Case  was  made  president,  and  con- 
tinued as  such  after  the  reorganization,  two  years  later,  when  the  concern 
was  incorporated  as  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Company.  He  was  at  the  head  of 
affairs  in  this  company  also  until  his  death.  Many  other  enterprises  of  Racine 
besides  these  two  principal  ones  received  his  support  and  encouraeement.  but 
he  did  not  confine  his  attention  to  manufacturing  interests.  In  1871  he  was 
one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Manufacturers'  National  Bank  of  Racine,  one 
of  the  soundest  financial  institutions  in  the  State,  of  which  he  was  elected 
president,  sen'ing  in  that  capacity  until  his  death.  The  same  vear  he  assisted 
in  establishing  the  First  National  Bank  of  Burlin?ton.  ^^'is..  which  he  also 
served  as  president.  He  aided  in  establishing  banking  houses  at  ]\lonrovia, 
Cal. :  Fargo,  N.  Dak. ;  and  Crookston,  Minnesota. 

It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  Mr.  Case  did  more  to  make  Racine 
a  manufacturing  city  than  any  other  one  man,  and  his  fellow-citizens  of  all 
classes  were  not  unappreciative.  He  received  many  honors  at  their  hands. 
In  1856  he  was  chosen  mayor,  and  so  satisfactory  was  his  administration  of 
affairs  that  he  was  renominated  the  next  year,  but  declined.  Again  in  18^8 
he  was  urged  to  accept  the  nomination,  and  was  elected  over  Hon.  Tohn  M. 
Cary.  Aleantime.  in  1856,  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  and  served  two 
years  as  a  member  of  that  body.  Originally  Mr.  Case  was  an  old-time  Whig' 
in  political  sentiment  until  the  rise  of  the  Renublican  narty.  to  whose  prin- 
ciples he  adhered  ever  afterward.  His  first  Presidential  vote  was  cast  for 
William  Henry  Harrison.     He  was  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  Union  cause. 


6  comme:\iorative  biographical  record. 

and  when,  at  the  Ijreaking  out  of  the  Civil  war,  Col.  William  Utley  proposed 
lo  raise  a  regiment,  JNIr.  Case  generously  offered  $i,ooo  to  the  first  company 
that  would  enlist.  Throughout  the  war  he  was  unfailing  in  his  liberality  to 
the  families  of  the  boys  in  blue. 

Air.  Case's  admiration  iur  fast  horses  l.ir(jught  him  considerable  pmnii- 
nence.  He  took  great  pleasure  in  breeding  and  training  turf  stock,  and  not 
only  had  elegant  barns  and  track  at  Racine,  but  also  a  third  interest  in  the 
Glenview  Stock  Farm,  near  Louisville,  Ky.  He  enjoyed  the  distinction  of 
having  the  once  fastest  trotting  horse  on  the  globe,  the  famous  "Jay- Eye- 
See."  "Hickory  Grove  Farm,"  his  stock  farm  situated  just  south  of  the  city 
of  Racine,  and  adjacent  to  the  city  limits,  became  justly  famous.  Mr.  Case 
bred  and  owned  forty-eight  horses  that  made  records  ranging  from  2:10  to 
2:34.  The  names  and  records  of  a  few  are  here  given:  "Jay-Eye-See," 
2:10;  "Phallas."  2:13^;  "Brown"  (at  four  years  old  in  race),  2:1894- 

As  has  been  said,  Mr.  Case  was  eminently  a  business  man,  but  he  never 
lost  sight  of  the  fact  that  his  success  in  business  was  based  upon  the  agri- 
cultural development  of  the  country,  and  he  took  a  real  interest,  not  prompted 
wholly  by  prospect  of  material  gains  for  himself,  in  the  agricultural  advance- 
ment of  the  country,  having  been  identified  with  both  State  and  county  agri- 
cultural societies.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  a  life  member  of  the 
Wisconsin  Academy  of  Sciences,  Arts  and  Letters. 

With  all  his  hard  work,  his  devotion  to  business,  and  his  numerous  (ither 
interests,  Mr.  Case  lived  to  be  over  seventy,  passing  away  Dec.  22,  1891.  It 
is  enough  to  say  that  he  was  sincerely  mourned  alike  by  his  family,  his  busi- 
ness associates,  his  hundreds  of  employes,  and  the  entire  community  for  which 
he  had  done  so  much,  and  where  he  had  resided  for  half  a  century. 

In  1849  ^^^'-  Case  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Lydia  A.  Bull,  daugh- 
ter of  DeGriive  and  Amanda  (Crosby)  Bull.  Seven  children  were  born  to 
the  union,  four  living  to  maturity:  Henrietta,  the  wife  of  Percival  ,S-  Ful- 
ler, a  prominent  lawyer  at  Chicago;  Jessie  F.,  the  wife  of  H.  M.  Wallis,  who 
owns  a  large  interest  in  and  has  full  charge  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Works  at 
Racine;  Amanda,  the  wife  of  J.  J.  Crooks,  of  San  Francisco,  Cal. ;  and  Jack- 
son I.,  deceased,  who  served  at  one  time  as  mayor  of  Racine,  and  is  said  to 
have  been  the  youngest  mayor  of  a  large  city  in  the  L'nited  States. 

HON.  ZALMON  GILBERT  SIMMONS  has  a  business  reputation 
which  extends  all  over  the  United  States  among  railroad  and  telegraph  men. 
His  connection  with  Kenosha  covers  a  period  of  over  sixty  years,  and  he  has 
improved  the  opportunities  his  high  position  and  means  have  given  him  to 
such  good  purpose  that  he  is  justly  regarded  as  its  principal  benefactor.  He 
has  done  more  than  any  other  one  man  for  the  Iniilding  up  of  the  city.  His 
gifts  to  various  enterprises  which  have  been  a  matter  of  pride  to  Kenosha 
have  been  liberal  and  bestowed  with  hearty  good-will.  The  benefits  his  ex- 
tensive undertakings  in  the  locality  have  conferred  can  hardly  be  estimated. 

Mr.  Simmons  was  born  in  the  town  of  Euphrates,  Montgomery  Co.,  N. 
Y.,  Sept.  10,  1828,  and  conies  of  old  New  England  stock.  His  grandparents. 
Rouse  and  Mary  (Potter)  Simmons,  were  early  settlers  in  Montgomery  coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  moving  thither  from  Rhode  Island.     Ezra  Simmons,  father  of  Zal- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  7- 

mon  G.  Sinionms,  was  born  x\pril  3,  1805,  in  Montgomery  county.  In  acquiring 
an  education  he  had  to  cope  with  the  usual  disadvantages  of  an  undeveloi)ed 
section  in  that  respect,  but  he  was  naturally  studious  and  persevering  and  he 
managed  to  prepare  himself  for  teaching.  He  alternated  the  pursuit  of  that 
profession  with  clerking  when  a  young  man.  Not  long  after  his  marriage  he 
removed  with  his  wife  and  young  child  to  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  to  a  region 
which  was  then,  like  his  old  home  in  his  boyhood,  in  its  primitive  state.  He 
made  a  home  in  the  woods,  clearing  and  improving  a  farm  upon  which  he  re- 
mained until  1839,  in  which  year  he  removed  to  Rome,  the  county  seat,  la 
1843  the  family  came  West,  journeying  by  canal  to  Buffalo,  where  they  took 
steamer  for  Southport,  as  Kenosha  was  then  called.  They  arrived  on  the  I2tl'i: 
of  June,  but  remained  in  the  village  only  a  short  time,  Mr.  Simmons  buying  a 
tract  of  land  in  Benton  township.  Lake  Co.,  111.  Again  he  began  the  work  of 
wresting  a  farm  from  the  wilderness,  this  being  the  third  place  on  which  he  had 
such  experience.  He  made  a  remarkable  improvement  in  the  place  during  his 
residence  thereon,  but  in  1851  he  entered  into  partnership  with  his  sons  in  a 
mercantile  business  in  Kenosha,  under  the  name  of  Simmons  &  Sons.  After 
four  years  Ezra  Simmons  retired  from  the  firm,  and  he  spent  the  rest  of  his 
life  in  retirement,  dying  July  14,  1878.  He  was  buried  in  the  Kenosha  ceme- 
tery. 

]\Ir.  Simmons  was  married,  in  Montgomery  county,  N.  Y.,  to  Maria  Gil- 
bert, who  was  born  there  April  20,  1808,  and  five  children  came  to  this  union, 
namely:  Zalmon  G.,  Burr,  Rouse,  and  Ezra  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  Stebbins,  twins. 
All  married,  reared  families  and  settled  in  Kenosha.  Mrs.  Simmons  survived 
her  husliand,  making  her  home  until  her  death  with  her  daughter,  IMrs.  Steb- 
bins. ]\Ir,  and  Airs.  Simmons  first  united  with  the  Methodist  Church,  of  which 
they  were  active  members,  Mr.  Simmons  acting  as  class-leader  for  many  years, 
but  in  later  life  their  belief  was  that  of  the  Unitarians.  He  was  originally  a 
Democrat  in  political  sentiment,  but  supported  the  Republican  party  from  the 
time  of  its  formation. 

Zalmon  G.  Simmons  passed  his  boyhood  in  his  native  State,  being  fourteen 
years  old  when  the  family  came  West.  His  early  life,  both  in  "York  State" 
and  in  the  new  West,  was  typical  of  the  times.  He  was  a  sturdy  youth  and 
able  to  handle  the  hard  work  which  fell  to  his  lot  on  the  home  farm,  and  he 
became  skilled  in  the  rude  athletic  feats  so  popular  in  that  day  in  rural  com- 
munities. Remaining  on  the  farm  until  he  attained  his  majority,  he  then  went 
to  Southport  to  take  a  position  as  clerk  in  the  store  of  Seth  Doan,  a  pioneer 
merchant  of  the  place. 

Mr.  Simmons  clerked  for  Mr.  Doan  sixteen  months,  at  the  end  of  that  time 
purchasing  the  stock  and  store  and  embarking  in  business  on  his  own  account. 
As  previously  stated,  the  firm  was  originally  Simmons  &  Sons.  The  business 
was  well  managed,  and  custom  increased  steadily  until  the  Simmons  establish- 
ment was  among  the  most  thriving  in  the  city.  The  next  move  our  subject 
made  showed  his  strong  faith  in  the  future  of  the  State  as  well  as  the  tire- 
less efforts  which  he  was  willing  to  expend  on  anything  he  undertook.  After 
two  years  of  mercantile  life  he  sold  out  to  devote  himself  to  the  interests  of  the 
Kenosha,  Rockford  &  Rock  Island  Railroad  Company,  taking  the  presidency. 
The  tide  in  its  affairs  was  then  so  low  that  it  had  neither  money  nor  credit,  and 


8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

he  was  obliged  to  draw  on  his  own  friends  and  endorse  the  company's  paper 
in  order  to  complete  the  partially  finished  road,  which  had  been  turned  over  to 
him  entirely.  The  first  train  was  run  through  for  a  meeting  of  the  stockholders 
at  Harvard,  111.,  on  the  day  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run  was  fought.  The  stock- 
holders were  so  disheartened  that  they  refused  to  advance  the  necessary  money 
for  equipment,  etc.,  and  voted  unanimously  that  Mr.  Simmons  take  the  road 
and  manage  things  as  he  liked.  He  entered  into  the  work  undismayed,  al- 
though he  was  involved  to  the  extent  of  $80,000.  Perhaps  the  magnitude  of  the 
task  and  the  hopeless  attitude  of  his  associates  acted  as  a  spur  to  his  energies, 
and  he  determined  to  come  out  on  top.  The  difficulties  he  had  to  contend  witti 
can  be  neither  understood  nor  appreciated  by  anyone  unfamiliar  with  such  a 
situation.  It  was  a  task  the  success  of  which  depended  as  much  upon  his  will 
power  and  strength  of  character  as  on  his  financial  and  executive  ability.  Many 
a  man  would  have  gi\en  up  in  despair.  The  same  indomitable  perseverance 
which  made  this  undertaking  a  success  has  distinguished  the  man  in  the  suc- 
cessful conduct  of  the  other  vast  enterprises  in  which  he  has  since  become  in- 
terested, many  of  which  he  has  piloted  from  an  almost  hopelessly  involved  con- 
dition into  assured  prosperity. 

Mr.  Simmons  entered  upon  a  similar  experience  with  the  Wisconsin  State 
Telegraph  Company.  In  1856  he  had  acquired  a  half  interest  in  the  company 
for  $500,  which  would  have  been  considered  a  sufficient  price  for  the  other  half 
also,  as  the  line  was  considered  practically  worthless.  Time  proves,  however, 
that  his  judgment  was  not  at  fault.  He  was  president  of  the  Telegraph  Com- 
pany from  the  time  he  became  connected  with  it.  and  manager  until  the  year 
1 88 1,  and  the  unbounded  success  of  the  concern  is  due  directly  to  his  methods 
of  business.  But  at  the  time  he  became  interested  in  the  project  the  little  line 
from  Milwaukee  to  Madison  was  not  regarded  as  a  wise  investment  from  a 
business  standpoint.  With  his  usual  gift  of  far-sightedness  ]Mr.  Simmons 
recognized  the  possibilities  of  the  business  particularly  in  the  growing  North- 
west, in  whose  great  distances  a  means  of  rapid  communication  would  be  es- 
pecially valuable.  There  was  nothing  to  prevent  the  company  putting  up  its 
lines  wherever  a  business  opportunity  offered,  and  the  rough  country  was  not 
enough  to  prove  a  serious  drawback  to  the  indomitable  men  who  were  back  of 
the  enterprise.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  during  the  period  it  was  operated  bv  an 
independent  company,  from  the  beginning  of  Mr.  Simmons's  connection  there- 
with until  1 88 1,  it  paid  a  total  of  nearly  one  million  dollars,  also  a  dividend  of 
$1,250,000  in  seven  per  cent  bonds,  besides  the  amount  of  the  original  outlay. 
In  the  year  1881  the  lines  were  leased  to  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Com- 
pany, for  ninety-nine  years,  the  Western  Union  Company  taking  care  of  the 
outstanding  bonds,  $1,180,000,  and  a  semi-annual  dividend  on  $2.^00,000, 
commencing  at  four  per  cent  and  increasing  to  six  per  cent. 

All  this,  however,  was  in  the  line  of  ordinary-  business,  from  which  he 
made  quite  a  departure  when  he  undertook  the  construction  of  what  is  pooularly 
known  as  the  "Cog  Road"  up  Pike's  Peak.  Work  was  besfun  in  October, 
1889.  and  the  first  train  made  the  ascent  June  30.  i8gi.  The  road  starts  at 
Manitou,  Colo.,  at  the  base  of  the  Peak,  and  winds  its  way  up  the  mountain- 
side at  n  grade  of  one  foot  in  four.  cn\-ering  a  distance  of  nine  miles,  the  sum- 
mit of  the  peak  being  reached  at  an  altitude  of  14.143  feet — the  highest  point 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  9 

attained  by  rail  in  the  world.  The  road-bed  is  of  solid  earth  or  masonry,  ex- 
cept where  four  chasms  are  spanned  by  iron  bridges.  The  superstructure  con- 
sists of  three  steel  rails,  the  outer  ones  on  which  the  train  runs  laid  at  standard 
gauge.  The  one  in  the  center  is  a  compound  cog  rail,  on  which  the  propelling 
wheels  of  the  engine  act.  All  along  the  route  the  traveler  enjoys  a  panoramic 
view  of  magnificent  scenery.  The  road  is  operated  during  the  summer  months 
when  a  trip  to  the  high  altitude  is  exhilarating  and  novel. 

Mr.  Simmons  has  always  encouraged  local  enterprises.  He  has  been 
president  of  the  Northwestern  Manufacturing  Company  since  he  founded  the 
same,  in  1872.  They  first  manufactured  cheese  boxes,  but  before  long  began 
to  make  wire  mattresses,  and  with  the  advantages  afforded  by  modern  machin- 
ery they  have  been  able  to  enlarge  the  scale  and  scojie  of  the  business  until  they 
are  now  extensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  iron  and  brass  bedsteads 
and  cots.  The  mattress  business  increased  so  that  the  original  yearly 
output  of  fifteen  hundred  was  in  time  equalled  by  the  daily  output. 
This  concern  gives  steady  employment  to  two  thousand  people.  Mr.  Simmons 
has  been  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Kenosha,  the  oldest  bank  in 
the  city,  for  some  thirty-seven  years.  It  was  due  principally  to  his  influence 
that  the  Brass  Works  were  located  in  the  city,  and  he  helped  to  organize  the 
Scotford  and  the  Lane  Manufacturing  Companies.  The  incalculable  benefit 
which  all  these  prosperous  concerns  have  brought  to  the  town  is  well  appreci- 
ated by  the  citizens,  especially  as  steady  and  profitable  employment  is  given  to 
hundreds  of  respected  and  substantial  residents. 

Mr.  Simmons  cast  his  first  vote  for  John  P.  Hale,  and  he  has  been  a  Re- 
publican ever  since  the  formation  of  that  party.  In  spite  of  the  demands  of  his 
numerous  business  interests,  he  has  found  time  for  acceptable  public  services, 
believing  it  the  duty  of  every  patriotic  citizen.  In  1865  he  represented  Keno- 
sha county  in  the  State  Legislature.  He  served  two  terms  as  mayor  of  Keno- 
sha, 1884  and  1885,  and  gave  the  city  an  administration  remarkable  in  many 
ways,  his  wise  methods  and  the  practical  projects  he  set  on  foot  conferring  last- 
ing benefit  on  the  municipality.  His  activity  in  the  matter  of  the  city  debt  won 
him  the  admiration  and  appreciation  of  every  public-spirited  citizen.  The  ex- 
penditures for  harbor  construction  and  extension  of  railroad  connections,  so 
necessary  to  the  continued  advancement  of  the  city,  had  involved  the  munici- 
pality to"  the  extent  of  $1,750,000,  including  interest,  etc.,  with  no  prospect  of 
relief.  When  Mr.  Simmons  took  the  helm  the  city  was  struggling  hopelessly 
against  this  burden,  which  had  already  begun. to  aiYect  business  very  materially, 
many  of  the  residents  moving  away.  Through  his  able  financiering  the  entire 
debt  was  refunded  with  $200,000  worth  of  1-20  bonds  at  five  per  cent.  His 
services  in  this  line  covered  altogether  a  period  of  about  twenty  years,  during 
which  he  worked  untiringly,  without  compensation,  bearing  his  own  expenses, 
an  important  item,  as  he  had  to  do  considerable  traveling.  But  the  problem 
was  one  of  the  kind  which  has  always  roused  Mr.  Simmons's  best  business 
instincts,  and  as  usual  he  came  out  ahead.  Many  new  enterprises  were  at- 
tracted to  the  town,  and  the  healthy  reaction  thus  brought  about  has  been  one 
of  the  most  potent  factors  in  its  prosperity.  At  the  present  time  there  is 
plenty  of  work,  at  good  pay,  for  the  population  of  21,000.  However,  this  is 
only  one  of  the  many  things  which  have  jjroved  his  genuine  interest  in  the 


10  CO^niE^^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

welfare  of  tlie  place.  His  gifts  to  churches  regardless  of  denomination,  and 
to  benevolent  objects  generally,  would  amount  to  considerable,  without 
thought  of  the  influence  his  connection  with  such  enterprises  means  to  those 
interested.  The  elegant  library  building,  as  fine  as  anything  of  the  kind  to  be 
found  in  the  State,  is  another  substantial  evidence  of  his  generosity.  It  was 
the  result  of  the  action  of  the  city  authorities  taken  upon  the  receipt  of  the  fol- 
lowing letter : 

Gentlemen : 

In  making  the  following  proposition  to  you  and  through  you  to  the  citizens  of 
Kenosha,  I  beg  to  acknowledge  my  grateful  consideration  and  appreciation  of  the  many 
blessings  that  have  come  to  me  and  my  family  during  the  long  time  we  have  lived  in 
}-our  midst,  a  period  reaching  beyond  a  half  century. 

Proposition. 

I  will  construct  a  building  of  sufficient  size  to  hold  over  30,000  volumes ;  material  to 
be  used  stone,  steel  and  hardwood  made  fireproof.  It  will  be  my  aim  to  make  it  a  beauti- 
ful building  in  every  way.  and  to  secure  this  object  no  efliort  will  be  spared.  The  struc- 
ture to  be  placed  as  near  as  may  be  in  the  center  of  the  park. 

Second :  I  will  continue  and  complete  the  curbing  around  the  park.  I  will  make  of 
cement  the  curbing  around  the  park.  I  will  make  of  cement  and  concrete 
all  the  walks  that  will  be  required  in  the  park;  will  do  all  the.  necessary  grading, 
will  remove  and  replace  all  the  trees  and  add  thereto  all  the  trees  and  shrubbery 
that  may  be  needed  to  make  the  park  a  fit  setting  for  the  building,  so  there  will  be  a 
true  harmony  throughout.  In  this  building  I  will  place  not  less  than  25,000  of  well-selected 
books.  The  whole  when  completed  I  make  a  free  gift  to  the  city  of  Kenosha  on  the  fol- 
lowing conditions:  ist — The  Library  shall  be  named  Gilbert  M.  Simmons.  '2d — The 
city  to  accept  the  same  and  agree  to  levy  and  collect  the  one  mill  tax  provided  by  law 
on  all  taxable  property  in  the  city.  3d — The  Library  to  be  kept  open  no  less  than  six 
hours  every  day.  4th — After  paying  the  necessary  expenses  of  the  librarian  and  help, 
heating  and  lighting,  the  remainder  (if  there  be  any)  of  this  one  mill  tax  fund  to  be  used 
for  the  purchase  of  additional  books. 

Most  respectfully  submitted, 

Z.  G.  Simmons. 

^Ir.  Simmons  has  always  been  particularly  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the 
old  soldiers,  and  to  show  that  he  believes  in  honoring  their  memory,  as  well 
as  in  looking  after  their  well  being  physically,  he  has  presented  to  the  city  a 
magnificent  monument,  which  was  dedicated  May  30,  1900,  the  occasion  being 
a  memorable  one.  The  numerous  visitors,  the  carefully  and  elaborately  ar- 
ranged parade,  the  profuse  street  decorations  in  honor  of  the  event,  and  the 
dedication  ceremonies  themselves,  combined  to  make  the  grandest  spectacle 
ever  witnessed  in  Kenosha,  and  one  which  will  live  in  the  memory  of  all  who 
participated.  The  weather  was  auspicious,  trainload  upon  trainload  of  visi- 
tors arrived,  and  fully  thirty  thousand  people  were  at  the  services.  At  noon 
Fred  S.  Lovell  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  and  the  various  civic  societies  formed  on  Mar- 
ket Square  and  marched  to  the  North  Western  Depot  to  meet  the  comrades 
from  the  North  and  South  who  were  to  be  present,  and  then  reforming 
marched  along  West  Main  street  (beautifully  decorated  with  flags  and  bunt- 
ing and  pictures  of  Lincoln  and  the  famous  generals  of  the  Civil  war)  to 
Grand  avenue,  and  thence  east  to  the  harbor,  where  salutes  were  fired  by  the 
L^nited  States  Gunboats  "Michigan"  and  "Fessenden,"  and  the  revenue  cutter 
"]\IorriIl,"'  which  was  sent  by  the  government  in  honor  of  the  occasion.  Then 
they  proceeded  to  Central  Park,  where  tlie  monument  stands,  and  the  crowd 
was  called  to  order  by  Commander  Hale,  who  had  charge  of  the  ceremonies, 
with  these  words : 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  ii 

"This  is  a  special  and  open  meeting  of  the  Fred  S.  LoveU  Post,  No.  230, 
Department  of  Wisconsin,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  assembled  to-clay 
with  their  visiting  comrades  and  friends,  for  the  purpose  of  unveiling  and 
dedicating  this  beautiful  monument,  erected  by  our  friend  and  fellow  citizen, 
Mr.  Z.  G.  Simmons,  in  honor  of  the  brave  men  of  Kenosha  county,  who  vic- 
toriously defended  the  Union  on  land  and  sea  during  the  war  of  the  great 
rebellion  of  1861-65.  The  ceremonies  will  open  with  the  invocation  of  the 
Divine  blessing." 

After  the  invocation  of  God's  blessing  upon  the  events  of  the  day,  the  old 
soldiers  and  the  donor  of  the  monument,  by  Rev.  H.  S.  Roblee,  who  is  a  son  of 
a  veteran,  St.  George's  choir  sang  "Hail!  Hail!  Starry  Banner,"  with  good 
effect.     Attorney  Peter  Fisher  delivered  the  address  of  welcome,  as  follows : 

"It  is  my  pleasant  duty,  on  behalf  of  the  county  and  city  of  Kenosha,  to 
welcome  you,  in  a  formal  manner,  to  our  exercises  to-day,  and  one  cannot  fail 
to  feel  a  pride  in  welcoming  the  soldiers  and  citizens  of  this  land  to  our  beau- 
tiful county  and  city  on  such  an  occasion  as  this.  We  now  meet  in  commem- 
oration of  the  deeds  of  the  brave  men  who  fought  on  land  and  water  the  stern 
battles  of  the  Civil  war — in  commemoration  of  their  patriotic  valor — in  com- 
memoration of  the  noble  deeds  of  the  now  silent  dead — in  formal  recognition 
of  their  zeal  for  their  country's  welfare — in  perpetuation  of  the  grand  prin- 
ciple that  this  Union  is  one  and  inseparable — and  we  most  heartily  welcome 
you,  each  and  all,  to  join  us  in  our  devotions  to  the  memory  of  those  men  and 
the  principles  for  which  they  fought. 

"As  the  memory  goes  back  thirty-five  or  forty  years  our  breasts  swell  with 
patriotic  emotions  and  our  hearts  extend  the  warmest  sympathy  to  the  homes 
made  desolate  by  that  war,  and  with  loving  hearts  to  cherish  the  memory  of 
the  departed  soldiers. 

"From  1861  to  1865  Kenosha  county  and  city  took  a  foremost  place  in 
the  ranks  of  the  Federal  army  and  navy,  and  many  a  tombstone  now  marks 
the  last  resting-place  of  the  men  who,  then  in  early  life,  offered  their  time  and 
their  lives  that  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  might  prevail  and  that  the 
homes  of  their  loved  ones  might  be  protected,  and  many  a  crutch  supports  the 
tottering  limbs  of  the  survivors  of  that  brave  band.  Hence  we  love  to  meet  on 
such  occasions,  so  that  the  lessons  of  patriotism  taught  by  these  men.  often 
cemented  in  blood,  may  endure  for  all  time.  And  we  welcome  to  our  midst 
and  to  our  assistance  the  citizens  of  this  country,  of  whatever  city,  county  or 
State,  for  our  purpose  is  a  common  purpose.  And  thrice  welcome  to  our  ranks 
to-day  are  the  men  who  stood  side  by  side  with  these  departed  heroes  through 
the  long  tedious  'march  and  upon  the  bullet-ridden  and  blood-stained  battle- 
field, or  braved  the  angry  waves  on  bullet-torn  battleships.  To  you.we  extend 
the  kindest  welcome. 

"Through  the  kind  generosity  and  patriotism  of  one  of  its  honored  citi- 
zens Kenosha  county  is  to-day  able  and  glad  to  dedicate  to  the  memory  of  those 
departed  heroes  a  monument,  beautiful  and  grand,  symbolical  and  symmetrical, 
which  is  only  exceeded  in  endurance  and  beauty  by  the  principles  for  which 
these  men  fought,  and  of  which  it  shall  ever  be  constant  reminder. 

"We  thank  this  generous  giver  for  his  noble  deed.  We  thank  these  brave 
men  for  their  lessons  of  patriotism,  for  their  sacrifices,  for  the  protection  of  our 


12  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

homes,  for  the  defense  of  our  country,  for  the  hberation  of  the  b(jndsnien,  and 
for  the  perpetuation  of  the  American  Union.  And  we  sincerely  welcome  you 
to  join  us  in  uttering  our  appreciation  of  these  things. 

"While  such  exercises  awaken  a  great  many  sad  memories,  recall  a  great 
many  disappointments,  they  are  tinged  with  joy  when  we  contemplate  the 
grand  and  noble  deeds  of  the  veterans  of  the  Civil  war,  and  now  see  our  coun- 
try, then  on  the  verge  of  dissolution,  united  and  happy,  knowing  neither  North 
nor  South,  East  nor  West,  prosperous  and  free.  We  therefore  welcome  you, 
citizens  and  soldiers,  laymen  and  veterans,  patriots  and  heroes,  most  cordially, 
to  participate  on  this  beautiful  May  day  in  dedicating  to  the  memory  of  these 
departed  warriors  that  which  shall  speak  to  future  generations,  when  you  and 
I  have  passed  away,  of  the  heroic  acts,  of  the  unsullied  patriotism,  of  the  un- 
faltering devotion  to  country,  and  of  the  unexcelled  bravery  of  the  soldiers, 
whether  on  land  or  sea,  of  the  Civil  war." 

At  this  juncture  Miss  Elizabeth  Clarkson  Simmons,  granddaughter  of 
Air.  Z.  G.  Simmons,  was  escorted  to  the  base  of  the  monument  by  Capt.  E.  G. 
Timme,  who  lost  his  arm  at  Chickamauga.  Miss  Simmons  pulled  away  the 
flags  that  veiled  the  monument,  and  as  she  did  so  the  bands  played  the  "Star 
Spangled  Banner,"  and  the  warships  and  revenue  cutter  fired  a  salute  in  honor 
of  the  event.    The  vast  multitude  rent  the  air  with  cheer  after  cheer. 

Then  Commander  Hale  introduced  Kenosha's  benefactor  as  follows : 

"Comrades  and  Citizens  :  It  is  my  great  pleasure  to  introduce  to  you  Mr. 
Z.  G.  Simmons — the  true  friend  of  the  citizen-soldier  from  1861  to  1865,  and 
from  1865  to  this  Memorial  day,  1900 — who  will  now  present  formally,  this 
beautiful  memorial  shaft  to  the  citizens  of  Kenosha  county." 

On  rising  Mr.  Simmons  was  greeted  with  a  hurricane  of  applause  and 
when  it  ceased  he  said : 

"Two  score  years  ago  this  Nation  divided  on  the  question  of  human 
slavery.  This  was  followed  by  the  greatest  war  of  modern  times.  And  now 
looking  back  on  these  two  score  years,  judging  by  results  and  consequences, 
we  may  safelv  claim  it  to  have  been  the  most  important  war  of  all  time. 

"When  this  war  commenced  Kenosha  county  bad  less  than  1700  able- 
bodied  men  subject  to  military  duty.  Before  it  ended  she  gave  1,367  of  her 
bravest  and  best  to  the  field.  Before  this  record  I  am  dumb.  \\\)rds  cannot 
tell  of  its  grandeur  and  glory. 

"This  granite  monument  standing  before  us,  serene  and  beautiful,  is 
placed  here  to  tell  the  story  of  their  sublime  achievements ;  not  for  to-dav 
alone,  but  for  all  time ;  not  to  the  people  of  this  land  alone,  but  to  all  people  of 
all  lands. 

"With  a  feeling  of  profound  gratefulness  for-  the  privilege,  I  turn  this 
monument  over  to  the  care  and  keeping  of  the  liberty  loving  people  of  Keno- 
sha county,  to  be  their  possession  forever. 

"Mav  the  blessed  sunshine  bathe  it  until  all  bloodstains  are  washed  away. 
May  God's  approval  rest  upon  it  now  and  forever." 

Supervisor  Samuel  B.  Cropley  of  Pleasant  Prairie,  who  had  been  dele- 
gated for  the  dutv  bv  Mr.  H.  F.  Jordan,  chairman  of  the  countv  board  of 
supervisors,  accepted  the  moiniment  on  behalf  of  the  people  of  the  county. 
In  doing  so  he  said  : 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  13 

"Mr.  Simmons  :  The  duty  of  accepting  from  you,  in  behalf  of  the  citizens 
of  Kenosha  county,  this  beautiful  testimonial  of  your  gratitude  to  the  men  of 
Kenosha  county  who  defended  the  Union  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  has 
fallen  upon  me,  and  I  assure  you  that  1  esteem  it  an  honor,  indeed,  to  have  the 
privilege  of  accepting  it  from  one  whose  patriotism  and  generosity  has  made 
possible  these  exercises. 

"In  accepting  this,  I  trust  that  I  may  safely  pledge  the  honor  of  every  citi- 
zen of  Kenosha  county  that  it  shall  be  protected  and  cared  for  and  the  sur- 
roundings kept  in  harmony  with  its  beauty. 

"Inscribed  on  yonder  monument  are  the  words,  'In  honor  of  the  bra\-e  men 
of  Kenosha  county,  who  victoriously  defended  tjie  Union  on  land  and  sea  dur- 
ing the  war  of  the  great  rebellion — 1861-1865,'  an  inscription  teaching  to  the 
present  and  future  generations  the  impressive  lesson  of  gratitude.  As  one  who 
took  an  humble  part  in  that  victorious  defense  of  the  Union,  it  occurs  to  me 
that  this  memorial  shaft  expresses  still  an(ither  message  to  future  generations 
— a  lesson  of  patriotism. 

"Long  may  it  stand  where  you  have  placed  it — stand  in  all  its  beautv, 
sublime  yet  not  silent,  but  as  an  object  lesson  teaching  that  although  those  to 
whose  memory  it  has  been  erected  may  have  sacrificed  health  and  even  life 
itself — yet  their  sacrifices  and  achievements  have  not  been  forgotten ;  and  may 
it  also  instill  in  their  minds  and  hearts  that  true  spirit  of  patriotism  which  shall 
cause  them  to  be  ever  ready  to  defend  their  homes  and  country.  The  motive 
which  actuated  you  in  the  erection  of  this  most  beautiful  monument,  as  we 
all  well  know,  and  as  stated  in  your  presentation,  is  one  of  profound  gratitude 
to  those  in  whose  memory  jt  has  been  placed  there,  and  your  object  to  tell  of 
their  sublime  achievements. 

"A  few  words,  yet  impressive  and  full  of  meaning,  realizing  as  you  do 
most  fully  that  they'  achieved  that  for  which  they  fought,  the  preservation  of 
our  country,  that  it  might  live  as  a  nation,  and  to-day  it  does  live,  respected  and 
honored  by  all  nations. 

"I  am  conscious  of  my  inability  to  fitly  express  to  you  the  feeling  of  grati- 
tude which  to-day  fills  the  hearts  of  every  patriotic  man  and  woman  of  Keno- 
sha county,  yet  I  feel  that  I  not  only  voice  the  sentiment  of  the  survivors  of 
those  who  sacrificed  their  lives  in  that  great  struggle,  but  also  the  sentiment  of 
every  living  soldier  and  sailor,  when  I  say  that  they  are  most  profoundlv  grate- 
ful to  you  for  what  you  have  previously  done  for  them,  and  for  this  your  crown- 
ing efTort  in  the  erection  of  yonder  '■2autiful  monument  to  their  memory. 

"And  now  in  behalf  of  those  who  laid  down  their  lives  on  battlefields,  in 
prison  pen  or  hospital — in  behalf  of  all  who  have  been  laid  to  rest  from  1861 
to  this  Memorial  day,  1900— in  behalf  of  the  fathers,  mothers,  widows  and 
orphans  of  those  who  have  passed  away,  and  in  behalf  of  the  living  soldiers. 
and  of  each  and  every  citizen  of  Kenosha  county,  I  most  sincerely  thank  vou. 
May  God  graciously  prolong  your  life  that  you  may  have  the  satisfaction  of  the 
completion  of  this  long  cherished  wish,  and  when  in  the  lapse  of  time  vou  have 
passed  to  the  Great  Beyond  may  your  name  ever  remain  fresh  in  the  hearts 
and  minds  of  every  one— remain  revered  and  honored  as  long  as  yonder 
memorial  shaft  shall  stand  where  your  hands  have  placed  it. 
"Again  and  again  I  thank  you." 


14  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

St.  George's  choir  then  sang  "Brave  Hearts  Sleep  On." 

The  orator  of  the  day,  Bishop  Samuel  Fallows,  of  Chicago,  was  then  in- 
troduced hy  Attorney  James  Cavanagh.  In  introducing  the  speaker  Mr. 
Cavanagh  said : 

"Decoration  Day  is  the  grandest,  nohlest  and  most  impressive  day  in  the 
whole  calendar  of  patriotism.  It  is  the  day  of  heroes,  not  of  soldiers.  Soldiers 
are  men  bred  to  war ;  heroes  are  men  of  peace.  The  men  of  '61-65  were  heroes. 
They  went  to  the  front  not  for  emolument  or  the  spoils  of  war,  but  for  love  of 
country  and  home,  and  to  preserve  the  nation  and  the  flag.  The  gentleman 
who  presented  this  noble  and  beautiful  shaft  as  the  crowning  act  of  his  grati- 
tude to  the  heroes  of  the  War  bf  the  Rebellion  has  erected  other  monuments  in 
the  hearts  of  the  veterans  and  has  ever  been  mindful  of  them.  It  was  a  happy 
thought  that  suggested  Bishop  Fallows  as  the  speaker  on  this  occasion.  He 
is  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Civil  war.  He  knew  personally  and  fought  side  by 
side  with  many  of  the  heroes  whose  memory  is  held  in  trust  by  this  beautiful 
shaft.  I  have  the  honor  and  it  is  my  pleasure  to  introduce  to  you  Bishop  Sam- 
uel Fallows,  who  is  known  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  land  as  the 
'Fighting  parson  from  Wisconsin.'  " 

When  Bishop  Fallows  rose  to  speak  he  was  met  with  a  warm  recejjtion. 
He  spoke  as  follows  : 

"Comrades,  Fellow  Citizens,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen :  The  sod  is  scarcely 
green  over  the  graves  of  many  in  both  hemispheres  who  listened  to  Edmund 
Burke  on  the  floor  of  the  British  Parliament,  as  with  his  broad  majestic  elo- 
quence he  spoke  of  America  as  having  been  within  the  lifetime  of  some  around 
him  'a  little  speck  scarcely  visible  in  the  mass  of  the  national  interest ;  a  small 
seminal  principle,  rather  than  a  formed  body.' 

"During  the  few  short  years  since  these  words  were  uttered  this  'little 
speck'  has  grown  to  be  one  of  the  most  populous,  civilized  nations  of  the  earth. 
Within  its  borders  has  been  carried  on  a  war  compared  with  which  the  most 
gigantic  military  campaigns  of  the  past  dwindle  into  comparative  insignificance. 

"Two  million,  six  hundred  and  eighty-eight  thousand  names  were  placed 
on  the  muster-roll  of  the  armies  of  the  republic;  over  one  million  and  a  half 
on  the  muster-roll  of  the  Confederacy. 

"I  need  not  stop  to  recapitulate  the  causes  which  led  to  this  struggle. 
"That  memorable  April  day  came  when  the  flag  of  the  Republic,  never 
before  dishonored,  was  shot  down  and  trailed  in  the  dust — that  flag  of  which 
we  have  often  proudly  sung,' 

.  "When    freedom    from    he.r    mountain    height 

Unfurled   her  standard   to   the   air, 
She  tore  the   azure   robe  of  night 
And  set  the  star  of  glory  there. 

"Then  came  the  unparalleled  uprising  of  the  people,  the  call  for  75,000 
men,  and  the  advance  of  the  'whirlwind  of  the  North,'  the  darkness  and  defeat 
of  the  first  Bull  Run  battle,  the  deepened  determination,  the  varying  fortunes 
of  war,  the  piercing  of  that  long  and  well  defended  Confederate  line  stretch- 
ing from  the  eastern  mountains  to  the  Mississippi,  and  the  capturing  of  Forts 
Henry  and  Donelson  by  L^nconditional  Surrender  Grant,  the  battle  of  Shiloh, 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  15 

the  gallant  fight  of  the  'Cumberland'  and  'Monitor'  with  the  'Merrimac,'  the 
immortal  exploits  of  Farragut  and  Porter,  and  the  capture  of  New  Orleans; 
answering  the  song  of  the  nation  'We  Are  Coming  Father  Abraham,  300,000 
More,'  the  battles  of  Antietam  and  F"redericksburg,  the  bloody  conflicts  of 
Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg,  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  the  starvation, 
defeat  and  glorious  victory  at  Chickamauga,  the  enthusiastic  response,  'We  Are 
Coming  Father  Abraham,  300,000  more" ;  the  placing  of  the  flag  on  Lookout 
Mountain,  the  storming  of  Missionary  Ridge  and  the  'fight  above  the  clouds.' 
The  song  more  earnestly  than  ever  sung  'We  Are  Coming  Father  Abraham, 
300,000  More' ;  the  decisive  battles  of  Atlanta  and  Nashville,  the  siege  of  Rich- 
mond, the  'Grand  March  to  the  Sea,'  and  the  final  chorus  of  the  nation,  'We 
Are  Coming  Father  Abraham,  600,000  More.'  The  surrender  of  Lee  and  John- 
son, the  foul  assassination  of  President  Lincoln,  the  passionate  _grief  of  the 
people,  the  magnificent  review  at  Washington,  the  glad  thundering  of  guns 
without  the  murderous  thunderbolts,  the  rising  tide  of  a  redeemed  nation's 
rapturous  joy,  as  it  swelled  from  the  Atlantic,  rolled  over  the  Alleghanieg,  on 
over  our  w^estern  prairies,  'God's  own  Gardens,'  up  and  over  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, down  the  slopes  of  the  Pacific  States,  till  'like  a  sea  of  glory,  it  spread 
from  pole  to  pole.'  And  the  melting  of  the  vast  army  into  the  ranks  of  civil 
life  like  mist  before  the  rising  sun. 

"Our  soldier  dead  cannot  receive  their  just  meed  of  praise  without  the 
fullest  recognition  and  the  most  unqualified  admiration  of  the  magnificent 
bravery  of  the  soldier  dead;  they  engaged  in  strife  on  the  more  than  two  thou- 
sand battlefields  of  the  war.  Virtue  is  measured  by  the  temptation  it  meets 
and  masters ;  success  is  scored  according  to  the  difficulties  to  be  surmounted ; 
victory  has  its  values  precisely  proportionate  to  the  means  and  men  to  be  over- 
come. In  our  war  West  Point  met  West  Point,  volunteer  vied  Avith  volunteer. 
The  flower  of  our  hearts  and  homes  lay  down  side  by  side  in  the  last  long  sol- 
dier sleep  with  the  flower  of  the  Southland's  hearts  and  homes :  sincerity  strove 
against  sincerity ;  conviction  confronted  conviction ;  determination  defied  deter- 
mination ;  purpose  was  pitted  against  purpose ;  sacrifice  was  set  over  against 
sacrifice:  prayer  against  prayer.  Not  men  of  alien  nations  were  they:  they 
were  our  own  kith  and  kin.  And  because  they  were  of  our  own  stock  and  lin- 
eage, they  fought,  as  men  who  would  not  disgrace  the  American  family  name. 
That  is  the  reason  it  took  four  long  years  to  end  the  contest.  Because  of 
this  the  hands  of  our  Southern  brethren  set  fire  to  a  thousand  miles  of  cotton, 
their  very  last  resource,  that  every  bridge  might  be  burned  behind  them.  To 
'die  in  the  last  ditch'  was  no  language  of  empty  braggadocio.  It  meant  the 
grim  resolve  of  stubborp.  ingrained  Anglo-American  valor,  which,  enlisted 
with  our  own  on  the  side  of  right,  can,  if  need  arise,  whip  the  world. 

"This  noble  shaft  and  this  beautiful  library  building  are  striking  and 
worthy  tributes  to  the  transcendent  idea  that  wealth  has  its  irreparable  obliga- 
tions to  society.  He  who  by  genius  and  industry  and  honorable  dealins:  has 
amassed  a  fortune,  viewing  his  lawful  acquisitions  aright,  truly  savs,  'These 
are  not  my  own  for  sordid  and  selfish  ends.  They  are  for  the  well-being  of 
those  dependent  upon  me.  and  for  that  of  my  fellowmen.  I  will  therefore  use 
them  to  enrich  and  glorify  human  lives.  I  will  blend  in  their  use  the  gift  of 
architecture,  poetry  and  eloquence,  with  the  undying  sentiments  of  philan- 


i6  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

thropy  and  patriotism.  I  will  unfold  new  vistas  of  knowledge  to  the  opening 
and  gladdened  eyes  of  youth.  I  will  multiply  for  them  the  sources  of  inspira- 
tion and  the  upward  paths  of  aspiration.' 

"It  is  thus  my  friends  that  money  should  be  used,  not  to  forge  fetters  to 
bind  and  enthrall  mankind,  but  with  chains  of  gold  to  link  heart  to  heart  in 
the  reciprocal  offices  of  good-will  and  glowing  gratitude. 

"He  whom  we  all  delight  to  honor  to-day,  and  whose  name  will  be  lield  in 
increasing  regard  as  the  generations  come  and  go,  in  this  spirit  has  caused  this 
splendid  monument  to  spring  into  being.  And  in  the  fullest  sympathy  with  the 
words  of  James  Whitcomb  Riley  has  he  erected 

"A  monument  to  the  soldiers. 

And  what  shall  you  build  it  of? 
Can  you  build  it  of  marble,  or  brass  or  bronze, 

Outlasting  a  soldier's  love? 
Can  you  glorify  it  with  legends 

As  grand  as  their  blood  has  writ 
From  the  inmost  shrine  of  this  land  of  thine 

To  the  outermost  verge  of  it? 

"A  monument  for  the  soldiers- 
Built  of  a  people's  love, 

And  blazoned  and  decked  and  panoplied 
With  the  hearts  ye  build  it  of. 

And  see  that  you  build  it  stately 
In  pillar  and  niche  and  gate 

And  high  in  pose  as  the  soul  of  those 
It   would  commemorate. 

"Your  most  generous  friend  and  fellow  townsman  ardently  desired  to  go 
to  the  front  when  the  war  broke  out,  but  considerations  of  business  in  which 
the  vital  interests  of  many  others  were  concerned  interposed  an  insuperable 
barrier.  And  yet  he  always  felt  a  keen  disappointment  that  stern  necessity  had 
prevented  the  enrollment  of  his  name  among  his  country's  actual  defenders. 
But  in  this  case  we  all  have  taken  gladly  'The  will  for  the  deed' :  and  in  the  en- 
during form  of  this  graceful  memorial  shaft  has  that  will  found  a  renewed  ex- 
pression of  the  profound  regard  he  has  ever  cherished  and  of  the  marked  prac- 
tical appreciation  he  has  ever  felt  for  the  heroes  of  the  Republic. 

"It  has  been  reared  as  described  in  the  beautiful  and  felicitous  language 
on  its  base  'In  honor  of  the  brave  men  of  Kenosha  county,  who  victoriously 
defended  the  Union  on  land  and  sea  during  the  war  of  the  great  rebellion  of 
1861-1865." 

"Not  soldiers  professionally  trained,  but  men  who  became  soldiers  for  the 
time  of  strenuous  need,  did  this  country  send  forth.  When  the  war  was  over 
the  survivors  of  the  gallant  Union  host  resumed  their  places  in  society  as  men. 
Men  first  and  always  they  were.  The  function  of  the  soldier  was  but  a  tem- 
porary one  in  their  experience. 

"Glorious  beyond  the  power  of  utterance  were  the  deeds  they  wrought 
amid  the  fire  and  tempest  of  battle.  But  they  fought  not  for  conquest  but  for 
harmony,  unity  and  peace.  The  peace  which  was  to  make  the  Nation  one  could 
only  come  by  power.  Look  upon  that  radiant  figure  which  crowns  this  un- 
springing  column.  It  is  not  the  representative  of  the  god  of  war  crying  'To 
arms !  To  arms !"  It  is  tliat  of  the  Angel  of  Peace,  breathing  benediction  and 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  v; 

love.  And  yet  wilhuut  the  men  girded  with  overcuming  strength  the  iVngel  ut 
Peace  wouW  not  have  descended  from  ahove. 

"Other  hps  will  tell  in  detail  the  thnllmg  story  of  the  loyalty  and  bravery 
of  our  Kenosha  boys.  No  more  intrepid  citizen-soldiers  shouldered  arms  or 
carried  sword.  The  great  State  that  sent  them  fortli  gained  added  glory 
through  their  renown. 

"General  Sherman  said  in  my  hearing  and  in  that  of  the  Thirty-second 
Wisconsin  Regiment  in  the  field,  'Had  all  the  regiments  behaved  as  well  as  the 
Wisconsin  troops,  there  would  have  been  no  Bull  Run."  And  it  was  as  much  in 
compliment  of  the  men  we  sent  out  as  well  as  of  the  policy  of  the  State  in  fill- 
ing up  her  regiments  with  recruits  that  he  said  in  his  Memoirs,  'We  estimated 
a  VV'isconsin  regiment  equal  to  an  ordinary  brigade.'  It  is  no  disparagement  to 
the  valiant  soldiers  from  the  other  States  to  say  that  Wisconsin  soldiers  were, 
second  to  none  in  every  physical,  intellectual,  moral  and  military  quality. 
Wherever  the  white  plume  of  Henry  of  Navarre  was  seen  there  always  was 
the  fight  the  hottest.  Wherever  the  dags  of  Wisconsin  regiments  were  seen  in 
battle  you  might  know  the  thickest  of  the  deadly  fray  was  there.  The  history 
of  the  war  could  be  made  out  from  the  records  of  the  conflicts  in  which 
Wisconsin  soldiers  took  part.  I  cannot  do  justice  to  the  deeds  of  our 
Wisconsin  dead.  Ten  thousand  fell  in  battle,  on  the  march,  in  hospital,  in 
prison  pens,  and  through  wounds  and  disease  at  home.  Our  noble  Governor 
Harvey,  going  to  the  front  to  care  for  the  wounded,  found  a  watery  grave  in 
the  swiftly  flowing  Tennessee.  Colonel  Haskell,  the  embodiment  of  chivalrous 
courtesy,  culture  and  daring,  surrendered  his  life  early  and  heroically  at  his 
post  of  duty.  Gen.  Cassius  Fairchild  and  General  Cutler,  after  the  battle's 
shock  was  over,  lay  down  to  rest,  wearied  unto  death,  through  the  preternatural 
stress  and  strain  of  war.  Scores  of  other  brave  officers  fell,  whose  names  and 
deeds  are  engraven  on  tablet  and  monument,  and  slirined  in  the  undying  re- 
membrance of  grateful  hearts. 

"True  to  the  last  were  those  Wisconsin  soldiers.  One  of  them,  who  went 
from  the  University  in  the  northern  part  of  our  State,  with  the  baptism  of  learn- 
ing on  his  brow,  fell  at  the  head  of  his  cavalry  command,  but  the  last  word 
that  escaped  young  Paine's  lips,  as  the  sand  in  the  roadside  drank  his  blood, 
was  'Forward.'  That  motto  of  Wisconsin  must  be  the  watchword  of  the  Na- 
tion.    It  has  the  right  military  ring  in  its  imperative  utterance. 

"This  Memorial  day  speaks  to  us  perhaps  as  never  before  of  common 
duties  and  responsibilities.  It  summons  the  whole  nation  to  bear  together  the 
'white  man's  burden.'  to  meet  the  red  man's  claims,  to  safeguard  the  brown 
man's  rights,  and  redress  the  black  man's  wrongs.  She  must  check  with  the 
hand  of  prudence  and  justice  the  insatiable  greed  of  rapacious  monopolies  and 
trusts  which  exist  by  the  grace  and  to  the  disgrace  of  the  long-suf=fering  public, 
and  which,  like  the  horse"  leech  with  her  two  daughters,  are  evermore  crying 
'Give !  give !'  She  must  not  only  shut  now  and  forever  the  door  of  the  Ameri- 
can congress  to  polygamy,  but  sternly  prevent  its  baleful  spread.  She  must 
deal  practicallv  and  in  a  common-sense  manner  with  intemperance.  She  must 
preserve  the  sacredness  of  marriage,  and  the  integrity  of  the  home,  and  the 
open  school-house  for  her  children. 

"No  maudlin  sentimentalism  must  weaken  the  tenacity  of  the  iron  mole- 
cules in  the  martial  blood  of  our  American  youth.     Millennial  conditions  do- 


i8  co]mme:\iorative  biographical  record. 

not  as  yet  prevail.  However  ardently  we  may  desire  and  fervently  pray  for 
peace,  we  can  fulfill  our  mission  as  a  Christian  nation  only  as  we  become  thor- 
oughly prepared  to  compel  peace  when  ambitious  nations  may  desire  to  'let 
slip  the  dogs  of  war." 

"There  can  be  omnipotence  in  our  ringing  utterances  only  as  we  can  make 
these  nations  hear  the  reverberations  of  the  best  cannon,  sighted  by  the  best 
artillerists  the  world  knows  of,  if  occasion  should  demand  such  an  accom)3ani- 
ment.  We  have  sprung  to  the  front  as  one  of  the  great  world-powers,  not  by 
any  will  of  our  own,  for  no  statesman  or  soldier  dreamed  of  this  three  years 
ago. 

"Let  skeptics  sneer  at  us  if  they  choose.  I  but  repeat  the  thought  of  devout 
and  practical  men  that  the  right  hand  of  the  God  of  Nations  was  on  the  hands 
of  our  American  heroes  when  they  were  lift  up  to  destroy  tyranny  and  make 
wider  yet  the  bounds  of  freedom  in  the  enlarging  of  our  national  domain. 
What  we  have  we  must  hold  and  we  will  hold  with  the  grip  of  gravitation.  We  ■ 
will  strike  swift  and  steady  blows  till  the  last  armed  foe  expires.  We  are  sure 
we  are  right  and  we  are  going  ahead.  We  are  going  to  tax  to  the  utmost  the 
learning  and  ability  of  our  commanding  constitutional  lawyers,  the  construc- 
tive genius  of  our  foremost  governmental  administrators,  the  knowledge  and 
deliberative  wisdom  of  our  most  impartial  and  patriotic  legislators,  in  dealing 
Avith  the  tractable  and  intractable  human  material  that  Providence  has  forced 
upon  us. 

"  'He  has  sounded  forth  a  trumpet  that  shall  never  call  retreat.'  Vrni  mav 
as  well  try  to  roll  yonder  sun  backward  as  to  turn  the  American  people  from 
the  inward  path  of  honor.  We  are  workers  together  with  God  in  lifting  up  and 
enlightening  the  once  enslaved  people  now  committed  to  our  care. 

"The  Republic  is  living  a  grander  life  today  than  when  Grant  grasped 
tlie  hand  of  Lee  and  said  'Let  us  have  peace.'  The  years  that  have  sped  on 
since  then  have  welded  together  the  North  and  the  South  into  a  compact  and 
glorious  unity.  Beneath  the  starry  flag  of  the  fathers  the  sires  and  sons  who 
represented  contending  hosts  have  been  marching  victoriously  forward  to  ful- 
fill our  manifest  destiny. 

"We  shall  solve  the  many  and  complicated  problems  which  are  before  us 
to-dav  even  as  those  who  sleep  in  soldiers'  graves  solved  the  problems  they 
had  to  face  during  the  stirring  times  in  which  they  lived.  Because  they  suc- 
ceeded we  have  the  sure  promise  of  unfailing  success,  if  we  shall  be  faithful 
as  were  they.  It  is  not  only  poetry  but  prose  which  is  embodied  in  the  senti- 
ment of  the  song  'Columbia,  the  Gem  of  the  Ocean.'  She  is  indeed  the  chief 
of  the  nations  of  the  earth.  W^e  can  gratefully  thank  the  Giver  of  good  gifts 
that  there  is  no  consumption  in  her  blood,  no  paralysis  in  her  limbs,  no  serious 
impairment  of  her  digestive  powers,  no  signs  of  heart  failure  in  that  central 
organ  of  her  being. 

"Tlie  strength  of  the  'everlasting  hills'  is  in  her  glorious  frame.  The 
beauty  of  her  flushing  lakes  and  rivers  and  seas  is  in  her  beaming  face.  'The 
sweep  continental'  of  mighty  and  majestic  thought  is  in  her  active  brain.  The 
ardency  and  freshness  of  perennial  youth  are  in  her  leaping  pulses.  The  light 
of  liberty  is  in  her  eyes  of  heavenlit  blue.  The  words  of  conciliation  and  af- 
fection are  on  her  persuasive  lips,  and  her  yearning  arms  have  clasped  once 
more  all  her  children  to  her  bounteous  bosom  in  the  unbroken  embrace  of  ma- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  19 

ternal,  filial  and  fraternal  love.     And  the  children  now  sing  as  ne\er  before 
could  be  sung : 

"Columbia,  Columbia,  to  glory  arise, 
The  Queen  of  the  World  and  the  child  of  the  skies." 

Attorney  James  Cavanagh  then  introduced  Rev.  Father  Cleary,  of  Min- 
neapolis, who  said  that  the  erecting  of  the  monument  was  but  a  very  small  part 
of  what  Mr.  Simmons  has  done  for  the  old  soldiers.  He  said  that  Mr.  Sim- 
mons had  always  taken  a  great  interest  in  the  upbuilding  of  Kenosha,  and  gave 
liberally  of  his  means  toward  every  worthy  enterprise.  He  told  how,  when  he 
commenced  the  work  of  building  St.  James'  Church,  Mr.  Simmons  took  him 
by  the  hand  one  morning  and  told  him  he  was  glad  to  see  that  there  was  one 
man  who  had  faith  in  the  future  prosperity  of  Kenosha — that  Kenosha  was 
all  right — to  go  ahead  with  the  building  of  the  church,  and  when  in  need  of 
fvmds  to  call  on  him.  He  also  said  that  Mr.  Simmons  remarked  to  him  after 
the  dedication  of  the  soldiers'  monument  in  the  city  cemetery  several  years  ago 
which  was  the  gift  of  Mr.  Simmons,  that  the  dead  soldiers  should  have  a 
monument,  and  they  would  have  it  if  he  had  to  erect  it  himself.  Everyone 
knows  when  Mr.  Simmons  said  anything  had  to  be  done  it  would  be  done.  In 
concluding  his  short  address  he  invoked  the  choicest  blessings  of  Hea\-en  on 
Ml'.  Simmons. 

The  exercises  closed  with  the  singing  of  "America"  by  the  assemblage. 

Rev.  Roblee  then  announced  that  the  old  soldiers  would  be  furnished  tick- 
ets for  their  supper  at  the  dining  halls  of  the  W.  R.  C.  and  the  ladies  of  the 
several  churches. 

A  nice  feature  of  the  day  was  the  singing  by  the  school  children.  After 
the  exercises  the  Wolcott  Post  Drum  Corps  of  Milwaukee  serenaded  Air.  Sim- 
mons at  his  home.  During  the  evening  the  surviving  members  of  the  Twentv- 
sixth  Regiment,  Wisconsin  Volunteers,  held  a  reunion  at  St.  George's  Hall. 
It  was  a  happy  event. 

The  M onumcnt . — The  monument  is  a  fluted  Corinthian  column  twentv- 
ejght  feet  in  height,  four  feet  in  diameter  at  the  bottom  and  tapering  to  three 
feet  four  inches  at  the  top,  and  is  one  solid  piece  of  gray  granite.  The  cap- 
stone is  five  feet  six  inches  square,  and  six  feet  high.  On  top  of  this  stone  is 
a  beautiful  statue  of  Victory,  eleven  feet  in  height,  holding  in  her  hand  a 
wreath.  On  the  base  is  the  inscription,  "In  honor  of  the  brave  men  of  Keno- 
sha county,  who  victoriously  defended  the  Union  on  land  and  sea  during  the 
war  of  the  great  rebellion — 1861-1865." 

The  approaches  consist  of  four  -steps  and  eight  buttresses.  The  lower 
course  is  circular  in  form  and  thirty-six  feet  in  diameter.  From  the  approaches 
to  the  base  of  the  column  the  monument  is  octagonal  in  shape,  consisting  of 
two  bases,  eleven  feet  six  inches  in  diameter,  also  a  die,  six  feet  six  inches,  and 
a  capstone  eight  feet  in  diameter.  The  approaches  are  similar  to  the  approaches 
to  the  Victory  monument  at  West  Point,  N.  Y.  The  monument  was  designed 
by  Mr.  D.  H.  Burnham.  who  designed  the  buildings  for  the  ^^"or!d's  Fair.  The 
statue  of  Victory  was  designed  by  \\' illiam  H.  Morse,  of  this  city,  who  erected 
the  monument.  The  work  on  the  monument  was  all  done  by  the  William  H. 
Morse  Company,  at  Barre,  Vt.    The  total  weight  of  granite  is  180  tons.    There 


20  CO!^BIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

is  not  a  finei"  niunument  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  [The  ahove  report  is 
taken  from  the  Kenosha  Union  of  May  31,  1900. J 

No  better  evidence  of  the  good  feehng  created  by  this  handsome  gift  was 
necessary  than  the  make-up  of  the  procession,  which  inckided,  besides  veterans 
and  sons  and  grandsons  of  veterans,  representatives  of  numerous  societies  of 
every  kind. 

This  generous  act  was  but  the  climax  of  a  consistent  career  of  helpfulness 
in  behalf  of  the  veteran  soldiery  and  their  families,  which  covers  a  period  from 
the  beginning  of  the  Civil  war  until  the  present  time.  It  is  not  too  much  to 
say  that  no  person  in  the  United  States  to-day  is  a  warmer  friend,  or  a  more 
liberal  contributor,  to  the  cause  represented  by  the  G.  A.  R.  than  Hon.  Z.  G. 
Simmons,  of  Kenosha.  Abundant  evidences  of  his  friendly  attitude,  and  of  his 
splendid  work,  which  proves  his  iaith  in  the  great  patriotic  fraternity,  are  scat- 
tered along  the  past  forty  years  of  his  life.  One  of  the  most  touching  local 
incidents  testifying  to  his  good-will  is  the  annual  entertainment  which  he  has 
prepared  and  given  for  the  last  thirty  years  at  his  private  residence  for  the 
enjoyment  of  two  hundred  veterans  of  Kenosha,  Waukegan,  Racine  and  Mil- 
waukee. Last  year  the  late  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Grand  xA.rmy,  W.  \V. 
Blackmar,  was  present  on  this  occasion. 

A  more  striking  evidence  was  presented  at  the  thirty-ninth  national  en- 
campment of  the  G.  A.  R.,  held  at  Denver,  Colo.  While  there,  in  company 
with  the  regular  members  of  the  Kenosha  post  and  with  his  own  granddaugh- 
ter, Mr.  Simmons  and  the  lady  mentioned  were  called  to  the  platform  and 
heartily  applauded.  Then  and  there  Mr.  Simmons  was  unanimously  and  en- 
thusiastically pronounced  a  comrade  of  the  gray-haired  boys  in  blue,  and  voted 
formally  into  the  organization — in  view  of  what  he  had  done  in  the  past  for 
them  and  theirs.  In  reply  he  delivered  a  short  but  telling  address ;  but  he  had 
come  to  the  convention  provided  with  something  more  tangible  than  words, 
and  calculated  to  give  a  more  enduring  pleasure.  Before  the  session  was  com- 
pleted he  had  distributed  three  tons  of  handsome  bronze  medals,  which  had 
been  struck  ofif  at  his  personal  expense.  The  soldiers  attending  the  Denver 
Encampment  received  15,000  of  these  beautiful  mementoes,  and,  after  return- 
ing home,  Mr.  Simmons  had  more  of  the  medals  made  for  presentation  to  the 
members  of  the  Kenosha  post  who  did  not  attend  the  convention. 

On  April  20,  1850,  Mr.  Simmons  was  married,  in  Kenosha,  to  iVIiss 
Emma  E.  Robinson,  daughter  of  Capt.  Morris  Robinson,  a  prominent  pioneer 
of  Benton  township.  Lake  Co.,  111.  Mrs.  Simmons  was  born  in  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  Oct.  15,  1830,  and  in  1835  went  with  her  father  to  Lake  county.  111., 
where  she  grew  to  womanhood. 

Children  as  follows  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Simmons :  Gilbert  ^T. 
died  in  the  prime  of  manhood ;  Nelson  L.  died  at  the  age  of  three  years ;  Min- 
nie J.  is  the  wife  of  Arthur  F.  Towne,  of  Chicago ;  Emma  Belle,  Mrs.  Lance, 
is  a  resident  of  Kenosha ;  Ezra  J-  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years;  Zalmon  G., 
Jr.,  is  the  youngest.  The  mother  passed  away  Oct.  11,  1899.  In  religious  faith 
she  was  a  Unitarian,  as  is  also  Mr.  Simmons. 

Mr.  Simmons  has  proved  in  his  career  that  hard  work  is  a  blessing  and 
not  a  bane.  His  success  also  is  evidence  of  the  fact  that  a  man  never  injures 
his  own  prospects  by  generosity  to  others,  and  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  21 

by  all  is  the  reward  of  a  life-long  policy  of  unselfishness.  His  name  is  known 
to  every  resident  of  Kenosha  county,  for  he  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the 
history  and  development  of  both  city  and  county  throughout  the  period  of  his 
long  residence  here.  He  has  made  his  way  from  small  beginnings,  for  when  he 
arrived  in  the  then  town  of  Southport  he  had  only  $2.50  in  cash,  and  his  cap- 
ital when  he  took  the  store  was  but  $200,  though  he  had  a  good  name  ancP 
credit  from  which  none  of  his  subsequent  dealings  have  detracted. 

HON.  JOHN  T.  WENTWORTH  (deceased)  was  one  of  the  self-made 
men  of  his  day  and  for  years  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  Racine.  He  was 
born  March  30,  1820,  in  Saratoga  County,  New  York,  a  son  of  John  and 
Mary  (Brown)  Wentworth. 

The  Wentworth  family  is  of  English  extraction.  About,  the  middle 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  one  William  Wentworth  came  from  England  to 
America  and  established  his  home  in  New  Hampshire.  Among  his  distin- 
guished descendants  were  John  Wentworth,  who  became  governor  of  New 
Hampshire,  and  another  John,  of  a  later  generation,  who  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  and  liberal  patrons  of  Chicago,  Illinois. 

John  Wentworth,  father  of  Judge  Wentworth,  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  married  Mary  Brown  of  Rhode  Island.  He  died  in  Sarato'ga 
County,  N.  Y..  when  the  late  Judge  Wentworth,  the  youngest  member  of  his 
family  of  five  children,  was  but  two  years  of  age. 

The  late  Judge  John  T.  Wentworth  was  given  liberal  educational  ad- 
vantages and  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1846  at  Union  College,  Schenec- 
tady, N.  Y.,  one  of  a  brilliant  coterie  of  distinguished  men.  He  then  began 
the  reading  of  law  with  William  A.  Beach,  at  Saratoga  Springs,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1850,  and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  this 
point.  After  two  years  he  went  as  far  west  as  Chicago,  where  he  engaged  in 
practice  until  1856,  when  he  removed  to  Geneva  Lake,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis., 
where  in  the  following  year  he  was  elected  district  attorney  and  re-elected 
in  1859.  In  1870  he  was  made  clerk  of  the  circuit  court,  and  held  the  posi- 
tion for  five  years,  and  while  still  officiating  as  such,  was  elected  circuit  judge 
to  fill  a  vacancy  of  two  and  a  half  years.  When  this  period  had  expired  he 
was  elected  to  the  office,  and  he  continued  to  serve  until  1884,  his  circuit  in- 
cluding Walworth,  Kenosha  and  Racine  counties.  In  1877  Judge  Went- 
worth had  removed  to  Racine,  and  his  death  occurred  in  the  familv  home 
in  that  city.  For  ten  years  he  served  as  circuit  court  commissioner,  and  for 
an  extended  period  as  United  States  court  commissioner. 

Judge  Wentworth  was  married  Oct.  4,  1852,  in  Saratoga  county,  N.  Y., 
to  Miss  Frances  McDonnell,  of  Saratoga  county,  and  they  had  children  as 
follows :  John  T.,  a  graduate  of  Yale  and  a  prominent  attorney  at  Racine : 
Thomas  M.,  who  died  in  April,  1882:  Mary;  and  Jane,  who  is  the  wife  of 
J.  Pinto,  consul  at  Brussels  from  Cuba. 

Judge  Wentworth  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  as  are  the 
other  members  of  his  family.  His  political  affiliation  was  with  the  Repub- 
lican party.  Fraternally  he  was  a  Knight  Templar  Mason,  belonging  to 
Geneva  Lodge,  of  wdiich  he  was  master:  Geneva  Chapter,  of  which  he  was 
high  priest,  and  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7.     In  1865  he  was  elected  grand 


'^2  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

master  of  the  State,  and  two  years  prior  to  this  had  been  grand  senior  warden. 
He  was  also  an  honored  member  of  the  Wisconsin  Bar  Association. 

HON.  PHILO  BELDEN.  The  late  Senator  Philo  Belden,  one  of  the 
earliest  pioneers  and  universally  respected  citizens  of  Racine  county,  Wis., 
was  born  Oct.  22,  181 5,  at  Canaan,  Litchfield  Co.,  Conn.,  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Love  (Dean)  Belden. 

In  the  spring  of  1838  he  came  to  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin,  locating 
at  Rochester.  Racine  county.  He  returned  to  Indiana  in  the  following  year 
and  was  there  married,  June  6,  1839,  to  Mary  F.  Belden,  born  Sept.  23,  1818, 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Fannie  Belden.  With  his  bride  Mr.  Belden  came 
again  to  Wisconsin  and,  until  his  death  many  years  later,  he  was  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  his  community. 

In  October,  1839,  in  company  with  Martin  C.  Whitman,  Levi  Godfrey, 
Obed  Hulburd  and  Hiland  Hulburd,  Mr.  Belden  caused  to  be  platted  all  the 
village  property  extending  on  the  west  side  of  Fox  river,  and  also  all  the 
property  on  the  east  side  south  of  Main  street.  In  1840  Mr.  Belden  built  a 
sawmill  on  the  Muskego  river,  and  two  years  later,  with  Jeremiah  Ford  and 
T.  E.  Green,  was  interested  in  the  establishment  of  the  town's  present  water 
power.  !Mr.  Belden  was  the  builder  of  the  first  flouring  mill  at  Rochester, 
of  which  he  was  the  sole  owner  until  1846.  He  was  prominent  in  many  of  the 
other  industries  of  the  place,  operating  an  iron  factory  and  encouraging  other 
enterprises  new  to  the  region.  He  brought  bricks  from  the  mouth  of  Root 
river,  and  built  the  first  brick  chimney  ever  constructed  in  Rochester.  Mr. 
Belden  was  very  public-spirited.  When  the  Fox  River  Valley  railroad  was 
first  thought  of  as  a  possibility,  and  a  company  was  formed  for  its  construc- 
tion, he  was  elected  president,  and  contmued  as  such  until  unlocked  for  difli- 
culties  arose,  over  which  he  had  no  control,  and  the  scheme  was  abandoned. 
He  lost  heavily  financially,  and  was  disappointed  at  the  failure  of  the  enter- 
prise which  he  had  encouraged  on  account  of  its  promised  value  to  this  section. 

In  his  political  sympathies  he  was  a  Republican  and  from  early  man- 
hood had  been  appointed  and  elected  by  his  party  to  responsible  ofiices.  In 
1852  he  was  first  elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  was  re-elected  in  1862  and 
again  in  1865.  and  in  1870  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate.  In  1884  he 
was  appointed  by  Gov.  Rusk  to  fill  the  vacancy  created  by  the  death  of  Judge 
Bronson  on  the  County  Bench,  and  in  1885  he  was  elected  for  the  succeeding 
four  years.  His  service  continued  until  the  month  of  his  decease,  September, 
1889,  he  having  but  a  week  previously  resigned  on  account  of  failing  healthy 

Judge  Belden  and  wife  had  four  children,  viz. :  Henry  W.,  of  Milwau- 
kee: Edward  J.,  of  Stockton,  Cal. ;  Albert  O.,  of  Rochester,  Wis.;  and  Allen 
H.,  of  Rochester.  During  the  Civil  war  Judge  Belden  gave  support  and  en- 
couragement to  the  L^nion  cause  not  only  with  voice  and  pen.  but  saw  three 
of  his  beloved  sons  enter  the  army  and  encouraged  them  for  their  patriotism. 
The  death  of  this  statesman,  jurist  and  loyal  citizen  removed  from  Racine 
county  one  of  its  notable  men,  one  whose  name  is  identified  with  much  that 
has  made  it  great. 

ERNST  J.  HUEFFNER,  president  of  the  Manufacturers"  National 
Bank,  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  and  enterprising  business  men 


CO\BIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  33 

of  Racine.  He  was  born  in  Forste,  Prussia,  Germany,  Feb.  15,  1838,  son  of 
Ernst  C.  and  Julia  (Klinkmueller)  Hueffner,  natives  of  Germany.  The 
grandparents,  both  paternal  and  maternal,  died  in  Germany. 

Ernst  C.  Hueffner  always  followed  the  tanning  business,  operating  a 
tannery  in  his  native  country,  and,  on  coming  to  America,  in  1848^  located 
a  tannery  at  Racine.  He  died  here  in  187 1,  aged  sixty-three  years,  while  his 
widow  survived  until  1880,  being  seventy-one  years  old  at  the  time  of  her 
death.  Both  were  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Mr.  Hueffner  was  one 
of  Racine's  early  aldermen.  He  and  his  wife  had  seven  children,  two  of 
whom  still  survive:  Ernst  J.  and  Bertha  A.,  the  latter  the  widow  of  August 
Frank,  of  Milwaukee. 

Ernst  J.  Hueft'ner  was  ten  years  old  when  brought  to  America  bv  his 
parents.  His  early  schooling  was  obtained  in  Germany,  and  he  attended  the 
public  schools  in  Racine  for  a  time.  Here  he  grew  to  manhood,  helping  his 
father  in  the  tannery  and  later  in  the  leather  and  shoe  finding  business,  and 
on  his  father's  retirement  he  became  his  successor,  and  has  since  continued  in 
that  business.  He  has  been  a  stockholder  in  the  Manufacturers'  National 
Bank  since  its  organization,  and  in  January,  1904,  was  made  president  of 
that  institution,  a  position  he  still  holds. 

In  1868  Mr.  Hueffner  married  Miss  Martha  A.  J.  Kuehne,  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Caroline  (Voelz)  Kuehne,  and  nine  children  have  been  born  to 
this  union,  seven  now  living :  Julia,  who  married  August  C.  Frank,  of  Racine ; 
Ernest  C,  assistant  cashier  in  the  Manufacturers"  National  Bank,  who  mar- 
ried Miss  Lillian  Cook,  of  New  York;  Bertha,  who  married  A.  J.  Horlick; 
Alfred,  a  clerk  for  his  father  in  the  leather  business,  as  is  also  Otto ;  and 
Frederick  and  Martin,  who  are  attending  the  State  University,  at  Madison. 
Mr.  Hueffner  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Politically  he  is  in- 
dependent, and  he  served  as  alderman  for  several  terms,  and  as  mavor  in 
1879. 

ROBERT  HALL  BAKER  (deceased).  The  death  of  Robert  Hall 
Baker,  which  occurred  at  his  beautiful  home  in  the  city  of  Racine,  Wis., 
removed  a  man  who  was  noted  not  only  for  his  business  success,  but  for  those 
high  ideals  of  business  honor  which  won  for  him  the  esteem  of  those  with 
whom  his  many  important  enterprises  brought  him  closely  in  contact. 

Mr.  Baker  was  born  June  27,  1839,  at  Lake  Geneva,  Walworth  Co., 
Wis.,  and  died  Oct.  5,  1882.  His  parents  were  Charles  M._and  Martha  L. 
Baker,  natives  of  Larrabee  Point.  Vt.,  who  were  early  settlers  in  Wisconsin. 
Mr.  Baker  completed  the  common  school  course  in  his  own  neighborhood  and 
then  entered  Beloit  College.  In  March,  1856.  he  came  to  Racine.  Wis.,  and 
for  several  years  was  a  clerk  in  a  hardware  store.  In  i860  he  became  general 
bookkeeper  and  accountant  with  J.  I.  Case,  and  in  1863  purchased  a  fourth 
interest  in  the  manufacturing  business  and  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of 
the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company.  Besides  his  interest  in  and 
conijection  with  this  great  enterprise,  Mr.  Baker  was  interested  in  many 
others  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  He  was  a  large  stockholder  in  the  Manufac- 
turers' National  Bank  of  Racine;  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Crookston. 
Minn. ;  and  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Burlington,  Wis. ;  a  director  of  the 


24  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Racine  Hardware  Manufacturing  Company;  and  of  the  National  Iron  Co.,  of 
DePere,  Wis. ;  and  president  of  the  Hampton  Coal  Mining  Company. 

Mr.  Baker  was  always  a  zealous  supporter  of  the  Republican  party  and 
a  defender  of  its  principles.  In  1867  he  was  elected  school  comniissioner ; 
in  1865  and  1868  was  elected  an  alderman  and  re-elected  to  this  office  in 
1871  ;  in  the  year  succeeding  he  was  elected  to  the  Wisconsin  State  Senate; 
in  1873  ^""^  ^^'^^  ^^^^  Republican  candidate  for  lieutenant-governor;  in  1874 
he  was  chosen  mayor  of  Racine;  in  1875  ^"'J  '"  1876  he  again  served  in  the 
State  Senate.  During  the  campaign  of  Garfield,  Mr.  Baker  was  chairman  of 
the  Republican  State  Central  Committee,  a  position  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  and  he  was  also  chairman  of  the  delegation  to  the  National  Repub- 
lican Convention  that  nominated  Mr.  Garfield.  During  this  campaign  he  was 
so  active  that  his  health  became  impaired.  Subsequently  he  was  ofiiered 
important  positions  under  the  Government,  but  refused  all  with  the  exception 
of  Government  director  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  which  at  that  time 
was  in  the  beginning  of  its  reconstruction  period.  This  position  of  respon- 
siljility  he  held  until  the  end  of  his  life. 

Mr.  Baker's  superior  executive  ability,  extensive  acquaintance,  comjjined 
with  his  prominent  position  in  his  State,  influenced  his  appointment  in  the 
representation  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin  at  the  Centennial  Exposition  in 
1876.  He  was  made  a  sub-committee  to  supervise  and  arrange  the  exhibits 
of  agricultural  machinery  and  implements  and  the  care  which  he  gave  to  this 
commission  resulted  in  the  notable  display  offered.  Through  his  instru- 
mentality Racine  was  specially  represented  in  the  art  department  of  that 
exposition.  In  1878  Mr.  Baker  was  sent  as  Wisconsin's  representative  to 
the  Exposition  Universal  at  Paris. 

On  Dec.  20,  1859,  Mr.  Baker  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Emily 
M.  Carswell,  daughter  of  John  S.  Carswell,  formerly  sheriff  of  the  county. 
To  this  union  were  born  four  sons  and  one  daughter,  viz. :  George  C. ;  Edward 
L. ;  Robert  H. ;  Charles  H. ;  and  Mary  Louise,  who  is  the  wife  of  Clarence  T- 
Richards,  a  prominent  attorney-at-law^  at  Racine. 

The  funeral  of  Mr.  Baker  was  a  very  impressive  one  and  was  conducteil 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  which  he  was  a  consistent 
member,  and  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  which  he  was  a  Knight  Templar. 
A  few  lines  may  be  appropriately  quoted  from  the  beautiful  sermon  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Corwin,  of  Racine,  on  this  occasion,  as  follows : 

"Of  no  man  in  the  community  cculd  it  be  said  that  his  friendships  were 
.so  numerous  or  so  wiile-reachins:,  including  those  of  every  class,  creed  and 
condition.  This  arose  not  from  the  lack  of  positivity  of  manner  or  of  opinion, 
but  was  the  natural  outcome  of  his  whole-souled  manners,  his  personrd  can- 
dor and  quick  appreciation  of  what  was  worthy  or  winning  in  all  classes. 
This  vast  concourse  of  sincere  mourners  is  a  sincere  tribute  not  to  wenlth  but 
to  worth.  Of  magnetic  temperament  he  made  fast  friends  and  made  them 
just  as  readily  when  he  was  comparatively  noor  as  when  diligence  was 
crowned  with  affluence.  His  was  not  a  cold  and  neutral  nature.  I  have  often 
noticed  the  cmickness  of  his  svmpathy  when  the  weak  and  helpless  were 
wrone'ed.  and  the  lieat  of  his  in'ho-n^tion  when  some  meanness  wns  meditated 
toward  those  whose  worth  he  highlv  esteemed.     He  had  large  plans  for  the 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  25 

improvement  of  the  city  where  he  dwelt,  which  his  deatli  must  delay,  if  not 
wholly  thwart,  and  was  not  backward  in  affording-  the  Church  of  Christ 
financial  support." 

Appropriate  resolutions  were  adoptetl  by  the  various  business  and  fra- 
ternal bodies  with  which  he  had  been  connected.  At  a  bank  meetin.s;'  which 
was  presided  over  by  President  J.  I.  Case,  the  late  Judge  Allen  s))oke  as 
follows : 

"Few  men  possessed  the  rare  qualities  of  a  banker  equal  to  Mr.  Baker, 
which  always  led  to  success.  His  mind  had  a  powerful  intuition  as  well  as 
great  powers  of  analyzing,  enabling  him  at  a  glance  to  separate  the  spurious 
from  the  genuine,  so  that  he  was  seldom,  if  ever,  deceived.  His  long  ex- 
perience with  business  transactions  of  great  magnitude,  to  the  smallest  detail 
thereof  had  so  developed  his  mental  powers  as  a  banker  and  as  a  business  man 
that  it  may  be  said  of  him  with  truthfulness  that  he  had  attained  the  eminence 
that  raised  him  among  the  most  elevated  of  business  men,  and  as  he  went 
up,  he  took  his  integrity  with  him,  a  quality  he  never  surrendered  and  which 
has  never  been  questioned.  While  Mr.  Baker  was  an  ambitious  man,  he  loved 
justice  more  than  money.  His' word  or  obligation  was  never  broken  but 
faithfully  kept  and  maintained.  He  religiously  believed  in  the  divinitv  of  a 
man's  word  and  contract,  and  if  not  kept  and  maintained,  mankind  must 
go  back  to  barbarism.  While  I  speak  of  him  as  a  banker  and  business  man, 
I  may  justly  add  that  he  was  equally  so  as  a  gentleman,  and  none  are  more 
willing  to  bear  witness  of  the  fact  than  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  bank 
as  well  as  its  employes. 

"Mr.  Baker  was  a  kind  man,  whether  in  business  or  out  of  it.  he  was 
ever  the  same  genial  gentleman.  He  was  free  from  mif¥s  and  resentments 
without  a  good  cause,  and  never  with  a  revengful  spirit.  He  regarded  that 
the  fairest  action  of  man  was  scorning  to  revenge  an  injury.  By  the  death  of 
Mr.  Baker,  it  is  not  the  bank  alone  that  has  met  with  a  loss,  but  the  Nation. 
Mr.  Baker,  by  instinct  and  education,  was  a  statesman,  ranking  with  the  most 
eminent.  He  had  clear  and  comprehensive  views  of  national  affairs,  and  his 
influence  was  felt  outside  the  bounds  of  his  native  State,  where  he  was  so 
favorably  known.  He  took  a  deep  interest  in  all  public  affairs  for  the 
county's  good,  and  to  this  end  it  may  be  said  that  he  was  generous  with  his 
monev  and  labor  to  accomplish,  at  the  same  time  without  anv  sinister  motive. 

"It  is  true  that  Mr.  Baker  has  left  us  to  return  not,  but  he  has  not  left 
us  comfortless.  He  left  his  good  character  with  us,  a  legacy  above  all  price, 
on  which  there  is  not  a  spot  or  blemish ;  it  belongs  to  his  family  and  the  pub- 
lic in  common.  Indeed  the  loss  of  Robert  H.  Baker  reaches  far  and  wide, 
the  people  mourn  it  as  a  calamity,  and  well  may  they,  for  Mr.  Baker  was  a 
benefactor;  the  world  was  made  better  and  people  have  been  iDlessed  for  his 
having  lived  in  it.  We  all  deplore  his  death.  He  was  entirelv  free  from 
ostentation,  and  mingled  with  his  fellow  citizens  as  one  of  them,  apparently 
unconscious  of  his  superiority.  But  it  was  in  his  home,  surrounded  bv  his 
family  and  friends,  if  any  olace  more  than  another,  he  excelled.  He  was  a 
kind,  affectionate,  appreciative  husband;  equally  so  as  a  father,  and  had  a 
fpculty  in  receiving  and  entertaining  his  friends  in  a  Avav  that  endeared  them 
all  to  him.     Indeed,  he  was  a  general  favorite  everywhere  and  had  the  love 


26  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  confidence  of  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  the  same  courtly  gentleman 
to  all  classes,  the  poor  as  well  as  the  rich,  and  was  equally  approachable  by 
all,  and  none  now  speak  of  him  except  to  praise." 

After  the  closing  of  the  church  service  at  St.  Luke's  Church,  Racine, 
Rev.  Arthur  Piper,  rector,  reciting  the  impressive  service  of  that  church,  the 
funeral  was  taken  charge  of  by  the  Knight  Templar  Masons  of  Racine  Com- 
niandery,  and  the  procession  was  formed  on  Main  street,  in  the  following 
order :  Garfield  Guards,  Light  Guards,  employes  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing 
Machine  Company,  Fire  Department,  Racine  Club,  Racine  Lodge,  No.  i8, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Belle  City  Lodge,  No.  92,  Racine  Commandery  No.  7,  Knights 
Templar,  Wisconsin  Commandery,  No.  i,  Consistory  No.  i,  of  Milwaukee. 
Then  came  the  heavily  draped  hearse  with  its  guard  of  honor,  followed  by 
the  family,  the  city  council  and  a  long  line  of  carriages  filled  with  citizens  who 
desired  in  this  way  to  show  respect  for  one  who  was  so  universally  mourned. 
The  body  was  consigned  to  the  dust  with  Masonic  rites,  Prelate  Arthur  Piper 
officiating.  Had  a  longer  life  been  vouchsafed  to  Mr.  Baker  he  might  have 
risen  still  higher  in  the  halls  of  fame  but  he  could  not  have  achieved  more 
entirely  a  lasting  remembrance  in  the  hearts  o'f  his  fellow  citizens. 

NATHAN  R.  ALLEN  (deceased)  was  the  first  sheriff  of  Kenosha 
county,  the  builder  of  the  first  frame  structure  erected  in  the  city,  for  many 
years  the  proprietor  of  an  extensive  tannery,  and  stands  in  the  local  annals  as 
among  the  earliest  and  most  respected  pioneers  of  Kenosha.  His  sons,  Charles 
W.  and  Nathan  Allen,  have  continued  his  business  under  the  firm  name  of  N. 
R.  Allen  &  Sons. 

Nathan  R.  Allen  was  born  in  Granby,  Oswego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  3,  1812, 
being  the  son  of  Zodac  and  Esther  (Blake)  Allen.  The  father,  of  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestry,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  bvit  migrated  to  New  York  and 
located  at  Granby  Center,  near  Fulton,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  his 
death,  at  an  advanced  age,  in  the  year  1837.  His  wife,  who  died  while  still 
young,  bore  him  a  large  family.  Nathan  R.  Allen  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm,  acquired  as  good  an  education  as  the  schools  of  the  time  afforded,  and  for 
several  winter  terms  was  a  teacher  himself.  In  the  summer  of  1835  he  mi- 
grated to  the  West,  settling  at  Pike's  Creek,  afterward  called  Soutliport  and 
finally  Kenosha. 

When  he  first  settled  at  what  is  now  the  city  of  Kenosha,  Mr.  Allen  took 
charge  of  a  small  store  for  William  Bullen,  besides  turning  his  industrious  and 
ingenious  hand  to  such  various  occupations  as  wood-chopping,  lathing  and 
building.  As  stated  he  erected  the  first  frame  structure  of  the  settlement  and 
afterward  superintended  the  building  of  many  others.  For  a  number  of  years 
he  was  the  owner  of  the  largest  building  in  the  city,  in  which  were  installed  all 
of  the  municipal  offices.  Upon  the  organization  of  Kenosha  countv  he  was 
elected  its  sheriff  and  after  serving  out  his  term  engaged  for  a  time  in  the 
lumber  business. 

In  1856,  with  Levi  Grant  as  a  partner,  Mr.  Allen  opened  a  small  tannery 
on  the  site  of  the  present  large  establishment.  The  business  gradually  in- 
creased until  it  became  one  of  the  most  prominent  industries  of  Kenosha.  On 
Feb.  2,  i8go.  the  tannerv  was  destroyed  bv  fire,  but  a  new  and  larger  iilant  was 


s^/Z^^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  27 

promptly  erected  and  tlie  liusiness  was  continued  witli  its  old-time  prosperity. 
In  the  meantime  Mr.  Cirant  had  retired  and  Mr.  Allen's  two  sons,  Charles  W. 
and  Nathan,  had  been  admitted  to  the  hrm. 

On  Oct.  25,  1843,  Nathan  R.  Allen  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Hale,  of 
Paris  Hill,  N.  Y.,  the  American  branch  of  whose  family  is  traced  to  the  seven- 
teenth century,  when  Richard  Hale  emigrated  from  England  and  settled  in 
Connecticut.  Samuel  Hale,  father  of  Mary  (Hale)  Allen,  a  native  of  New 
York,  engaged  in  farming  at  Paris  Hill,  and  died  at  the  age  of  over  seventy 
years,  his  wife,  Hannah  (Munson)  Hale,  passing  away  at  about  the  same  age. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nathan  R.  Allen  were  born  nine  children,  of  whom  the  fol- 
lowing four  are  living:  Charles  W.,  Nathan,  Julia,  and  Clara  A.  (Mrs. 
Charles  E.  Arnold,  of  Milwaukee).  The  father  passed  away  April  15,  1890, 
but  his  wife  is  still  living,  in  her  eighty-seventh  year.  Neither  were  members 
of  any  church,  but  were  constant  attendants  of  the  Congregational  services. 
In  this  connection  it  should  be  stated  that  Mr.  Allen  assisted  in  building  the 
first  sacred  edifice  ever  erected  in  Kenosha.  In  early  manhood  the  deceased 
was  an  Abolitionist,  during  the  Civil  war  was  a  Republican,  and  afterward 
became  a  Democrat. 

Charles  W.  Allen,  now  the  senior  partner  in  the  firm  of  N.  R.  Allen  & 
Sons,  was  born  in  Kenosha,  was  educated  in  its  public  schools,  and  in  1870  was 
admitted  to  partnership  with  his  father  under  the  iirm  name  of  N.  R.  Allen  & 
Son.  About  ten  years  later,  by  the  admission  of  his  brother  Nathan,  the  style 
became  N.  R.  Allen  &  Sons,  which  it  retained  after  the  death  of  the  founder 
of  the  business  in  1890.  In  the  various  operations  of  the  industry  one  thou- 
sand persons  are  employed,  and  the  products  of  the  establishment  are  shipped 
to  all  parts  of  the  world. 

Charles  W.  Allen  was  married  on  April  4,  1878,  to  Miss  Ella  F.  French, 
daughter  of  Alvin  and  Nancy  (Stevens)  French,  the  former  of  whom  settled 
some  three  miles  from  Kenosha  as  early  as  1835.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  are  the 
parents  of  three  children,  namely:  Charles  C,  who  married  Miss  Susan 
Swandale,  of  Greenville,  S.  C,  and  has  one  son,  Charles  W. ;  Robert  W. ;  and 
Gertrude  E.  The  family  resides  at  No.  431  Chicago  street.  Mr.  Allen  stands 
high  in  both  the  social  and  business  circles  of  Kenosha.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Democrat. 

Nathan  Allen,  brother  and  partner  of  Charles  W.,  was  born  in  Keno- 
sha, and  on  Feb.  17,  1892,  married  Miss  Ellen  Jebb,  of  Waukegan,  by  whom 
he  has  had  three  children,  Margaret  J.,  Francis  J.  and  Nathan  R. 

FRANK  KELLOGG  BULL,  who  fills  the  important  position  of  presi- 
dent of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Co.,  Racine,  Wis.,  is  by  virtue  of 
that  connection  alone  one  of  the  city's  most  prominent  and  influential  citi- 
zens. The  concern,  being  one  of  the  most  important  of  its  kind  in  the  world, 
confers  untold  benefits  upon  the  city  in  which  it  is  located;  and  the  heads 
are  responsible  in  more  than  a  business  sense.  His  father  has  been  a  resident 
of  Racine  for  almost  fifty  years  and  a  member  of  the  firm  for  over  forty  years, 
and  Frank  K.  Bull  has  been  identified  with  the  business  since  he  was  nineteen, 
ever  since  he  left  school. 

Mr.  Bull  was  born  ]\Iay  7,  1857,  at  Spring  Prairie,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis., 


28  COMMEMORATIVE   BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

son  of  Stephen  and  Ellen  C.  (Kellogg)  Bull,  who  in  that  year  came  to  Racine 
to  make  a  permanent  home  here.  The  family  is  of  New  England  origin,  our 
subject  being  of  "Mayflower''  descent  in  one  line.  DeGrove  and  Amanda  M. 
(Crosby)  Bull,  who  were  the  paternal  grandparents  of  Frank  K.,  were 
the  first  of  this  family  that  came  to  Wisconsin,  and  they  passed  the  remainder 
of  their  lives  as  farming  people  in  Raymond  township,  Racine  county,  both 
living-  to  advanced  age. 

Stephen  Bull  was  born  March  14,  1822,  in  Scipio,  Cayuga  Co.,  N.  Y., 
and  though  now  past  eighty-four  is  still  vigorous  in  mind  and  body.  How- 
ever, he  has  retired  from  active  business  pursuits.  Like  many  of  the  most 
successful  men  of  his  day  he  has  been  self-made,  having  had  few  opportun- 
ities in  his  youth.  He  received  his  education  in  the  subscription  schools  of 
his  boyhood,  and  worked  on  a  farm  until  he  was  eighteen,  beginning  farm 
work  when  he  was  only  ten.  Then  he  clerked  in  a  grocery  store  in  New  York 
City  for  a  time,  and  in  1845  came  to  Wisconsin,  at  that  time  locating  in  Ra- 
cine for  a  year.  He  next  went  to  Spring  Prairie,  Walworth  county,  where 
lie  conducted  a  general  store  for  about  ten  years,  until  his  return  to  Racine, 
in  1857,  wdien  he  went  to  work  for  his  brother-in-law,  J.  I.  Case,  with  whom 
he  entered  into  partnership  in  1863.  They  continued  together  until  Mr.  Case 
died,  after  which  Mr.  Bull  became  president  of  the  firm,  then  known  as  the 
J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Co.  He  held  the  position  until  1897,  since 
which  year  his  son  Frank  K.  has  been  the  head  of  that  immense  concern. 
During  all  of  these  years  he  has  been  one  of  the  most  important  figures  in  the 
business  life  of  Wisconsin.  Since  1872  he  has  been  a  stockholder  in  the  Man- 
ufacturers' National  Bank  of  Racine,  of  which  Mr.  Case  was  the  first  pres- 
ident, Mr.  M.  B.  Erskine  the  second,  and  Stephen  Bull  the  third.  Mr.  Bull 
resigned  Jan.  i,  1904. 

On  June  7,  1849,  Mr.  Bull  was  married  to  Miss  Ellen  C.  Kellogg,  who 
died  March  27,  1880,  the  mother  of  seven  children,  namely:  A  son  who  died 
when  three  months  old;  Ida  R.,  wife  of  H.  W.  Conger,  of  San  Francisco, 
Cal.;  Frank  K. ;  Jeanette,  wife  of  Richard  T.  Robinson,  of  Racine;  Lillian 
M.,  married  to  Frederick  Robinson;  Herbert,  who  died  wdien  twenty-three 
years  old;  and  Bessie  M.,  wife  of  A.  Arthur  Guilbert. 

Frank  K.  Bull  was  brought  to  Racine  when  three  months  old,  and  he  has 
resided  here  ever  since.  He  attended  the  public  schools  and  later  for  six  years 
was  a  student  in  Racine  College,  and  then  he  started  to  work  in  the  factory. 
He  was  under  the  immediate  supervision  of  Mr.  R.  H.  Baker,  who  entered 
the  firm  at  the  same  time  as  his  father,  and  under  him  worked  through  the 
clerical  and  mechanical  departments,  learning  the  business  from  beginning  to 
end.  In  1881,  the  year  after  the  organization  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing 
Machine  Company,  Mr.  Bull  succeeded  Mr.  Baker  as  secretary-treasurer  of 
the  company,  Mr.  Baker  retiring  on  account  of  illness.  He  continued  as  such 
for  over  fifteen  years,  until  1897,  in  wdiich  year  his  father  retired  from  tlie 
presidency.  Frank  K.  Bull  has  since  held  that  position,  Mr.  Frederick  Rob- 
inson being  vice-president,  Mr.  Richard  T.  Robinson  secretarv,  and  Mr. 
Charles  L.  Mcintosh  treasurer. 

The  institution  gives  employment  to  from  T,6oo  to  2,000  employes,  and 
the  product  finds  ready  sale  all  over  the  LTnited  States,  Canada,  Europe  and 


COxMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  29 

South  America.  The  great  growth  of  the  business  in  the  last  two  years  is 
clue  largely  to  the  inuividual  efforts  and  foresight  of  Mr.  Erank  K.  Bull. 
Though  he  commenced  his  business  career  with  unusual  opportunities,  he 
nevertheless  has  been  obliged  to  sustain  a  difficult  role,  for  the  responsibilities 
placed  upon  him  have  required  great  ability,  and  no  amount  of  prestige  would 
have  compensated  for  lack  of  energy  or  executive  force.  His  predecessors  in 
his  present  position  were  men  of  remarkable  strength,  and  to  maintain  their 
standards  and  continue  to  progress  within  reason  requires  a  breadth  of  judg- 
ment and  a  measure  of  farsighteil  enterprise  which  few  possess.  Mr.  Bull  has 
interested  himself  in  other  important  concerns,  being  president  of  the  Belle 
City  Manufacturing  Company  (of  which  he  was  one  of  the  incorpor- 
ators), a  director  of  the  Mihvaukee  Harvesting  Company  and  a  director  of 
the  Manufacturers'  National  Bank  of  Racine.  Throughout  his  business 
career  his  affairs  have  been  conducted  with  the  strictest  honesty  and  fairness, 
and  to-day  there  is  none  who  enjoys  the  confidence  and  resi)ect  of  his  fellow 
citizens  to  a  greater  extent. 

Mr.  Bull  was  married  Sept.  16,  1880,  in  Milwaukee,  to  Miss  H.  Belle 
Jones,  a  native  of  that  city,  daughter  of  Louis  Emery  Jones  and  w'ife  (whose 
maiden  name  was  Bliss).  To  this  union  two  children  have  been  born, 
Stephen  and  Jeanette.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bull  are  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  and  he  was  one  of  the  originators,  and  for  some  time  a  member,  of 
the  surpliced  choir  at  St.  Luke's.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  a  member 
of  the  Union  League  Club  of  New  York,  but  he  is  not  a  politician,  though  he 
takes  an  intelligent  interest  in  political  questions  and  party  issues.  He  also 
belongs  to  the  Milwaukee  Club,  the  Chicago  Athletic  Association  and  the 
Racine  Club. 

Mr.  Bull's  fine  residence  is  located  at  No.  1121  Main  street,  and  he  has 
a  beautiful  winter  home  at  Camden,  S.  C,  where  he  owns  the  Camden 
Water,  Ice  &  Light  Company. 

ANDREW  J.  PIERCE,  president  and  treasurer  of  the  Pierce  Eneine 
Company,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  has  the  distinction  of  having  manufactured  one 
of  the  first  automobiles  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  He  was  born  in  Rochester, 
N.  Y.,  Jan.  11,  i8s9,  son  of  Andrew  T-  and  Abigail  Pierce,  natives  of  New 
York. 

Jeremiah  Pierce,  his  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  ran  a  line 
of  packet  boats  on  the  Erie  Canal.  During  the  war  of  1812  he  was  an  officer, 
and  in  1849  he  went  to  California,  and  was  never  again  heard  from.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  a  baker  of  Canandaigua  and  later  of  Rochester,  N. 
Y.,  wfhere  he  died  in  1865,  aged  thirty-eight  years.  He  married  Abigail 
Koonradth,  who  still  survives.  The  Koonradth  familv  was  of  Holland- 
Dutch  descent,  and  was  founded  in  this  countrv  on  Manhattan  Island,  later 
settling  in  the  Afohawk  Valley.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Pierce 
was  a  native  of  New  York  and  was  a  bridge  builder  by  trade,  building  all  of 
the  important  bridges  on  the  Rome  and  Watertown  Railroad,  and  many  on 
the  New  York  Central.  He  died  at  an  advanced  age.  Three  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce :  George  Lester,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y. ;  Andrew 
J.,  of  Racine;  and  Alfred  of  Racine,  Wisconsin. 


30  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Andrew  J.  Pierce,  our  subject,  was  reared  in  Rochester,  X.  Y..  and 
there  attended  the  public  schools.  After  graduating  from  the  high  school 
he  began  learning  the  machinist's  trade,  which  he  followed  as  a  journeyman 
about  eighteen  years.  In  1887  he  came  to  Racine,  and  went  to  work  for  the 
Racine  Hardware  Company.  In  1893  he  started  in  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count in  the  manufacture  of  gas  and  gasoline  engines,  marine  motors,  includ- 
ing launches  and  launch  engines ;  that  same  year  he  also  commenced  manu- 
facturing automobiles  and  automobile  machinery  on  a  small  scale.  The  busi- 
ness was  originally  started  at  the  corner  of  Racine  and  Sixteenth  streets.,  he 
purchasing  his  present  location,  Twenty-Second  and  Racine  streets,  in  the  fall 
of  1898.  Here  he  erected  three  buildings,  and  now  has  ten  buildiygs  and 
departments,  in  which  an  average  of  130  men  are  employed.  Nineteen  years 
manufacturing  gas  and  gasoline  engines,  and  with  more  than  8000  Pierce 
motors,  aggregating  over  50,000  horsei30wer,  doing  business  in  all  parts  of 
the  world,  bespeak  attention  for  the  company's  method  of  building,  which 
includes  all  that  is  modern  and  up  to  the  very  latest  and  best  practice.  Their 
present  shop  capacity  averages  3000  motors  a  year.  They  manufacture  almost 
every  part  of  their  car  from  the  raw  material,  having  their  own  foundry, 
blacksmith  and  machine  shops,  wood  and  upholstery  departments,  buying 
only  such  standard  parts  as  wheels,  tires,  springs,  roller  bearings,  chains  and 
a  few  forgings.  Their  product  is  a  strictly  high-grade,  up-to-date  and  reliable 
car. 

^Ir.  Pierce  was  married  ]\Iay  5,  1887,  to  Miss  Katherine  ]\Iatthewson, 
daughter  of  Andrew  J.  and  Rosella  (Place)  Matthewson,  natives  of  Vermont. 
Mr.  Pierce  is  an  -Odd  Fellow,  having  joined  that  order  when  twentv-one 
years  old.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Royal  Arcanum.  Politicallv  he  is  inde- 
pendent. He  lives  at  Xo.  1742  College  avenue,  where  he  built  a  fine  home 
in  1893. 

REV.  HENRY  DOUGLAS  ROBINSON,  D.  D..  who  has  held  the 
position  of  warden  of  Racine  College.  Racine,  Wis.,  since  1900,  is  a  native  of 
Massachusetts.  He  is  the  son  of  Alexander  Douglas  Robinson  and  Clara 
(Boate)  Robinson,  natives  of  Ireland. 

Dr.  Robinson  was  nine  years  old  when  he  came  to  Racine.  He  attended 
the  public  and  preparatory  schools.  He  graduated  in  the  Classical  course  of 
Racine  College  in  1884,  and  was  then  for  one  year  assistant  rector  of  the 
grammar  school  of  that  institution.  The  following  year  he  accepted  the  posi- 
tion of  instructor  in  mathematics  in  St.  Matthew's  Military  Academv,  San 
Mateo,  Cal.,  where  he  remained  until  1889.  In  that  vear  he  became  rector  of 
the  grammar  school  of  Racine  College,  which  position  he  held  until  1900,  when 
he  was  made  warden.  He  has  held  that  office  ever  since.  The  school  now  has 
an  average  attendance  of  between  one  hundred  and  sixty  and  one  hundred  and 
seventy  pupils. 

Dr.  Robinson  was  married  on  July  13.  1889.  to  Miss  Florence  Bruce, 
daughter  of  Frederick  and  Anna  Mead  Bruce.  Dr.  and  Airs.  Robinson  are 
members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  he  is  rector  of  St.  John's  Collegiate 
Chapel. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  31 

TAJvIES  GILBERT  CHANDLER,  senior  member  of  the  well-known 
firm  "of  Chandler  &  Park,  architects,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Success,  New  Hampshire,  Aug.  4,  1856,  son  of  Milton  Walker  and  Sarah 
(Grover)  Chandler. 

Mr.  Chandler's  paternal  grandfather  was  of  English  descent  and  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire.  He  carried  on  farming  and  lumbering,  and  died  in  New 
Hampshire  aged  sixty-two  years.  His  wife,  Betsy  (Leary)  Chandler,  died 
aged  ninety-six  years.  Milton  Walker  Chandler,  our  subject's  father,  was 
born  June  26.  1825,  followed  his  father's  vocation  of  lumbering  in  early  man- 
hood, and  in  1861  located  in  Goodhue  county,  Minn.,  following  farming  until 
1888.  In  that  year  he  moved  to  Appleton,  Minn.,  where  he  lived  retired 
until  his  death.  Sept.  11.  1896,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years;  his  wife  was 
born  Nov.  10,  1822,  in  Bethel,  Maine,  and  died  in  Appleton,  IMinn.,  Dec.  25. 
1891.  They  were  members  of  the  Congregational  Church.  They  were  mar- 
ried Jan.  18,  1853,  and  had  four  children :  Harry,  of  Appleton,  Minn. ;  James 
G.,  of  Racine;  Frank  R.,  of  Dawson  City,  Alaska;  and  Leon  A.,  of  Almont, 
Michigan. 

James  G.  Chandler  was  five  years  okl  when  he  came  to  Minnesota  with 
his  parents,  and  there  grew  to  manhood  on  a  farm.  He  attended  the  district 
schools  and  high  school  and  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  to  which  he  served 
a  three  years'  apprenticeship;  and  then  served  a  three  years'  apprenticeship 
to  architecture  in  Madison,  Wis.  He  located  in  Racine  in  1879  and  that  city 
has  been  his  home  ever  since.  Here  he  was  married  Aug.  19.  1885,  to  Miss 
Frances  Evans,  daughter  of  David  R.  Evans,  and  to  this  union  were  Ixirn 
four  children :  Edith.  Lucille.  Milton  and  David.  Mrs.  Chandler  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church;  she  was  born  in  Cambria,  Wis.,  Jan.  6,  i860,  of 
Welsh  parentage.  Her  father  was  born  in  Denbighshire.  Wales,  Dec.  23, 
1827;  came  to  America  in  1846,  and  located  in  Columbia  county.  Wis.;  he 
moved  to  Racine  in  1848.  By  trade  he  was  a  carpenter,  but  he  follpwed  a 
mercantile  business.  He  w-ent  to  California  in  1849,  returned  from  there,  and 
was  married  in  Racine  to  Miss  Frances  Howell  Feb.  5,  1859.  Mrs.  Evans 
was  born  in  Montgomeryshire,  Wales,  Feb.  2,  1836,  and  came  to  America  in 
1846,  living  in  Ohio  up  to  the  time  of  her  marriage.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans  had 
four  children:  Frances  (wife  of  James  G.  Chandler),  Emma  J.,  Howell 
Edwin,  and  Newton  David.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans  and  all  their  children  are 
alive  at  this  writing. 

Mr.  Chandler  has  designed  most  of  the  principal  buildings  in  Racine 
since  his  location  there,  and  at  this  writing  is  making  a  specialty  of  school 
buildings,  having  designed  many  throughout  this  and  neighboring  States. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  His  residence,  at  No.  803  Lake  avenue,  he 
erected  in  1889.     He  also  owns  other  real  estate. 

BYRON  BOOTH  NORTHROP.  The  history  of  any  community,  like 
the  history  of  a  country,  is  best  shown  in  the  record  of  the  lives  of  its  people. 
Among  the  men  of  character  comprising  the  better  element  in  the  city  of 
Racine  there  are  none  perhaps  whose  daily  life  and  conversation  are  more 
worthy  of  mention  than  the  respected  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  brief 


32  CO^niE^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

biographical  sketch.  He  may  well  be  called  a  pioneer  of  Racine  county,  hav- 
ing tirst  come  here  in  1842,  in  the  days  when  Vv'isconsin  was  still  a  Territory 
and  before  a  harbor  was  secured.  All  but  a  few  years  of  his  business  life 
have  been  spent  in  Racine,  where  for  over  forty-six  years  he  has  been  promi- 
nent in  financial  affairs,  especially  as  cashier  of  the  Manufacturers"  National 
Bank,  which  has  grown  into  the  largest  and  strongest  financial  institution 
in  Racine. 

Byron  Booth  Northrop  was  born  Oct.  2,  1830,  in  Gahvay,  Saratoga  Co., 
N.  Y.,  the  youngest  son  of  Dr.  Booth  Northrop.  The  father  was  a  skillful 
and  unusrvally  popular  physician  of  the  Allopathic  school,  and  so  devoted  to 
his  professional  duties  that  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Aledina,  N.  Y.,  at  the 
comparatively  early  age  of  forty-nine,  was  the  result  of  overwork.  Byron 
Booth  Northrop  was  quite  young  when  his  parents  moved  to  Canandaigua, 
Ontario  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  thence  to  Medina,  and  he  was  only  six  years  old 
when  his  father  died.  He  received  an  excellent  foundation  for  his  literary 
education  at  Yates  Academy,  in  Orleans  county.  In  1842,  in  his  twelfth  year, 
he  came  to  Wisconsin  to  live  for  a  time  with  his  sister,  Mrs.  Hiland  S.  Hul- 
burd,  at  Rochester,  Racine  county,  and  for  a  year  or  so  attended  school  in 
that  village.  After  that  for  several  years  he  made  his  home  with  his  eldest 
brother.  Rev.  Henry  H.  Northrop,  at  Homer,  Mich.,  during-  which  time  he 
was  a  student  at  the  Wescott  Academy,  in  Homer,  Calhoun  Co..  Mich. 
Returning  to  Medina,  N.  Y.,  he  prepared  for  college  under  the  instruction  of 
Daniel  W.  Fish,  A.  M.,  a  scholar  and  educator  of  national  renown,  particu- 
larly as  the  author  of  Fish's  Arithmetics  and  the  reviser  of  Robinson's  Series 
of  Mathematics.  In  1847  ^^^-  Northrop  matriculated  at  the  Universitv  of 
Michigan,  in  Ann  Arbor,  taking  the  classical  course,  and  graduated  with  the 
degree  of  A.  B.  in  1855,  when  Henry  P.  Tappen.  LL.  D.,  was  president.  In 
1877,  under  the  presidency  of  James  B.  Angell,  LL.  D.,  the  degree  of  A.  M. 
was  conferred  upon  him.  Following  his  graduation  he  was  engaged  for  a 
few  years  in  work  that  gave  him  the  opportunity  to  use  the  knowledge  he 
had  been  acquiring  while  gaining  needed  business  experience,  being  employed 
by  the  publishing  house  of  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  of  New  York,  as  general  agent 
in  Michigan  and  Wisconsin  to  introduce  their  publications  properly  to  educa- 
tors and  professional  men  in  those  States. 

In  1859  he  came  to  Racine,  where  he  has  ever  since  remained.  In  that 
year  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  second  brother,  George  C.  Northrop, 
establishing  the  bank  of  B.  B.  Northrop  &  Co.  This  institution  continued 
in  successful  business  until  March,  1871.  Upon  the  organization  of  the 
Manufacturers  National  Bank  it  was  merged  in  the  new  institution  of  which 
Mr.  Northrop  has  ever  since  been  cashier.  He  has  also  been  for  thirtv-five 
years  one  of  the  directors  of  the  bank,  and  its  sound  financial  policy  and  high 
standing  are  due  in  no  small  degree  to  liis  faithful  care  and  conservative 
though  progressive  methods.  His  energies  in  a  business  wav  have  been 
concentrated  chiefly  upon  the  affairs  of  the  bank. 

Though  without  political  ambition  Mr.  Northrop  has  occupied  a  number 
of  important  positions  in  the  public  service.  He  is  strictly  a  business  man, 
and  perhaps  for  that  very  reason  has  taken  a  patriotic  interest  in  the  proper 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  33 

administration  of  civic  affairs.  Thus  he  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  direc- 
tion of  pubHc  educational  matters.  ,\t  the  charter  election  of  1878  he  was 
elected  school  commissioner  from  the  Second  ward,  and  upon  the  organization 
of  the  school  board  was  elected  president  of  the  board  of  education.  In  1887 
he  again  became  school  commissioner  from  the  Second  ward  by  appointment 
of  Mayor  D.  A.  Olin,  and  was  made  chairman  of  the  finance  committee  of  the 
school  board  by  President  J.  B.  Quarles.  In  1888  he  was  elected  to  the 
presidency  of  the  school  board,  and  subsequently  re-elected,  serving  four 
years  in  that  honorable  and  important  position. 

In  the  spring  of  1877  Mr.  Northrop  was  the  Republican  candidate  for 
mayor  of  Racine,  but  failed  of  an  election.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year 
he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  State  convention  of  his  party  held  at  Madison 
and  was  given  a  place  on  the  committee  on  resolutions.  In  1885  he  was  elected 
an  alderman  from  the  Second  ward,  and  during  his  two  years'  connection 
with  the  city  council  was  honored  with  the  chairmanship  of  the  Finance  com- 
mittee (Hon.  Joseph  Miller,  the  mayor,  making  the  appointments)  and  also 
acted  on  the  three  most  important  special  committees  of  the  council — those 
on  Revision  of  the  City  Charter,  Lake  Shore  Protection  and  Water  Works. 

Mr.  Northrop  has  witnessed  marvelous  changes  in  the  city  since  his  first 
arrival  here,  in  1842.  At  that  time  the  harbor  was  not  deep  enough  to  permit 
the  entrance  of  large  steamers,  and  he  was  landed  from  a  small  lighter. 
When  he  came  again,  in  1859,  to  embark  upon  what  proved  to  be  a  highly, 
successful  business  career,  the  city  had  begun  to  expand,  but  all  the  remarka- 
ble development  which  has  placed  this  port  among  the  most  important  on  the 
Great  Lakes  has  taken  place  during  his  residence  here.  He  has  in  large  meas- 
ure aided  in  the  good  work,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  most  substantial  of 
the  old-established  business  men. 

On  Jan.  20,  1863,  Mr.  Northrop  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  Theresa 
Porter,  youngest  daughter  of  Allen  Porter  (now  deceased),  of  Hartford, 
Conn.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  Allen  Booth  Northrop, 
May  Northrop  (now  Mrs.  Philip  M.  Wackerhagen)  and  George  Porter 
Northrop.  The  sons  are  conducting  the  W.  A.  Porter  Furniture  Company, 
a  business  founded  by  their  uncle,  William  Allen  Porter  (now  deceased). 

Mr.  Northrop  takes  much  interest  in  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having  been 
for  many  years  treasurer  of  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  in  1905 
was  elected  treasurer  of  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  Knights  Templar. 

He  also  has  the  honor  of  being  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star  ^.nd  the 
oldest  in  membership  of  Orient  Chapter,  No.  12,  Royal  Arch'  Masons, 
although  there  are  a  few  older  in  years.  He  has  long  been  an  earnest  worker 
in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  having  joined  in  1862,  upon  confession  of 
faith.  He  is  one  of  the  nine  elders  of  that  church,  and  served  several  vears  as 
Sunday-school  superintendent. 

Mr.  Northrop  has  lived  for  the  past  thirty-three  years  in  the  plain  sub- 
stantial brick  house  at  what  is  known  as  No.  845  Main  street,  southwest  cor- 
ner of  Ninth  and  Main.  It  has  a  large  lawn  in  front  and  a  large  garden  in 
the  rear,  the  lot  being  80x240  feet,  and  the  neighbors  all  agree  that  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Northrop  are  never  so  happy  as  when  their  grandchildren,  Alice  Nor- 


34         co:\i:\ie:\iorative  biographical  record. 

throp  Wackerhagen  and  Edward  Northrop  Wackerhagen,  are  having  a  hoH- 
day  frohc  or  a  game  of  ball  on  this  lawn. 

It  seems  not  inappropriate  to  add  that  it  is  a  rare  circumstance  for  the 
same  man  to  occupy  the  position  of  cashier  in  the  same  bank  for  the  long 
period  of  thirty-five  years.  This  gives  the  strongest  assurance  possible  that 
such  a  man  has  been  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  and  has  secured 
the  entire  confidence  of  his  associates  in  business.  The  Manufacturers' 
National  Bank  of  Racine,  of  which  Mr.  Northrop  is  cashier,  has  grown  from 
a  beginning  with  $100,000  in  1871  until  now  its  resources  exceed  $2,500,000 
in  1906,  and  a  dividend  of  10  per  cent,  per  annum  has  been  paid  each  year  to 
the  shareholders  upon  the  capital  stock  of  the  bank,  which  is  now  a  quarter 
of  a  million  dollars. 

FREDERICK  ROBINSON.  In  every  community,  great  or  small,  there 
are  found  men  who  by  reason  of  personal  attributes,  enterprising  spirit  and 
natural  aliility.  ha\-e  arisen  above  their  fellows  in  business,  social  and  public 
life.  Racine,  Wis.,  has  numerous  examples,  and  one  of  these  is  Frederick 
Robinson,  vice-president  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company.  Mr. 
Robinson  was  born  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  Nov.  15,  1862,  son  of  Frederick  and 
Ann  Maria  (Bertholf)  Robinson. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  reared  in  his  native  town,  where  he  attended  the 
public  schools,  and  later  Lake  Forest  Academy.  His  business,  life  started  in 
the  office  of  the  National  Vehicle  Company,  at  Racine,  as  office  man,  and  in 
1887  he  went  to  Denver,  where  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  architectural 
iron  work  for  several  years.  In  1896  he  returned  to  Racine  and  became  pur- 
chasing agent  for  the  J-  I-  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company.  In  1897  he 
■was  one  of  the  purchasers  of  the  entire  stock  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing 
Machine  Company.  Mr.  Frank  Bull  was  made  the  president ;  Mr.  Frederick 
Robinson,  vice-president:  ]\Ir.  Richard  T.  Robinson,  secretary,  and  Mr. 
Charles  Mcintosh,  treasurer.  The  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Companv  is 
one  of  the  largest  threshing  machine  manufacturing  companies  in  the  world, 
and  the  goods  find  sale  throughout  the  United  States,  Canada,  Europe  and 
South  America. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  married  in  1887  to  Miss  Lillian  j\l.  Bull,  daughter  of 
Stephen  and  Ellen  C.  (Kellogg)  Bull,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  two 
children :  Stephen  Bull  and  Bessie.  Mr.  Robinson  is  a  man  extremely  do- 
mestic in  his  tastes,  devoting  much  of  his  time  to  his  family  and  to  his  home. 
He  is  a  liberal  patron  of  art,  having  probably  the  finest  collection  of  oi]  paint- 
ings in  this  part  of  the  State,  having  selected  a  number  of  them  with  .great 
care  in  his  travels  abroad.  His  home  at  No.  1012  Main  Street  also  contains 
many  interesting  curios  and  valuable  bits  of  art  collected  in  his  travels.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Robinson  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  ]\Ir.  Robinson  is 
a  trustee  of  Racine  College.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  but  is  too  much 
taken  up  with  Inisiness  to  get  into  politics. 

EDWARD  C.  THIERS,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  N.  R.  Allen's  Sons 
Co.,  which  was  incorporated  Aug.   i,   1905,  from  N.  R.  Allen's  Sons,  with 


COMME^NIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  35 

whuni  he  has  been  associated  since  1883,  affords  another  illustration  of  tlie 
fact  that  many  of  Kenosha's  most  useful  citizens  are  found  amon.e;-  her  native 
sons.  The  advantages  of  the  place  as  a  convenient  manufacturing  and  ship- 
ping center  have  attracted  outside  capital  to  a  degree  which  has  proved  of  im- 
mense benefit  to  the  city,  but  the  men  who  have  brought  their  means  here  to 
multiply  have  not  had  to  bring  talent  too.  They  have  found  efificient  workers 
awaiting  their  opportunity  and  ready  to  grasp  it  intelligently. 

The  Thiers  family  is  of  French  Huguenot  origin,  and  members  thereof 
were  settled  in  New  York  State  in  an  early  day.  Mr.  Thiers"  grandfather  was 
born  there  and  passed  his  life  in  farming.  He  and  his  wife  both  died  in  mid- 
dle life.  They  had  a  small  family,  of  whom  Catherine,  Mrs.  Van  Arsdale, 
died  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and  was  buried  there. 

David  Thiers,  father  of  Edward  C,  was  a  native  of  New  York  State, 
and  was  reared  there  on  a  farm  in  Orange  county.  About  1850,  when  still  a 
young  man,  he  came  West,  first  locating  in  Kenosha  for  a  short  time.  Then 
he  removed  to  McHenry  county,  111.,  but  a  few  years  later  returned  to  Ken- 
osha, where  he  engaged  as  clerk  for  a  few  years,  until  he  started  in  business 
for  himself  as  a  flour  and  feed  merchant,  on  the  north  side  of  Market  Square. 
Some  years  afterward  he  removed  to  Main  street,  doing  business  in  the  John 
Riley  building  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1875,  when  he  was  aged 
fifty-five  years.  Mr.  Thiers  was  devoted  for  the  most  part  to  liis  business 
affairs,  but  he  took  interest  and  pride  in  the  public  welfare  of  his  adopted  city, 
and  he  served  as  school  commissioner  in  the  early  days.  His  wife,  Louisa  K. 
(Capron)  Thiers,  also  a  native  of  New  York  State,  survives  him,  making  her 
home  with  her  daughter  in  Milwaukee,  and  though  past  ninety  enjoys  good 
health  and  is  quite  active  for  one  of  her  years.  Five  children  were  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thiers,  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  four  of  whom  survive : 
Herbert  M.,  of  Chicago;  Emma  W.,  wife  of  Charles  Quarles,  of  Milwaukee; 
Edward  C,  of  Kenosha;  and  Louis  M.,  of  Kenosha.  Both  parents  united 
with  the  Congregational  Church. 

The  Caprons,  Mr.  Thiers'  maternal  ancestors,  were  of  English  origin, 
and  the  family  in  America  is  descended  from  Banfield  Capron,  who  came  from 
England  in  the  seventeenth  century  and  located  in  one  of  the  New  England 
States.  Seth  Capron,  father  of  Mrs.  Louisa  K.  (Capron)  Thiers,  was  born 
in  Massachusetts,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  enlisting  at 
Norton.  Mass.,  when  he  was  eighteen  years  old.  He  was  a  small  man,  and  at 
one  time  served  as  the  cockswain  of  Gen.  Washington's  barge.  After  the 
war  he  studied  medicine,  and  he  was  known  as  Dr.  Seth  Capron  up  to  the 
close  of  his  long  life.  He  lived  at  Whitesboro,  N.  Y.,  where  he  enjoyed  a 
large  practice  and  died  at  an  advanced  age.  Dr.  Capron  married  Eunice 
Mann,  who  was  born  in  1767.  and  their  family  consisted  of  four  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Mrs.  Capron  reached  the  age  of  about  eighty-seven  years,  after 
her  husband's  death  coming  to  Wisconsin  and  making  her  home  in  Kenosha, 
wliere  she  passed  away. 

Edward  C.  Thiers  was  born  in  Kenosha  April  17.  18^6.  and  received  his 
early  educational  training  in  its  public  and  high  schools,  later  havins:  the  ad- 
vantage of  three  years  of  study  at  the  Northwestern  Lmiversity,  at  Evanston, 


36  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

HI.  Returning  home  after  his  father's  death,  he  clerked  for  the  tirm  of  Slos- 
son  &  O'Brien  for  a  year  or  two,  and  then  commenced  the  study  of  law  with 
the  firm  of  J.  V.  &  (J.  Quarles.  with  whom  he  remained  seven  years.  Mean- 
time, in  1880,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  and  he  gave  his  attention  whoUy 
to  legal  practice  until  the  fall  of  1883,  when  he  took  his  present  position  with 
N.  R.  Allen's  Sons.  His  long  retention  in  their  service  is  the  best  testimonial 
of  his  worth. 

Mr.  Thiers  was  married,  May  16,  1885,  to  Miss  Mary  Nicoll,  whose  par- 
ents, John  and  Helen  (Nelson)  Nicoll,  were  born  in  Scotland.  This  union  has 
been  lalessed  with  one  daughter,  Helen,  who  is  at  present  a  junior  in  Vassar 
College.  Mrs.  Thiers  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church,  which  Mr. 
Thiers  also  attends,  and  he  belongs  to  the  church  society.  Fraternally  he 
holds  membership  in  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M.  The  question  of 
public  education  is  considered  by  him  one  of  the  most  vital  issues  which  con- 
front municipalities  in  these  modern  times,  and  he  shows  his  interest  in  his 
service  as  school  commissioner,  and  president  of  the  board  of  education ;  he 
is  also  secretary  of  the  board  of  directors  of  Gilbert  M.  Simmons  Lijjrary. 
In  politics  he  supports  the  Republican  party,  particularly  in  national  issues. 

GEORGE  YULE,  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Kenosha,  was 
born  Aug.  31,  1824,  in  Rathen,  near  Fraserburgh,  Aberdeenshire,  Scotland, 
son  of  Alexander  and  Margaret  (Leeds)  Yule. 

Alexander  Yule  will  be  remembered  by  many  of  the  old  residents  of 
Kenosha  county  as  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Somers  township,  where  he 
was  a  large  landowner,  and  for  many  years  an  extensive  farmer.  Here 
he  established  a  family  whose  members  for  over  sixty  years  have  been  use- 
ful and  prominent  in  the  life  of  the  community,  diligent  in  attending  to 
their  own  affairs  and  active  in  the  promotion  and  support  of  worthy  public 
enterprises.  Several  members  of  the  Yule  family  are  now  prominent  in  com- 
mercial circles  in  Kenosha,  connected  with  the  Bain  Wagon  Company,  one 
of  the  important  industrial  concerns  of  the  city.  The  family  is  of  Scotch  line- 
age, and  Mr.  Yule's  ancestors  came  from  farming  stock  of  Scotland,  where 
his  parents  lived- and  died. 

Alexander  Yule  was  the  only  one  of  a  small  family  to  come  to  America. 
He  was  born  in  Scotland  about  1795  or  1796,  and  was  twice  marriejJ,  his 
first  wife  dying  in  Scotland  in  the  year  1835.  By  this  union  he  had  a 
family  of  eight  children,  namely :  William,  who  died  in  Somers  township, 
Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six;  James,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  seventy-one,  in  Millburn,  III. ;  Alexander,  who  was  a  professor  in  Ireland, 
where  he  died  when  a  young  man ;  George,  of  Kenosha ;  Beatrice.  Mrs. 
George  Smith,  of  Evanston,  111. ;  John  T..  of  Kenosha,  and  Cutes  and  Marv, 
both  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Yule's  second  union,  also  contracted  in 
Scotland,  was  to  Miss  Jane  Watson,  and  to  this  marriage  were  also  born 
eight  children,  namely :  Mary,  now  the  widow  of  David  Heddle,  of  Somers 
township,  Kenosha  county;  Joseph,  of  California;  Henry,  of  Seattle.  Wash.; 
Anna,  of  Somers  township;  Thomas,  deceased;  Frank,  of  Somers  township; 
Robert,  of  Chicago,  and  Edward,  of  Sergeant  Bluff,  Iowa. 


U:/J:  Bears  ^  ^<r 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  37 

About  1840  Mr.  Yule  brought  his  family  to  America,  coming  by  way  of 
Quebec,  and  settling  in  Kenosha  county,  Wis.,  near  Southport,  as  Kenosha 
was  then  known,  he  bought  257  acres  of  land  in  Somers  township,  which  he 
improved  and  occupied  for  a  number  of  years.  Here  he  reared  his  family 
and  when  the  children  were  grown  Mr.  Yule  sold  the  property  to  his  sons, 
George  and  William,  while  he  moved  to  a  small  farm  in  the  same  section, 
known  as  "Sunnyside,"  which  was  his  home  until  he  died,  in  1871,  aged  sev- 
enty-six. His  widow  lived  to  be  seventy-eight  years  old,  passing  away  in 
1896.    Mr.  Yule  was  a  Presbyterian  in  religious  faith. 

George  Yule,  son  of  Alexander  by  his  first  wife,  received  all  his  school- 
ing in  his  native  land,  being  sixteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America 
with  his  father.  For  three  years  thereafter  he  worked  on  the  farm  with  his 
father,  when  nineteen  entering  the  employ  of  Henry  Mitchell,  a  wagonmaker 
of  Kenosha,  learning  the  trade  and  remaining  with  him  until  i8s2.  After 
the  factory  passed  in  that  year  into  the  hands  of  Edward  Bain.  Mr.  Yule 
became  superintendent,  and  occupied  that  responsible  position  for  thirty  years. 
In  1882.  when  the  company  was  incorporated,  Mr.  Yule  was  chosen  vice- 
president,  continuing  to  act  in  that  capacity  until  1900,  since  which  vear  he 
has  filled  the  office  of  president  of  the  corporation,  which  bears  the  title  of 
the  Bain  Wagon  Company.  \Vhen  Mr.  Yule  was  first  employed  in  the 
works  everything  was  done  in  the  place  by  hand,  and  his  first  job  was  sawing 
out  plow-beams.  At  that  time  not  more  than  ten  or  fifteen  new  wagons  a 
year  were  turned  out,  together  with  a  small  number  of  plows,  the  principal 
w'ork  being  repairing.  From  that  modest  beginning  the  business  has  grown 
to  large  proportions,  the  establishment  at  present  being  one  of  the  largest  of 
its  kind  in  this  section,  and  about  sixteen  thousand  wagons  are  manufactured 
annually,  employment  being  given  to  about  four  hundred  people.  The  market 
is  principally  in  the  West,  although  the  product  is  known  all  over  the  world. 

Personally  Mr.  Yule  deserves  all  the  prosperity  he  has  won.  His  policy 
has  always  been  that  of  hard  work,  and  the  results  in  his  case  justify  the 
means.  However,  he  has  been  fortunate  in  the  possession  of  good  health ;  and 
though  he  has  worked  one  stretch  of  twenty-five  years  without  a  dav's  vaca- 
tion he  is  unusually  active  for  a  man  past  eighty,  his  appearance  being  that  of 
a  man  at  least  fifteen  years  younger.  He  has  always  been  content  to  let  his 
work  speak  for  itself,  being  modest  and  unassuming  in  all  things. 

On  Jan.  i,  1848,  at  Kenosha,  was  solemnized  the  marriage  of  George 
Yule  and  Miss  Catherine  Mitchell,  who  was  born  in  Fifeshire,  Scotland, 
daughter  of  William  Mitchell.  The  family  home  is  at  No.  ^12  Park  avenue. 
Six  children  were  born  of  this  union,  namely:  Maria,  who  died  in  childhood; 
Louise,  who  married  the  late  \\'i]liam  Hall;  Ada,  who  died  in  childhood; 
George  A.,  mentioned  below;  William  L.,  connected  with  the  Bain  Wagon 
Company,  wdio  married  Miss  Esther  Elliott,  and  has  one  son,  George  Gordon; 
and  Harvey,  who  died  young.  Mrs.  Catherine  Yule  is  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  but  her  husband  is  not  identified  with  any  religious  body.  Politi- 
cally Mr.  Yule  was  an  Abolitionist  before  the  war,  when  it  required  men  with 
courage  to  openly  advocate  such  principles,  and  he  was  one  of  six  men  in 
Kenosha  county  who  were  pelted  with  rotten  eggs  for  voting  that  ticket. 
Since  the  w-ar  he  has  been  a  Republican,  and  he  was  the  first  Republican  alder- 


38  COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

man  in  Kemjsha  to  be  elected  ivum  the  First  ward.  However,  he  has  never 
sought  pubhc  position,  giving  his  services  wilhngly  to  the  advancement  of  the 
general  welfare  and  the  encouragement  of  public  utilities,  and  avoiding  the 
limitations  of  official  service.  No  man  in  Kenosha  realizes  more  keenly  that 
a  business  man  reaps  the  reward  of  his  activity  in  furthering  the  good  of  his 
community,  and  while  his  motives  are  not  selfish  he  has  displayed  his  good 
judgment  as  much  in  this  respect  as  in  the  direct  management  of  his  manu- 
facturing interests. 

Public-spirited  in  the  truest  sense  of  the  word,  Mr.  Yule  has  been  identi- 
fied with  the  growth  of  Kenosha  from  the  very  early  days,  and  has  helped 
financially  nearly  every  important  institution  in  the  city.  In  addition  to  his 
responsibilities  in  the  Bain  Wagon  Company  he  holds  the  position  of  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  First  National  Bank  and  also  of  the  North  Western  Loan  &  Trust' 
Company.  He  enjoys  a  commanding  position  in  both  social  and  business 
circles. 

George  A.  Yule,  son  of  George,  born  in  Kenosha  June  13,  1838,  is 
connected  with  the  Bain  Wagon  Company  in  the  capacity  of  superintendent 
and  is  also  president  of  the  Badger  Brass  Company — the  first  to  manufacture 
the  acetylene  bicycle  and  automobile  lamps.  George  A.  Yule  married  Miss 
Harriet  Head,  daughter  of  Orson  and  Mary  (Treadwell)  Head,  and  one  son 
has  been  born  to  their  union,  William  Head  Yule. 

JOHN  G.  MEACHEM,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  leading  physicians  of  Racine, 
Wis.,  resides  at  No.  745  College  avenue.  He  was  born  in  Genesee  countv,  N. 
Y.,  June  10,  1846,  son  of  Dr.  John  G.  and  Myraette  (Doolittle)  Meadiem, 
the  former  of  the  County  of  Somerset,  England,  and  the  latter  of  New  York 
State.    Our  subject  had  two  sisters,  both  of  whom  died  young. 

Rev.  Thomas  Meachem,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Dr.  Meachem,  was 
an  Episcopal  clergyman.  He  came  from  the  old  country  with  his  familv  of 
four  or  five  children,  and.  after  locating  in  New  York,  was  there  ordained  to 
the  ministry.  He  died  at  Wethersfield  Springs,  when  about  fifty-six  years  of 
age.  and  was  there  buried.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Goldesbrough.  was  a  descend- 
ant of  a  very  fine  family  and  a  cousin  of  Admiral  Goldesbrough  of  the  British 
navy,  the  family  has  a  crest.  Mrs.  Meachem  survi\-ed  until  her  seventieth 
year.  They  had  seven  children,  one  of  whom  died  in  England ;  the  others 
came  to  .America  and  grew  to  maturity,  one  still  living.  William,  of  Racine. 

Reul)en  Doolittle,  Dr.  Meachem's  maternal  grandfather,  moved  from 
Washington  county,  N.  Y.,  and  took  up  land  in  the  Holland  Purchase,  settling 
at  a  point  which  was  afterward  known  as  Wethersfield  Springs.  He  came  with 
bis  two  brothers,  and  opened  up  a  blacksmith  shop,  clearing  their  land  mean- 
while. Thev  later  started  an  ashery  and  woolen  mill,  and  became  wealthv  for 
those  days.  Thither  they  brought  their  friends  and  started  a  village.  Reuben 
Doolittle  went  West  to  collect  bills  from  parties  who  owed  him  monev,  and 
while  on  a  trip  to  Illinois  contracted  malarial  fever,  from  which  he  died  in 
Waukegan.  There  being  no  burying  ground  there  at  that  time,  he  was  buried 
in  the  sand  on  the  beach,  but  his  body  was  removed  a  few  weeks  later  to  his 
home  in  Wethersfield  Springs,   where  he  was  buried.      His  wife  was  Sarah 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  39 

Rood,  of  Washington  county,  N.  Y.,  and  she  died  in  Racine  aged  eighty- 
seven  years.     They  had  six  children. 

Dr.  John  G.  Meachem,  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  physician  from  young- 
manhood.  Coming  to  America  with  his  parents  when  a  small  boy,  he  grew  to 
manhood  in  eastern  central  New  York,  and  studied  medicine  at  Geneva,  N. 
Y.,  and  at  Castleton,  \'t.  He  began  practice  in  Wethersfield  Springs, 
Wyoming  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  th.en  removed  to  Linden,  Genesee  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and 
later  to  Warsaw,  Wyoming  county.  Coming  to  Wisconsin  in  the  fall  of  1862, 
he  settled  at  Racine,  where  he  practiced  until  his  death,  Feb.  i,  1896,  when  he 
was  aged  seventy-three  years,  lacking  a  few  days.  His  wife  still  survives,  and 
is  an  Episcopalian,  as  was  her  husband.  He  had  a  commission  in  the  New 
York  State  militia,  being  a  surgeon.  While  in  Racine,  during  the  Civil  war, 
he  was  surgeon  at  Camp  Utley,  and  later  became  mayor  of  the  city,  which 
position  he  held  for  three  consecutive  terms. 

Dr.  John  G.  Meachem  lived  in  New  Y'ork  State  until  sixteen  years  of  age, 
and  received  a  common  school  education  there.  He  attended  Warsaw 
Academy,  and  on  accompanying  his  parents  to  Wisconsin  attended  Rush 
Medical  College,  in  Chicago.  Graduating  therefrom  in  February,  1865,  he 
soon  afterward  took  special  courses  at  Bellevue  Hospital,  New  York  City, 
and  was  graduated  there  in  special  lines.  He  then  returned  to  Racine,  where 
he  has  practiced  his  profession  to  the  present  time. 

On  Dec.  20,  1870,  Dr.  Meachem  married  Miss  Eliza  Smith,  daughter  of 
Eldad  and  Harriet  (L'nderwood)  Smith,  and  two  children  have  been  born  to 
this  union,  John  G.  and  Elizabeth.  John  G.  is  a  physician,  being  a  graduate 
of  Racine  College  and  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  and  of  the  University 
of  the  State  of  New  Yoi-k ;  he  has  his  headquarters  in  the  office  of  his  father. 
EHzabeth  died  at  the  age  of  six  and  one-half  years.  Dr.  John  G.  M_eachem, 
Sr.,  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  his  father 
was  warden  for  every  year  during  his  residence  here,  most  of  that  time  bein_g 
senior  warden.  The  Doctor  is  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin  State  Medical 
Society,  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  Arts  and  Letters  and  of  the  American 
Medical  Association.  Politically  he  is  independent.  He  has  his  home  and 
also  other  real  estate  interests  in  Racine. 

RICHARD  TAYLOR  ROBINSON,  who  has  been  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  business  interests  of  Racine,  Wis.,  for  a  number  of  years,  first 
as  a  pharmacist,  and  now  as  secretary  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine 
Company,  was  liorn  Nov.  22.  1855,  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  son  of  Hon.  Frederick 
and  Ann  Maria  (Bertholf)  Robinson,  natives  of  Chyrch  Stretton,  Shrop- 
shire, England. 

He  was  reared  in  Kenosha,  where  he  attended  the  public  schools,  supple- 
menting this  with  a  literary  course  at  the  University  of  INIichigan  to  the  junior 
year,  then  taking  a  pharmaceutical  course  from  which  he  was  graduated  with 
the  class  of  1879.  In  September,  of  the  same  year,  he  located  in  Racine,  pur- 
chased a  stock  of  drugs,  and  carried  on  business  for  some  years,  adding  to  his 
stock  until  he  had  one  of  the  best  establishments  of  the  kind  in  the  country, 
and  also  laid  the  foundation  for  the  most  successful  drug  business  in  the  State, 
now  known  as  tlie  Kradwell  Drug  Company,  with  which  he  continued  until 


40  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

1895.  In  1895,  when  he  left  the  drug  business,  he  became  connected  with  the 
Commercial  Savings  Bank,  as  president.  In  1897.  in  company  with  Frank 
K.  Bull,  Frederick  Robinson  and  C.  L.  Mcintosh,  Mr.  Robinson  was  one  of 
the  purchasers  of  the  entire  stock  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  "Machine  Com- 
pany, of  which  company  he  has  since  been  the  secretary. 

On  Feb.  17,  1884,  in  Racine,  Mr.  Robinson  married  Jeanette  Bull, 
daughter  of  Stephen  and  Ellen  (Kellogg)  Bull,  and  to  this  union  two  children 
have  been  born:  Richard  T.,  Jr.,  and  Katharine.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robinson  aje 
communicants  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Politically  he  is  independent,  and 
has  never  interested  himself  largely  in  party  matters.  Mr.  Robinson  is  one  of 
the  prominent  business  men  of  Racine,  and  has  always  been  interested  in  the 
improvement  and  development  of  the  city.  His  steadfast  adherence  to  high 
principles  has  caused  him  to  be  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him. 

HON.  ADAM  APPLE,  who  died  at  North  Cape,  Norway  township,  on 
the  19th  of  April,  1905,  during  his  noteworthy  career  of  half  a  century  in 
Racine  countv  was  first  a  pioneer,  and  finally  an  opulent  farmer;  first  a  pub- 
lic official  of  the  township,  who  faithfully  and  ably  fulfilled  his  limited  duties, 
in  various  capacities  and  covering  long  periods  of  service,  and  finally  w-as  re- 
warded by  being  called  to  both  houses  of  the  State  Legislature,  in  which  for 
many  years  he  conscientiously  and  fully  met  all  the  requirements  of  the  more 
important  legislation  and  earned  an  enviable  name  as  one  of  the  leading  rep- 
resentatives of  the  great  agricultiu'al  interests  of  southeastern  Wisconsin. 

Mr.  Apple  was  born  in  Rhenish  Bavaria,  Germany,  Nov.  28,  1831,  son 
of  Adam  and  Barbara  (Beecher)  Apple.  His  parents  were  also  natives  of 
Germany,  and  their  four  other  sons  were  Jacob,  W^illiam.  Frederick  and  Louis, 
three  of  whom  died  in  the  Fatherland,  where  \A'ilIiam  is  still  living.  The  father 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1800,  served  in  the  regular  army,  and  for  many  years 
was  engaged  as  a  stone  and  brick  mason.  He  died  in  1862,  firm  in  the  faith  of 
the  Lutheran  Church,  of  which  both  he  and  his  wife  were  members. 

Adam  Apple,  who  after-ward  earned  such  a  fair  name  in  ^^'isconsin.  lived 
with  his  parents  in  Germany  lintil  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  acc|uiring  a 
common  school  education  in  his  native  locality.  Coming  to  America  he  settled 
in  Philadelphia,  becoming  an  apprentice  to  the  cabinetmaker's  trade.  At  the 
expiration  of  his  three  years"  term,  instead  of  applying  himself  to  that  vocation 
he  shipped  for  the  gold  fields  of  the  Pacific  coast,  reaching  his  destination  bv 
way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  Three  years  of  mining  in  southern  California 
fortunately  so  increased  his  possessions  that  he  returned  to  Philadelphia  with 
the  intention  of  investing  his  savings  in  the  East :  but  he  was  more  strongly 
drawn  to  the  great  West,  so  that  in  1855,  after  he  had  worked  at  his  trade  for 
a  time,  he  came  to  Wisconsin.  Locating  in  Norway  township,  he  purchased 
120  acres  of  land  in  Section  26.  which  he  first  improved  liefore  addins'  another 
forty  to  it.  Later  he  bought  180  acres  adjoining  the  first  farm  on  the  sou.th, 
which  he  also  lirought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  imnro\'ement.  Mr. 
Apple  resided  on  the  old  homestead  until  within  two  years  of  his  death,  when 
he  rented  his  farms  to  his  sons.  Charles  and  Harry,  he  and  his  wife  moving 
to  North  Cape,  where  he  passed  his  bst  da  vs. 

Mrs.  Adam  Apple  is  still  a  resident  of  North  Cajie.     Before  her  mar- 


xJlJUy^y^^  Zrlj' 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  41 

riage,  in  1856,  she  was  Dorothy  Eckel,  and  when  quite  youncr  was  brought 
by  her  parents  from  Germany  to  America.  By  her  vinion  with  Mr.  Apple  she 
became  the  mother  of  four  sons  and  four  daughters :  Ella,  wife  of  Charles 
Blakey,  of  Estherville,  Iowa ;  Adam,  Jr.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight 
years;  Josephine,  wife  of  D.  M.  Clump,  living  in  Monmouth,  Iowa;  Annie, 
unmarried,  a  teacher  of  Mitchellville,  Iowa;  Andrew  J.,  residing  in  Chicago; 
and  Charles  E.  and  Harry  and  Flora  (twins),  all  of  Norway  township.  As 
to  the  children  of  the  family  it  may  be  stated,  more  in  detail,  that  Mrs.  Blakey 
is  the  mother  of  five  children,  the  three  living  being  Leonard,  Addie  and  Doro- 
thy. Josephine  has  two  children,  Irene  and  Ruth.  Andrew  J.  married  Ollie 
Mae  Groshon,  who  was  born  in  Chicago,  daughter  of  Hugh  and  Charlotte 
(Hurley)  Groshon,  the  former  a  traveling  salesman  for  Carson,  Pirie,  Scott  & 
Co.,  for  fourteen  years  until  his  death  at  the  age  of  forty-eight,  the  latter  sur- 
viving and  living  with  her  daughter  (besides  Mrs.  Apple,  Mrs.  Groshon  has 
two  sons.  Dr.  A.  D.,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo. ;  and  Albert,  of  Chicago,  connected 
with  the  U.  S.  Rubber  Company).  Charles  E.  has  been  a  member  of  the  school 
board  of  Norway  township  for  the  past  four  terms  and  has  been  secretary  of 
the  Dover  &  Norway  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Co.  for  eleven  years,  and  still 
holds  that  position ;  he  married  Josephine  Plucker,  and  they  have  one  son, 
Adam,  Jr.  (III).  Harry  married  Nellie  Smith,  a  native  of  Dover  township, 
and  they  have  one  son,  Harold  John.  Flora  is  single  and  lives  with  her  mother 
in  North  Cape,  occupying  the  residence  Mr.  Apple  built  shortly  before  his 
death. 

In  politics  Adam  Apple  was  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  it  is  a  remarkable 
testimony  to  his  sterling  honesty  and  sound  ability  that  he  should  have  made 
such  progress  in  a  public  career  while  residing  in  a  county  which  was  strongly 
Republican.  He  entered  upon  that  career  as  chairman  of  the  town  board  of 
supervisors,  retaining  the  position  for  eight  years.  His  abiding  interest  in  pop- 
ular education  was  shown  in  that  he  held  the  clerkship  of  the  school  board  for 
about  eighteen  years.  The  duties  of  these  positions  were  performed  with  such 
impartial  ability  that  he  was  decisively  elected  to  the  lower  house  of  the  Wis- 
consin State  Legislature  in  1882,  1883,  1885  and  1887.  His  record  there  was 
enthusiastically  endorsed  by  his  selection  as  a  candidate  for  the  State  Senate 
and  his  election,  in  1890,  by  which  he  overcame  a  normal  Republican  majority 
of  1.200.  Mr.  Apple  retained  the  State  senatorship  for  two  successive  terms, 
and  his  earnestness,  honesty,  impartially  and  broad  common  sense  as  to  the 
nature  of  his  duties  as  a  representative  of  his  entire  district — not  of  any  section, 
cr  clique — won  him  the  commendation  of  even  his  political  enemies ;  and  his 
conduct  in  public  life  was  but  a  reflex  of  his  private  character,  which  was  based 
upon  justice  and  broad  humanity.  He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  I.  O.  O. 
F.  and  the  Masonic  fraternity,  to  which  latter  his  three  sons  also  belono-.  and 
his  funeral,  which  was  one  of  the  largest  ever  held  in  Racine  countv,  was  con- 
ducted by  the  Masons. 

Mrs.  Dorothy  Apple,  widow  of  Adam  Apple,  and  now  sixtv-nine  vears  of 
age.  was  born  in  Germany,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Christina  (Damm)  Eckel. 
In  1844.  when  she  was  seven  years  old,  her  parents  sailed  for  the  United' 
States,  and  she  still  vividly  remembers  that  long  voyage  of  seven  weeks  be- 
fore they  approached  the  shores  of  New  York  harbor.     The  family  at  once 


42  CO^niE:\IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

located  in  Waukesha  cnunty,  Wis.,  where  the  father  and  mother  hoth  died  in 
old  age.  They  had  six  daughters  and  one  son,  the  following  four  still  sur- 
viving: Barbara,  wife  of  John  Pfluger,  of  Diamond  Blufif,  Minn.;  Margaret, 
now  Mrs.  George  W' agner,  of  Waukesha,  Wis. ;  Lucy,  who  married  John  Sour, 
of  Fort  Atkinson,  Wis. ;  and  Dorothy,  Mrs.  Adam  Apple. 

The  two  farms  of  340  acres  which  ex-Senator  Apple  owned  at  the  time 
of  his  death  are  now  in  the  possession  of  Charles  and  Harry,  who,  as  stated, 
had  rented  them  about  two  years  before  their  father's  decease.  Thev  are  both 
extensive  stock  raisers,  Charles  E.  being  especially  a  breeder  of  Shorthorn 
Durham  cattle.  They  are  men  of  industry  and  perseverance,  thoroughly  versed 
in  their  line  of  l)usiness.  possessed  of  marked  business  ability,  and  are  destined 
to  broaden  the  family  estate  and  perpetuate  the  honorable  name  of  their  father. 

William  Plucker,  of  Waterford,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Josephine  Apple,  the 
wife  of  Charles  E.  Apple,  married  Minnie  Alby.  The  paternal  grandfather 
was  an  early  settler  of  Racine  cnunty.  where  he  died  many  years  ago:  his 
widow  married  twice  afterward,  her  third  husband  being  still  alive,  but  she 
is  deceased.  The  maternal  grandparents,  John  and  Minnie  Alby,  are  both 
deceased. 

John  H.  and  Elizabeth  (Lewis)  Smith,  parents  of  Mrs.  Nellie  Apple, 
wife  of  Harry  Apple,  were  born  in  Dover  township  and  England,  respectivelv, 
the  mother  being  brought  when  an  infant-  to  America,  by  her  parents.  Their 
family  consisted  of  one  son  and  four  daughters:  Mary,  wife- of  George 
WHierry,  of  Racine:  Nellie,  Mrs.  Apple:  Lulu,  unmarried,  of  Dover  township: 
and  Alice  and  Boyd,  who  are  living  at  home.  The  paternal  grandfather.  W'il- 
liam  Smith,  was  a  native  of  England,  and  a  very  early  settler  of  Dover  town- 
ship, dying  there  when,  more  than  seventy  years  of  age.  His  wife,  Marv,  was 
about  sixty  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  death,  and  the  mother  of  eight 
daughters  and  three  sons.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Harry  Apple 
was  William  Lewis,  a  native  of  England,  and  a  pioneer  of  Dover  township. 
He  died  well  advanced  in  years,  and  his  wife  (Mary  Millard)  had  passed  the 
age  of  eighty  at  the  time  of  her  death.  They  were  the  parents  of  one  daughter 
and  four  sons,  William,  Elisha,  Philip,  Elizabeth  and  George. 

LINUS  H.  PARK,  of  the  Avell-known  firm  of  Chandler  &  Park,  archi- 
tects, Racine,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  at  Tonica,  June  2,  1862,  son  of 
John  and  Martha  (Ide)  Park. 

The  great-grandfather,  Robert  Park,  of  Ballewater,  Ireland,  was  of 
Scotch  or  English  descent  and  was  a  teacher  of  mathematics.  He  came  to 
Philadelphia  in  1786.  His  wife,  Jane  Bailey  Park,  lived  to  be  108  vears  of 
age.  To  these  two  were  born  four  children,  the  second  of  whom  was  John 
Park,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject.  He  followed  the  business  of  tanning 
and  the  currier's  trade  in  connection  with  farming  in  Pennsylvania.  His  wife 
was  Mary  Lang,  the  daughter  of  James  Lang,  a  Presbyterian  minister  nf 
Scotch  descent,  and  a  relative  of  John  C.  Calhoun,  of  South  Carolina.  Her 
mother's  maiden  name  was  Helm.  To  them  were  born  nine  children,  the 
eighth  beins:  John  Park,  father  of  the  above  mentioned  Linus  Helm  Park. 

John  Park  was  born  in  1823  at  Marion  Center,  Pa.,  and  wns  renred  tn 
the  life  of  a  farmer,  but  afterward  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  fnl- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  43 

lowed  in  conjunction  with  farming.  He  located  in  Illinois  in  1858,  settling" 
in  Tonica,  where  he  remained  until  1883,  in  that  year  going  to  Wheaton, 
111.,  where  he  lived  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  while  he  was 
visiting  his  son,  Linus  H.,  in  Racine,  in  1903,  when  he  was  aged  seventy-nine 
years.  His  wife  Martha  (Ide),  a  native  of  New  York  State,  had  passed  away 
ten  years  previously,  in  her  sixty-eighth  year.  Her  parents,  Ebenezer  and 
Sarah  (Sherman)  Ide,  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  and  had  a  large  family.  Of  the 
children  of  John  and  Martha  Park,  Rufus  Lang  and  Linus  Helm  (twins)  are 
the  only  ones  living,  the  former  making  his  home  at  Muskegon,  Michigan. 

Linus  H.  Park  was  reared  in  the  vicinity  of  Tonica,  111.,  and  remained 
on  the  farm  until  twenty  years  of  age.  He  attended  the  public  schools  and  the 
high  school,  and  graduated  in  the  classical  course  at  Wheaton  College  in  1889, 
then  taking  up  architecture,  which  he  has  pursued  ever  since.  He  went  to" 
Chicago,  later  to  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  and  in  1892  came  to  Racine,  work- 
ing with  Mr.  Chandler  for  two  or  three  years.  He  became  associated  with 
him  as  a  partner  in  1896,  this  connection  still  continuing.  They  have  erected 
many  of  the  public  buildings  of  Racine  and  surrounding  country,  among  them 
many  public  school  buildings  in  Wisconsin  and  other  States. 

Mr.  Park  was  married  Aug.  19,  1895,  to  Miss  Maud  Whipple,  daughter 
of  Prof.  Elliot  Whipple  and  Samantha  (Johnson)  Whipple,  of  Wheaton,  III., 
and  to  this  union  have  been  born  two  children,  Martha  Whipple  and  Elliot 
Whipple.  The  family  residence,  located  at  No.  1239  Wisconsin  street,  Racine, 
was  built  by  Mr.  Park  in  1899.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Park  are  members  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Racine,  in  which  he  is  an  elder.  Politically  he  is  inde- 
pendent, usually  voting  the  Prohibition  ticket. 

GEORGE  N.  FRATT,  a  prominent  and  esteemed  citizen  of  Racine, 
Wis.,  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  that  city,  was  born  in  Racine, 
Jan.  3,  1855,  son  of  Hon.  Nicholas  Diller  and  Elsie  (Duffies)  Fratt,  the 
former  of  New  York,  and  the  latter  of  Scotland.  Jonathan  Fratt,  grandfather 
of  George  N.,  migrated  from  New  York,  and  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  in  Ra- 
cine, dying  there  some  time  in  the  sixties,  well  advanced  in  years. 

Nicholas  Diller  Fratt  came  to  Racine  about  1842,  embarking  in  the  mar- 
ket business,  in  which  he  continued  for  some  time.  In  1855  he  removed  to  a 
farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  whereon  he  remained  until  1893,  <it  the  end  of 
which  time  he  returned  to  Racine.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  both  the 
Racine  County  Bank  and  the  First  National  Bank,  the  former  being  merged 
into  the  First  National  Bank  in  1864.  Mr.  Fratt  was  for  some  time  prior  its 
president,  an  office  he  has  held  continuously  since  it  became  the  First  National. 
He  has  a  wide  knowledge  ,of  banking  and  finance,  and  his  foresip"ht  and  wis- 
dom have  been  of  inestimable  value  in  placing  the  institution  on  sound  finan- 
cial footing,  capable  of  withstanding  any  grave  and  startling  fluctuations  in 
the  money  market.  For  the  last  ten  years  Mr.  Fratt  has  lived  retired.  He 
married  Elsie  Duffies,  who  died  in  1890,  aged  about  sixty-three  years,  in  the 
faith  of  the  Universaiist  Church,  to  which  Mr.  Fratt  also  belonsrs.  He  was  a 
State  senator  in  the  early  sixties,  and  has  held  various  minor  offices.  He  was 
president  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society  for  many  years,  and  of  the  Racine 


44  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

County  Agricultural  Society,  antl  he  was  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  re- 
gents of  the  State  University. 

John  Duffies,  Mrs.  Fratt's  father,  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  on  com- 
ing to  America  first  settled  in  New  York  State,  locating  on  a  farm  in  the  town 
of  Dover,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  about  1841.  There  he  remained  until  a  short  time 
prior  to  his  death,  when  he  moved  into  the  village  of  Union  Grove,  where  he 
died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  held  various  offices  in  the  county,  and  at  one 
time  was  county  treasurer.  To  Nicholas  Diller  and  Elsie  Fratt  were  born  the 
following  children :  Mary,  widow  of  A.  J.  Webster,  of  Redlands.  Cal. ;  Alfred, 
who  died  aged  four  years ;  Frank,  who  died  aged  one  year ;  Gertrude,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  W.  S.  Mellen,  and  died  in  1888,  leaving  two  children,  a 
daughter  and  a  son ;  George  N. ;  Clara,  wife  of  W.  T.  Griffith,  of  Racine ; 
Frederick  W..  a  civil  engineer  of  Oklahoma  City,  O.  T. :  and  Charles  D..  of 
Everett,  Washington. 

George  N.  Fratt  was  reared  in  Racine,  and  attended  the  public  and  high 
schools,  supplementing  the  education  there  received  with  one  year's  studv  at 
business  college.  On  Feb.  i,  1877,  he  went  into  the  First  National  Bank  as 
messenger  boy  and  assistant  bookkeeper,  and  since  June,  1892.  he  has  been 
cashier  of  the  bank. 

On  April  20.  1881,  Mr.  Fratt  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Daggett, 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Raymond)  Daggett,  and  to  this  union  have 
been  born  three  daughters :  Elsie,  Elizabeth  and  Gertrude.  Mr.  Fratt  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Universalist  Church.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Modern  Woodmen,  Royal  Arcanum,  Royal  League  and  Equit- 
able Fraternal  LTnion.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He  was  president  of 
the  Racine  Business  Men's  Association ;  president  of  the  Southeastern  Wis- 
consin Good  Roads  Association,  and  vice-president  for  Wisconsin  of  the  Na- 
tional Good  Roads  Association;  from  1897  to  1899  he  was  head  banker  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America;  in  1904  and  1905  was  president  of  the  Wis- 
consin Bankers'  Association ;  and  has  been  vice-president  of  the  American 
Bankers'  Association  for  Wisconsin.  Believing  that  the  prosperity  and  pro- 
gress of  the  community  work  for  the  good  of  every  individual  there,  he  has 
always  taken  an  active  part  in  public  affairs,  and  is  found  among  the  leaders 
in  all  plans  for  improvement.  He  is  at  present  alderman  of  the  Second  ward, 
now  serving  his  second  term.  As  a  financier  he  has  inherited  from  his  father 
the  wonderful  acumen  that  has  contributed  so  much  to  the  good  of  the  institu- 
tion he  represents,  and  that  this  is  recognized  beyond  the  confines  of  his  own 
institution  is  best  attested  by  the  high  offices  he  has  Ixen  called  upon  to  fill  in 
the  various  associations  with  which  he  has  been  identified.  Mr.  Fratt's  beau- 
tiful residence,  which  he  built  in  1895,  '^  located  at  No.  1720  College  avenue. 

FREDERICK  HARBRIDGE.  president  nf  the  F.  Harbridge  Companv, 
No.  422  Main  street,  is  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Racine.  Wis.  Mr.  Harb- 
ridge's  birth  occurred  in  Cheshire.  England.  June  19.  1837,  and  he  is  a  son  of 
Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Lightfoot)  Harbridge,  natives  of  England.  Of  the 
family  of  eleven  children  born  to  his  parents  Mr.  Harbridge  and  Miss  Hannah, 
of  Kingswnod.  Frodsham,  England,  are  the  onlv  living  members. 

Joseph  Harbridge  was  a  farmer,  and  died  in  England  in  1838.  aged  fifty- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  45 

five  years,  while  his  wife  survived  him  many  years,  and  died  at  the  ag:e  of 
seventy-seven.     They  were  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

!•  rederick  Harbridge  was  reared  and  educated  in  England,  where  he 
studied  pharmacy.  He  became  a  druggist,  and  in  1864  came  to  America, 
stopping  in  Chicago  three  or  four  months,  w  hence  he  made  his  way  to  Racine, 
where  he  has  lived  ever  since.  On  locating  here  he  engaged  in  the  drug  and 
grocery  business,  in  which  he  has  been  very  successful.  He  married  Sept.  15, 
1868,  Miss  Mary  Douglas  McRitchie,  daughter  of  David  and  Margaret  (Mc- 
Inroy)  McRitchie.  His  wife  was  born  in  Dundee,  Forfarshire,  Scotland,  and 
to  this  union  four  children  have  been  born :  George  Frederick,  who  is  in  the 
drug  and  grocery  business  in  Racine;  Delamere  Forest,  M.  D.,  a  physician 
of  Philadelphia,  who  married  Miss  Cora  Brown,  of  that  city;  Stuart  Mc- 
Ritchie, who  married  Miss  Sylvia  Rowe,  and  is  in  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Racine;  and  Roy  Malcolm,  in  the  drug  and  grocery  business  in  Racine,  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Bertha  Louise  Spence. 

Religiously  ]\Ir.  Harbridge  is  an  Episcopalian,  while  his  wife  is  a  Pres- 
byterian. Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Mr.  Harbridge's  fine  residence, 
which  he  built  in  1892,  is  situated  at  No.  mo  College  avenue. 

FRANK  L.  WELLS,  a  manufacturer  of  spring  bed  machinery  in  Ken- 
osha, is  one  of  the  wealthy  citizens  of  the  place,  a  position  he  has  attained 
solely  by  his  close  attention  to  business  and  the  exercise  of  the  sound  judgment 
which  marks  all  of  his  operations.  He  was  born  May  14,  1865.  in  Lake  county, 
111.,  where  his  parents  both  lived  in  early  life. 

Mr.  Wells  comes  of  English  ancestry  on  his  father's  side,  his  grandfather. 
John  Wells,  being  born  in  England.  He  came  from  Ohio  to  Lake  county 
in  1839,  and  died  there,  well  advanced  in  years.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  Net- 
tleship,  who  lived  to  be  ninety  years  old.  They  had  a  large  family  and  were 
well-to-do  people. 

William  Wells,  father  of  Frank  L.,  was  born  in  Ohio.  He  moved  to  Ilfi- 
nois  in  1841,  settled  in  Lake  county  and  there  married  Miss  Sophia  ^trock,  a 
native  of  the  State.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Martha  (Smalley) 
Strock,  the  former  a  native  of  Germany  and  a  farmer.  The  parents  were  early 
settlers  in  Lake  county  and  there  reared  their  family,  which  was  a  small  one. 
Mr.  Strock  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  William  and  Sophia  W'ells  had  eleven 
children,  four  sons  and  seven  daughters,  of  whom  eight  are  living,  as  follows : 
Frank  L. ;  Cora,  widow  of  Walter  IMelick.  of  Ravenswood.  Chicago;  Lucy. 
Mrs.  William  Winigar;  Bertha,  wife  of  Richard  Hawkins:  Grace,  Mrs.  Frank 
Goodman;  Alonzo;  Jessie;  and  Eva — all  of  Kenosha  except  Mrs.  Melick. 
William  Wells  lived  .in  Illinois  until  1881.  but  since  that  time  he  has  made  his 
home  in  Kenosha,  where  he  is  retired  from  active  life.  He  and  his  wife  are 
both  Baptists  in  religious  faith. 

Frank  L.  Wells  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  in  Lake  county  and  was 
educated  in  the  district  schools.  His  bent  toward  a  mechanical  line  of  work 
early  manifested  itself  and  when  he  was  but  sixteen  years  old  he  left  home  to 
go  to  Kenosha  and  there  learn  the  machinist's  trade.  He  has  been  ever  since 
engaged  along  that  general  line  of  business.    In  1893  he  commenced  manufac- 


46  COMMEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

turiiig  spring  bed  machinery  and  from  that  time  to  the  present  has  continued 
to  conduct  the  plant  himself,  usually  having  about  thirty  people  in  his  employ. 
Mr.  Wells  was  united  in  marriage,  June  4,  1889,  to  Miss  Emma  E.  Mes- 
sier, daughter  of  Mitchell  and  Mary  (Talham)  Messier.  Their  family  con- 
sists of  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  Walter,  Harold,  Francis  and  Joseph 
(twins),  Isabel,  Florence  and  Cora.  Mrs.  Wells  is  a  Catholic  in  her  faith.  Mr. 
Wells  is  an  active  politician,  always  working  for  the  improvement  of  municipal 
conditions,  and  is  now  alderman  from  the  Second  ward,  elected  on  the  Repub- 
lican ticket.  Socially  he  belongs  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M.;  and 
to  the  Elks,  No.  750.  He  is  a  man  of  wealth,  a  part  of  it  being  invested  in  real 
estate,  in  Kenosha,  where  he  owns  several  houses,  which  he  rents,  in  addition 
to  his  own  residence  at  No.  616  Park  avenue,  built  in  1905.  Mr.  Wells  stands 
high  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  and  commands  the  confidence  of  his 
constituents. 

WILLIAM  HENRY  MILLER,  a  prominent  and  substantial  citizen  of 
Racine,  Wis.,  engaged  extensively  in  the  real  estate,  loan  and  insurance  busi- 
ness, is  a  native  of  that  city,  born  Nov.  2,  1847,  son  of  Moses  and  Frances 
(Durand)  Miller,  the  former  a  native  of  New  Jersey  and  the  latter  of  Cqn- 
necticut. 

Moses  Miller,  father  of  William  Henry,  came  to  Wisconsin  about  1844, 
and  here  he  carried  on  wholesale  merchandising  for  some  years  before  the  days 
of  railroads.  He  was  a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  great  influence  for  good, 
universally  loved  and  respected.  He  died  in  Racine  in  August,  1868,  aged 
fifty-three  years,  while  his  widow  still  survives.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  as  was  her  husband.  They  had  four  children,  of  whom  W'ill- 
iam  Henry  was  the  eldest. 

WMlliam  Henry  Miller  was  reared  in  Racine,  where  he  attended  the  ward 
and  high  schools.  In  1864,  during  the  Civil  war,  with  youthful  patriotic  en- 
thusiasm, he  enlisted  in  Company  F,  39th  Wis.  V.  I.,  which  regiment  was  soon 
ordered  South,  being  in  Memphis  at  the  time  of  Forrest's  raid  in  thait  city.  Mr. 
Miller  is  now  a  valued  comrade  of  Governor  Harvey  Post,  No.  17,  G.  A.  R. 
At  the  close  of  his  army  service  he  returned  to  Racine  and  continued  his  studies 
for  a  time.  In  1866  he  embarked  in  the  insurance,  real  estate  and  loan  busi- 
ness with  his  father.  In  1872  he  engaged  in  the  business  on  his  own  account, 
and  has  continued  in  the  same  line  to  the  present  time,  building  up  one  of  the 
most  honorable  and  profitable  agencies  in  this  city,  his  ofiice  being  now  in  his 
own  building.  No.  213  Sixth  street. 

On  Jan.  13,  1887,  Mr.  Miller  was  married  to  Jenny  R.  Hoy,  only  daughter 
of  Philo  Romayne  Hoy,  M.  D..  an  old  settler  of  Racine,  a  leading  physician 
and  surgeon  and  a  distinguished  naturalist,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born 
two  children,  \\^alton  Hoy  and  Romayne  Frances.  Mr.  Miller  and  his  family 
reside  at  his  beautiful  home,  situated  at  No.  900  Main  street,  which  he  built  in 
1900,  and  he  also  owns  considerable  other  business  and  residence  property 
in  Racine. 

WILLIAM  SMIEDING,  Sr.,  an  early  settler  of  Racine,  Wis.,  now  liv- 
ing retired,  is  one  of  that  citv's  hiehlv  esteemed  citizens.     He  was  born  No'w 


comme:morat]ve  biographical  record.  47 

II,  1 83 1,  in  Westphalia,  Germany,  son  of  August  and  Amelia  (Nix)  Smied- 
ing,  also  natives  of  Germany.  The  paternal  grandfather  was  a  brewer  and 
baker  of  Germany,  and  owned  a  small  estate.  He  and  his  wife  both  died  at  an 
advanced  age. 

August  Smieding  also  followed  brewing  and  baking.  Going  to  Holland, 
he  was  there  employed  as  a  clerk  in  a  mercantile  business.  He  served  as  a  sol- 
dier under  Napoleon  I,  in  181 5.  August  Smieding  died  in  1850,  aged  about 
fifty-six  years,  and  his  wife  passed  away  about  six  years  before.  They  had 
seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living:  Henry  E.,  of  Racine;  William; 
Sophia,  wife  of  William  Mayer,  of  Lubbecke,  Westphalia,  Germany ;  Maria, 
widow  of  Gustav  Retry,  of  jNIinden,  Germany;  and  Rev.  Rudolph,  a  Lutheran 
minister  of  Kiel,  Germany. 

William  Smieding  grew  to  manhood  in  Germany,  and  received  his  edu- 
cation there.  When  fourteen  years  old  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  general  mer- 
chant for  five  years,  and  in  1853  he  came  to  America.  Residing  in  Cincinnati 
until  1855,  he  then  came  to  Racine,  and,  with  his  brother  Henry  E.,  engaged 
in  the  drug  business  until  1881,  when  they  sold  out.  Since  that  time  Mr. 
Smieding  has  lived  retired  at  his  home,  just  adjoining  the  limits,  across  from 
the  Horlick  Food  Company's  factory,  where  he  owns  thirty-five  acres  of  land. 

Mr.  Smieding  was  married  in  September,  1864,  to  ]\Iiss  Mary  Wustum, 
■daugliter  of  George  and  Mary  Wustum,  and  to  this  union  were  born  six  chil- 
dren :  Henry,  a  lawyer  of  Racine;  William,  Judge  of  the  INIunicipal  Court  of 
Racine :  Herman,  bookkeeper  for  the  Horlick  Food  Company,  who  married 
Jessie  Conroe;  George,  a  physician  of  Jefferson,  Wis.;  Frederick,  at  home; 
and  Marie,  of  Racine.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smieding  are  among  the  oldest  settlers 
in  Racine,  and  ha\'e  watched  the  city's  population  grow  from  5.000  to  30,000 
inhabitants. 

CLARENCE  J.  RICHARDS,  who  was  for  a  number  of  years  an  eminent 
member  of  the  Racine  county  Bar,  is  now  living  retired  at  his  home,  No.  1003 
Lake  avenue,  Racine.  'Sir.  Richards  was  born  in  Racine,  Wis..  Sept.  18,  1861, 
son  of  James  and  Ann  (Langdon)  Richards,  natives  of  Wales  and  Ireland 
respectively. 

James  Richards,  father  of  Clarence  J.  Richards,  came  from  Wales  to 
America  as  a  boy,  and  grew  to  manhood  in  Racine.  Here  he  died  in  1875, 
aged  forty-eight  years,  while  his  widow  survived  him  until  1882,  when  she 
passed  away,  in  her  forty-third  year.  James  Richards  had,  in  his  boyhood; 
been  apprenticed  to  an  ironmonger,  and  later  worked  in  the  hardware  estab- 
lishments of  John  Conroe,  Edwin  Hunt  &  Sons  and  Raymond  &  Jones.  He- 
then  engaged  in  general  merchandising,  which  he  followed  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death.  He  and  his  wife  had  two  children,  Mary  Elizabeth  and  Clarence  J., 
the  former  of  whom  died  at  the  age  of  six  vears. 

Clarence  J.  Richards  was  reared  in  Racine  and  attended  the  public  schools 
and  McMynn's  Academy,  graduating  in  1879.  He  then  studied  law  in  the 
offices  of  John  T.  Fish  and  Quarles  &  Winslow,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar 
in  1882,  being  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  worked  for  Quarles  &  Winslow  as 
clerk  until  May,  1882,  when  the  firm  of  Quarles, Spence  &  Richards  was  formed 
and  continued  until  1886,  when  Mr.  Richards  on  account  of  failing  health  made 


48  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

a  trip  to  California,  remaining  there  four  years.  He  then  returned  to  Racine^ 
and  since  that  time  has  lived  retired.  He  owns  a  beautiful  home  at  No.  1003 
Lake  avenue,  and  also  other  residence  and  business  property  in  the  city. 

On  Dec.  27,  1883,  Mr.  Richards  married  Miss  Mary  Louise  Baker,  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  H.  and  Emily  (Carswell)  Baker,  and  three  children  were  born 
to  this  union:  Juliet  Langdon.  Margaret  Carswell  and  Robert  Baker.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Richards  are  members  of  St.  Luke's  Episcopal  Church,  in  which  he 
is  vestryman.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  [Masons,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias'and  the  B.  P.  O.  E.     In  politics  he  is  a  stalwart  Republican. 

HON.  ELLSWORTH  BURNETT  BELDEN,  Circuit  Judge  of  Racine 
county.  W'is.,  is  one  of  the  distinguished  men  of  this  section,  one  who  is  a 
dominating  personality  in  business,  political  and  professional  life.  Judge 
Belden  was  born  May  18,  1866,  at  Rochester,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  son  of  Henry 
W.  and  Emily  F.  (Brown)  Belden,  and  grandson  of  Hon.  Philo  Belden,  de- 
ceased, ex-State  Senator  and  for  years  County  Judge  of  Racine  county. 

Henry  W.  Belden.  the  father,  was  born  Nov.  10,  1840,  and  was  reared 
in  Racine  county.  At  the  opening  of  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted,  becoming  a 
private  in  the  24th  Wis.  Y.  I.,  and  climbed,  through  promotions  for  gallantry, 
to  the  rank  of  captain  by  the  close  of  the  war.  After  the  cessation  of  hostili- 
ties, he  located  in  Milwaukee  and  established  later  a  book  and  stationery  store 
in  that  city,  but  for  some  years  has  lived  retired.  He  married  Emily  F. 
Brown,  a  daughter  of  Ezra  Brown  (whose  wife  was  a  Horton),  and  they 
had  these  children:  Judge  Ellsworth  B. ;  Gertrude,  wife  of  Byron  R.  Jones, 
of  Racine:  Ruby,  of  ^lilwaukee;  Charles  E.,  of  Spokane,  Wash.;  and  Rob- 
ert, who  died  aged  twenty-one  years.  The  father  of  ]\Irs.  Emily  F.  Belden, 
and  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of  \'erniont  and  settled  in 
Wisconsin  in  the  early  forties. 

Judge  Ellsworth  Burnett  Belden  was  reared  in  Racine  county,  and  grad- 
uated from  the  common  schools  into  the  Rochester  Seminary,  where  he  was 
graduated  in  1883,  and  entered  the  employ  of  his  grandfather.  Judge  Belden, 
in  the  County  Court  of  Racine  county.  Here  he  continued  until  the  fall  of 
1884,  at  which  time  he  entered  the  Law  Department  of  the  University  of 
W^isconsin,  at  Madison,  where  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1886,  the 
youngest  graduate  to  whom  the  school  had  ever  presented  a  diploma. 

Being  still  under  age  and  therefore  not  eligible  to  practice,  according  to 
the  laws  of  his  State,  he  entered  the  office  of  the  Attorney-General  for  a  time, 
and  then  resumed  his  former  duties  in  the  County  Court,  shortly  afterward  en- 
tering upon  the  practice  of  his  profession. 

Judge  Belden  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  youngest  man  ever  elected 
to  the  office  of  County  Judge  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  He  was  elected 
County  Judge  in  April.  1889.  Judge  Philo  Belden  resigned  the  position  in 
September,  1889.  and  the  grandson,  who  had  been  already  elected  to  succeed 
him,  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  he  held  his  first  term  of  court  ir, 
the  following  month,  and  Jan.  i,  1890,  he  entered  upon  his  own  elective  term. 
This  election  was  a  just  recognition  of  his  ability  and  sterling  traits  of  char- 
acter. This  popularity  never  waned  through  twelve  years  of  judicial  life,  dur- 
ing  which  period  he  came  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  ideal  of  his  fellow  citizens- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  49 

as  a  jurist,  and  in  1901  he  was  elected  Circuit  Judge,  assuming  the  duties  of 
that  responsible  office  in  January,  1902. 

Judge  Belden  is  a  product  of  those  best  forces  which  have  made  Wiscon- 
sin what  it  is  today.  He  is  energetic,  eager,  broad-minded  and  liberal,  one 
of  the  men  who  can  do  large  things  in  a  large  way.  Although  the  greater  part 
of  his  public  life  has  been  spent  on  the  Bench,  where  his  comprehensive  knowl- 
edge of  law  has  made  him  a  power,  his  name  is  known  and  his  influence  felt 
wherever  important  issues  of  a  public  nature  are  at  stake  or  the  welfare  of  his 
city  is  concerned. 

Judge  Belden  was  married,  June  26,  1900,  to  Hattie  M.  Raymond,  daugh- 
ter of  Hyland  and  Emily  (Foster)  Raymond,  and  to  this  union  two  sons  have 
been  born,  viz. :  Stanley  and  John.  Judge  Belden  and  wife  belong  to  St. 
Luke's  Episcopal  Church,  at  Racine,  in  which  he  is  a  vestryman.  Politically 
Judge  Belden  is  a  Republican,  but  has  independent  ideas  and  is  not  identified 
with  any  clique  or  faction.  Fraternally  he  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Orient  Chapter,  No.  12,  R.  A.  M. ;  and  Racine  Commandery, 
No.  70.  He  belongs  also  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Lodge  No.  32 ;  to  the  B. 
P.  O.  Elks;  to  the  Royal  Arcanum,  Council  No.  220;  Modem  Woodmen  of 
America,  Lakeside  Camp,  No.  379 ;  and  to  the  Chi  Psi  College  Fraternity.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Racine  Business  Men's  Association,  a  vestryman  of  St. 
Luke's  Church,  a  trustee  of  Racine  College  and  St.  Luke's  Hospital  Associa- 
tion, and  president  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 

Judge  Belden  and  family  have  a  beautiful  home  in  this  city,  one  of  re- 
fined and  cultured  influences.  Mrs.  Belden  is  a  charming  hostess,  being  highly 
accomplished  as  an  artist  and  as  a  musician. 

JOHN  FULLER  GOOLD,  president  of  the  Fiebrich,  Fox,  Hilker  Shoe 
Company,  of  Racine,  was  born  in  Carlton.  Orleans  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  i,  1821, 
son  of  Horace  Octavius  and  Lorinda  (Fuller)  Goold. 

Horace  O.  Goold  came  of  English  lineage,  descending  from  one  of  three 
brothers  who  crossed  the  ocean  and  settled  in  Connecticut.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  that  State,  but  nothing  further  is  known  of  him.  There  were  six  sons 
in  his  family.  Horace  O.  Goold  became  a  farmer  and  spent  most  of  his  life  in 
Orleans  county,  N.  Y.  He  belonged  to  the  old  Whig  party  before  the  war,  but 
after  the  formation  of  the  Republican  party  cast  his  vote  in  its  support.  He 
was  a  public  spirited  citizen,  and  served  efficiently  in  various  town  offices.  He 
died  at  Lyndonville,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five,  and  his  wife  survived  him  but  a 
week.  Both  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mrs.  Goold 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  daughter  of  Capt.  John  and  Sally  Fuller.  Capt. 
Fuller  took  up  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Orleans  county,  N-.  Y..  and  for  the  rest 
of  his  life  was  engaged  in  farming.  He  had  five  sons,  who  all  settled  on  farms 
in  the  same  locality,  and  three  daughters.  One  son  of  this  family  lived  to  be 
over  ninety  years  of  age,  but  all  are  now  deceased.  Capt.  Fuller  gained  his 
title  by  service  in  the  war  of  1812.  His  death  was  caused  by  a  runaway.  The 
children  born  to  Horace  O.  and  Lorinda  (Fuller)  Goold  numbered  fourteen, 
of  whom  only  three  are  now  living,  viz. :  John  Fuller,  the  oldest ;  Horace  Dar- 
win, of  Linden,  N.  Y. ;  and  Olin  May.  of  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan. 

John  F.  Goold  passed  his  youth  in  Orleans  county,  attending  first  the  pub- 


50  COALAIE.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

lie  schools,  and  later  a  select  school  taught  by  Prof.  Hard,  who  is  thou,a;ht  to 
be  still  living,  although  over  ninety  years  of  age  now.  At  eighteen  Mr.  Goold 
gave  up  assisting  his  father  on  the  farm  and  began  clerking  in  a  store  at  the 
county  seat,  Albion.  He  was  next  engaged  in  an  establishment  which  carried 
on  a  dry  goods,  drug  and  tailoring  business  combined,  and  he  remained  w'ith 
this  concern  several  years.  In  1844  Mr.  Goold  went  west  to  Ohio,  and  spent 
several  years  in  Cleveland.  This  was  followed  by  a  period  in  a  country  store 
near  Cleveland,  and  then  he  went  into  the  mercantile  business  for  himself  in 
Ohio  City,  conducting  same  for  several  years,  after  which  he  moved  to  Chi- 
cago, and  was  in  charge  of  an  office  there  for  two  or  three  years.  Returning  to 
Cleveland  from  Chicago,  he  remained  there  until  1857,  the  year  he  settled  in 
Wisconsin. 

From  Mr.  Goold's  first  location  in  Wisconsin  to  the  present  time  he  has 
always  resided  in  or  near  Racine.  The  first  twelve  years,  from  1857  to  1869, 
he  was  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  engaged  in  farming  with  his  brother-in-law, 
Isaac  Taylor.  The  following  six  years  he  spent  in  Racine,  carrying  on  a  hard- 
ware business,  and  then  gave  his  attention  to  farming  again.  He  carried  on  a 
small  farm  north  of  the  city  for  three  years,  and  after  that  invested  in  farm 
lands  in  Kansas,  spending  two  summers  in  that  State,  putting  in  crops  of 
wheat,  but  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  sold  the  property  and  went  back  to  Ra- 
cine. Abandoning  agricultural  pursuits  from  this  time  forth,  Mr.  Goold  ac- 
cepted a  position  as  timekeeper  with  the  Mitchell  &  Lewis  Company,  and  has 
discharged  the  duties  of  that  place  continuously  since  that  time.  In  1898  he 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Kambach,  Fiebrich  Shoe  Company,  in  which 
lie  became  a  stockholder  and  w-as  chosen  president.  He  still  holds  that  i)nsiti(in 
although  the  organization  has  been  changed,  the  corporation  now  being  en- 
titled the  Fiebrich,  Fox,  Hilker  Company. 

Mr.  Goold's  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Sylvia  jMartin,  and  their  wed- 
ding took  place  April  21,  1847.  They  became  the  parents  of  five  children  :  (  i ) 
Adeline,  died  when  seven  years  old.  (2)  Alfred  Wright  is  a  trimmer  in  the 
employ  of  the  Mitchell  &  Lewis  Company.  He  is  a  fine  scholar  and  a  particu- 
larly good  penman,  and  his  educational  acquirements  are  the  more  noteworthy 
as  they  have  been  gained  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  is  a  mute.  He  is  married 
to  Miss  Ada  Rutherford,  also  a  mute,  a  graduate  of  the  Delavan  Mute  School. 
(3)  Emer  Cornelia  married  Frank  L.  Mitchell,  of  the  Mitchell  &  Lewis  Com- 
pany, and  they  have  two  daughters.  Alabel  Martin  and  Olive  A.  (4)  Ida  Adelia 
married  Charles  Clark,  who  died,  leaving  her  with  two  sons,  Alfred  Charles 
and  Loren  Clark.  (5)  Harry  Martin  is  an  engraver  in  Indianapolis.  Bv  his 
wife,  Helen  (Grayson)  Goold,  he  has  had  two  children,  but  the  only  one  living 
is  a  daughter  named  Sylvia.  Mrs.  Sylvia  M.  Goold,  who  was  a  daughter  of 
Abner  and  Lucy  (Buckingham)  Martin,  passed  away  in  Racine,  in  1883,  aged 
fifty-nine  years.  A  member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  as  is  her  husband  also, 
she  exemplified  in  her  life  all  the  beauties  and  virtues  of  the  Christian  life,  and 
was  deeply  loved  for  her  admirable  character.  Mr.  Goold  is  prominent  in 
church  work,  acting  as  trustee  and  treasurer  for  many  years,  besides  holding 
the  office  of  class-leader.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  but  he  has  never  sought 
official  position  since  he  served  as  town  clerk  of  Mt.  Pleasant  townshi|i  during 


COi\IME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  51 

the  Civil  war.    He  enjovs  the  sincere  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens.   Mr.  Guold 
resides  at  No.  917  College  avenue. 

WALTER  S.  GOODLAND,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Racine  Daily 
Times — a  man  whose  talent  and  taste  for  journalism  exceed  even  his  marked 
ability  in  the  legal  profession — was  born  in  Sharon,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis.,  Dec. 
22,  1862,  of  good  English  parentage. 

William  Goodland,  his  grandfather,  was  a  lifelong  resident  of  Taunton, 
Somersetshire,  England,  where  for  many  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  coal  ijusi- 
ness.  He  died  when  over  four  score  years  old  while  his  wife,  Abigail  Rebecca, 
attained  a  still  greater  age.    They  were  the  parents  of  a  large  family. 

John  Goodland,  father  of  Walter  S.,  was  born  in  Taunton,  Somersetshire, 
England,  Aug.  10,  1831,  and  there  remained  until  he  was  eighteen,  in  1849 
coming  to  America.  Five  years  later  he  settled  in  Wisconsin,  and  this  State 
has  been  his  home  ever  since  with  the  exception  of  a  few  years  he  passed  in 
Chicago.  He  has  takn  a  prominent  part  in  public  affairs  and  is  well  known 
throughout  central  Wisconsin.  Offices  of  trust  and  responsibility  in  the  gift  of 
the  people  have  been  showered  upon  him,  and  he  is  now  serving  as  judge  of  the 
Tenth  Judicial  District  of  the  State,  each  year  adding  to  his  already  very  high 
reputation  as  a  jurist.  He  married  Caroline  M.  Clark,  who  was  born  in  New 
York  State,  where  her  father,  an  Englishman  by  birth,  settled  on  his  coming 
to  America;  Mr.  Clark  was  a  mason  contractor  in  Rochester,  that  State,  but 
later  moved  to  Muskegon.  Mich.,  where  he  died  in  advanced  age.  Mrs.  Good- 
land  died  Oct.  26,  1893,  the  mother  of  nine  children,  as  follows :  William,  de- 
ceased; Abigail,  of  Appleton,  Wis.;  Mary,  who  married  J.  H.  Woehler,  of 
Oshkosh,  Wis. ;  Edward,  deceased ;  Fayette,  deceased ;  Walter  S. ;  Emma,  who 
died  in  childhood;  Edith,  who  married  F.  D.  Bartlett,  of  Milwaukee;  John, 
of  Appleton. 

Walter  S.  Goodland,  sixth  child  and  third  son  in  the  fam'ily  born  to  his  par- 
ents, was  but  three  years  of  age  when  his  parents  removed  to  Chicago,  and 
later  accompanied  them  on  their  removal  to  Appleton,  Wis.,  where  he  com- 
pleted his  public  school  education,  graduating  from  the  high  school.  He  also 
spent  one  year  in  Lawrence  University,  at  that  place.  For  five  years  after  he  left 
the  schoolroom  as  a  pupil,  he  was  engaged  in  teaching.  Under  his  father's  guid- 
ance he  began  the  study  of  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  by  Judge  George 
H.  Meyers,  at  Appleton,  March  9,  1886.  His  law  studies  were  interesting,  but 
he  found  journalism  so  congenial  to  his  tastes,  that  shortly  after  his  location  in 
Wakefield,  Wis.,  in  March,  1887,  he  established  the  Wakefield  Bulletin,  which 
he  continued  to  publish  for  about  a  year.  He  then  moved  to  Ironwood,  in 
March,  1888,  there  founding  the  Ironwood  Times,  which  met  with  popular 
favor,  and  he  continued  in  active  work  connected  with  its  publication  until  May, 
1895.  The  preceding  November  he  had,  however,  resumed  his  practice  of  law, 
opening  an  office  in  Ironwood.  On  March  30,  1895,  President  Cleveland  ap- 
pointed him  postmaster  at  Ironwood,  and  this  office  he  efficiently  filled  for 
three  years.  Moving  to  Oshkosh  he  lived  there  but  a  short  time,  when  he  went 
to  Beloit.  there  for  one  year  to  publish  the  Daily  News.  In  March,  1899,  Mr. 
Goodland  located  in  Racine,  and  in  partnership  with  Mr.  V.  W.  Lothrop,  pur- 
chased the  Racine  Dail\  Times.     This  firm  continued  until  1902,  when  Mr. 


52  CO:\IMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Goodland  purchased  his  partner's  interest  and  has  since  conducted  the  paper 
alune.  in  connection  he  dues  a  large  job  prniting  business,  and  the  class  of 
work  turned  out  will  compare  favorably  with  that  done  by  much  larger  con- 
cerns.    Politically  the  paper  is  inuepencient,  and  it  has  a  wide  patronage. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Goodland  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  Ironwood  Lodge,  F. 
&  A.  M.,  and  he  is  also  a  member  of  Racine  Lodge,  H.  P.  O.  E.  In  religious 
faith  he  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Goodland  wields  a  wide 
influence  through  the  editorial  columns  of  his  paper,  and  this  influence  is  always 
on  the  side  of  the  public  good  as  he  sees  it.  His  honor  and  integrity  of  char- 
acter are  so  well  known  that  his  opinions  have  great  weight. 

PETER  TIEDEMANN,  a  prominent  business  man  of  Racine,  Wis.,  en- 
gaged in  the  insurance,  real  estate  and  loan  business,  is  serving  as  notary  pub- 
lic and  superintendent  of  the  poor.  He  resides  at  No.  6i8  High  street.  He  was 
born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  near  Harburg,  Nov.  lo,  1839,  son  of  Peter  and 
Andeheidt  (Suer)  Tiedemann,  natives  of  Hanover,  Germany. 

Both  the  paternal  and  maternal  grandfathers  of  our  subject  were  laboring 
men  and  natives  of  Germany,  as  was  also  Peter,  our  subject's  father,  who  died 
in  Germany  in  1888,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1882, 
aged  sixty-nine  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  of  which  her  hus- 
band was  also  a  member.  They  had  a  family  of  six  children,  three  of  whom 
are  deceased ;  the  others  are  Claus,  of  Atmer  de  Ziel,  Germany ;  Peter,  of  Ra- 
cine; and  Anna,  the  wife  of  Henry  Stooke,  of  Hanover,  Germany. 

Peter  Tiedemann  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native  country,  and 
at  the  age  of  thriteen  years  went  on  shipboard,  making  a  trip  to  Brazil.  He 
followed  the  sea  until  thirty  years  of  age,  spending  several  years  on  the  coast 
of  China,  and  in  the  East  Indies.  Mr.  Tiedemann  has  sailed  twice  around  the 
world,  and  speaks  several  languages,  including  Himalayan,  Spanish,  German, 
Scandinavian  and' English.  In  1869  he  ran  away  from  the  passenger  ship  on 
which  he  was  serving,  and  was  married,  coming  to  America.  He  landed  at 
New  York,  from  where  he  came  directly  to  Wisconsin.  For  a  time  he  sailed 
the  Lakes,  and  in  1871  went  to  Chicago,  engaging  in  the  grocery  business. 
There  he  remained  about  twelve  years,  after  which  he  came  to  Racine,  locating 
permanently;  he  put  up  a  double  store,  and  has  been  conducting  a  grocery 
store,  saloon  and  hall  for  eleven  years. 

In  November,  1869,  Mr.  Tiedemann  married  Miss  Emma  Friederica 
Bauer,  born  on  the  Island  of  Ragan,  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Friederica 
(Reich)  Bauer.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tiedemann,  although  not  members,  attend  the 
Lutheran  Churcli,  and  contribute  to  its  support.  Fie  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge, 
I.  O.  O.  F. ;  and  is  president  of  the  German  Maennerverein.  Politicallv  a  Dem- 
ocrat, he  was  alderman  of  the  Seventh  ward  for  twelve  years.  He  was  a  can- 
didate for  mayor  on  the  Democratic  ticket  of  1905,  and,  while  Racine  is 
strongly  Republican,  he  was  beaten  by  but  300  votes.  This  honor  was  forcefl 
on  Mr.  Tiedemann.  he  having  not  been  in  the  convention.  In  1905  he  was 
elected,  by  the  council,  superintendent  of  the  poor,  and  this  position  he  has  since 
held  with  great  credit  to  himself,  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 
He  is  very  highly  esteemed  in  Racine. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  53 

CHARLES  THEODORE  SCHWEITZER,  vice-president  of  The  J. 
Miller  Shoe  Co.,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  was  born  March  4,  1S42,  in  Prussia,  Ger- 
many, a  son  of  Thomas  and  Petroneha  Schweitzer. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Schweitzer  were  both  born  in  Prussia,  near  Coloo^ne, 
as  were  their  parents  who  died  there.  The  father  was  a  charcoal  manufacturer 
in  Germany,  dealt  also  in  tan  bark  and  lumber,  and  made  some  of  the  first  rail- 
road ties  ever  put  down  in  constructive  work  in  Prussia.  In  1846  he  came  to 
America  and  located  six  miles  south  of  Milwaukee,  where  be  bought  a  small 
farm  on  which  he  lived  two  yeai's.  In  1848  he  came  to  Racine,  after  which 
he  followed  various  pursuits,  dealing  considerably  in  real  estate,  and  remained 
here  until  his  death,  May  16,  1889,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years  and  six 
months.  His  wife  died  Nov.  20,  1880,  aged  seventy-two  years.  Both  were 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Before  coming  to  America  he  had  served 
his  three  years  in  the  regular  army  as  is  required  of  German  young  men. 

Charles  T.  Schweitzer  was  four  years  of  age  when  his  parents  brought 
him  to  America.  Since  1848  his  home  has  been  in  Racine  and  he  is  thus 
entitled  to  the  distinction  of  being  one  of  the  old  settlers.  He  attended  the 
parochial  schools  and  lived  at  home  until  he  reached  maturity.  Then  he 
learned  the  cooper's  trade  with  his  father,  continuing  with  him  until  1867, 
when  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  shoe  factory  of  Joseph  Miller.  He  remained 
in  that  capacity  until  1872,  when  Mr.  Miller  disposed  of  his  retail  business 
and  engaged  exclusively  in  manufacturing  for  the  wholesale  trade.  It  was 
then  that  Mr.  Schweitzer  became  associated  with  him.  Ever  since  the  in- 
corporation of  The  J.  Miller  Shoe  Co.,  which  is  one  of  Racine's  large  indus- 
tries, he  has  been  vice-president  of  the  concern. 

On  May  3,  1864,  Mr.  Schweitzer  was  married  to  Miss  Clara  Miller, 
daughter  of  Reiner  and  Elizabeth  (Yunker)  Miller.  The  children  born  to 
this  union,  all  natives  of  Racine,  are  as  follows :  William  J.  is  engaged  in 
the  insurance  business  at  Racine ;  he  married  Mary  Luxem.  Elizabeth  M. 
died  aged  twelve  years.  John  W.  is  a  prominent  business  man  of  Racine, 
and  president  of  the  Modern  Skirt  Co. ;  he  married  Ida  Anderson,  and  thev 
have  three  children,  Marion,  Clara  and  Elizabeth.  Gertrude  married  Frank 
Becker  and  they  reside  in  Racine  and  have  three  children,  Clara,  Josephine, 
and  William.  Josephine  married  Charles  Salbreiter,  of  Racine,  and  thev 
have  one  child,  Clara.  George  W.  is  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  White  Star 
Laundry.  Frank  is  head  cutter  for  the  Modern  Skirt  Co. :  he  married  Ella 
Fitzgerald,  and  they  have  one  child,  Gertrude.  Frederick  W.  is  also  a  cut- 
ter with  the  Modern  Skirt  Co.  Elizabeth  died  aged  six  months.  Edward 
H.  is  a  pharmacist,  as  also  is  Charles  G.  Clara  lives  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Schweitzer  have  reared  a  family  in  which  they  are  able  to  take  a  great  deal 
of  comfort,  the  survivors  all  being  well  established  and  thoroughly  respected 
members  of  society.  The  beautiful  family  home  where  peace  and  plenty 
reign,  is  situated  at  No.  1419  Superior  street,  Racine.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Schweitzer  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  he  is  a  liberal  sup- 
porter of  its  many  benevolent  enternrises. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Schweitzer  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  they 
came  to  America  in  1847,  with  five  children,  locating  with  the  earlv  settlers 
at  Racine.    Mr.  Miller  owned  a  small  tract  which  is  now  in  the  heart  of  the 


54 


CO^niEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


city,  having  been  turned  into  city  lots  years  ago.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Schweitzer 
died  in  1S84,  aged  eighty-three  years,  and  two  years  later  his  wife  died,  aged 
seventy-six  years.  Both  were  worthy  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  He 
had  been  a  soldier  in  the  German  army.  Of  their  seven  children,  the  sur- 
vivors are :  ]\Iargaret  is  the  widow  of  William  Piel ;  Clara  is  the  wife  of  Mr. 
Schweitzer ;  and  Rev.  \V.  G.  is  a  Catholic  priest  at  Waukesha,  Wis.  Joseph, 
deceased  Dec.  29,  1905,  was  president  of  The  J.  Miller  Shoe  Company,  of 
Racine.  The  paternal  grandparents  lived  and  died  in  Germany.  The  mater- 
nal grandfather  was  a  miller  in  Germany  and  at  his  death  left  one  son  and  one 
daughter.  He  had  married  a  Mrs.  Bauer,  who  had  two  daughters  and  one 
son.  Much  of  the  early  family  history  has  been  lost,  but  a  close  examination 
would  reveal  the  fact  that  for  generations  back  may  be  found  honest,  upright, 
industrious,  Christian  people. 

JACOB  INIOHR,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  ^lohr-Jones  Hardware 
Company,  at  Racine,  Wis.,  was  born  Aug.  15,  1850,  in  one  of  the  Rhenish 
provinces,  in  Prussia,  a  son  of  Frederick  and  Kathrina  (Deitrich)  Mohr, 
both  of  whom  were  born  in  Germany.  Mr.  Mohr  is  at  the  head  of  one  of 
the  largest  establishments  of  the  kind  in  the  county,  carrying  the  most  com- 
plete lines  of  hardware,  stoves  and  woodenware  and  doing  a  large  portion  of 
the  general  tinsmithing  and  furnace  work.  Between  twenty-five  and  fifty 
hands  are  continuously  employed. 

Continuing  the  personal  sketch  of  Jacob  Mohr.  it  may  be  said  that  of  the 
eleven  children  born  to  Frederick  Mohr  and  his  wife  six  were  sons  and  five 
daughters,  the  survivors  being  but  two  sons,  Charles  and  Jacob,  both  resi- 
dents of  Racine.  The  father,  who  was  a  miller,  died  in  Germany  in  i860, 
aged  sixty-two  years;  the  mother  passed  away  in  1853,  aged  forty-eight 
years.    They  were  both  worthy  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

Jacob  Mohr  was  but  nine  years  old  when  he  became  an  orphan,  and  he 
Avas  taken  to  the  home  of  a  maternal  uncle,  with  whom  he  li\-ed  until  about 
thirteen  years  old,  in  the  meantime  attending  school.  He  was  then  appren- 
ticed to  the  tinner's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  until  he  was  nineteen  vears 
old,  when  he  emigrated  to  America.  In  1869  he  settled  at  Racine,  where  he 
began  working  in  the  tin-shop  and  hardware  store  of  E.  R.  Cooley,  and  con- 
tinued thus  until  the  death  of  the  proprietor.  In  1877  he  commenced  busi- 
ness for  himself  in  partnership  with  William  Griffith,  the  firm  name  being 
Griffith  &  Mohr  until  1887,  when  Mr.  Mohr  bought  his  partner's  intertest  and 
continued  the  business  alone  for  eleven  years.  He  then  formed  a  stock  co'.n- 
pany  under  the  name  of  the  Mohr- Jones  Hardware  Company,  of  which  he  is 
president  and  general  manager,  J.  W.  Jones  being  secretary  and  treasurer. 

On  Dec.  12,  1875,  ^'I''-  Mohr  was  united  in  marriage  to  ^Nliss  Louisa 
Halter,  daughter  of  Louis  and  Katherine  (Gonselman)  Halter.  Thev  have 
three  daughters,  viz. ;  Millie  K.,  Leona  and  Luelia.  IMiss  ]\Iillie  is  a  Kinde."- 
garten  teacher  in  the  Winslow  school,  Racine.  Leona  married  B.  W.  Chad- 
wick,  and  they  reside  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and  have  one  son.  \\'illiam  Jacob. 
Luelia  is  still  a  student  in  the  high  school.  Mr.  Mohr  is  a  member  of  the 
Episcopal  Church.     Fraternally  he  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  92.  A.  F. 


CO^IMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  55 

&  A.  M.,  and  also  to  the  Royal  Arcanum  ami  the  Modern  Woodmen.     Polit- 
ically he  has  always  been  a  Republican. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  :\Iohr  were  natives  of  Alsace-Lorraine,  and  came  to 
America  sixty  years  ago,  settling  first  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  city  of 
^Milwaukee.  Thence  they  removed  to  Caledonia  township,  Racine  county, 
and  engaged  in  farming,  although  the  father  was  a  skilled  cabinetmaker.  He 
died  Christmas  Day,  1904.  aged  eighty-three  years,  and  the  mother  died  at  the 
age  of  fifty-seven.  They  had  nine  children,  all  of  whom  survive,  namely: 
Kate,  wife  of  Charles  J.  Mohr;  Frank,  of  Mankato,  Minn.;  Louisa,  Mrs. 
Jacob  Mohr;  Henry,  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township;  William,  of  Milwaukee 
County ;  August,  who  is  on  the  home  farm ;  Albert,  also  on  the  homestead ; 
Carrie,  wife  of  John  Broschell,  of  Dexter,  Minn.;  and  Bertha,  wife  of  Henry 
Swartz.  of  Union  Grove,  Wisconsin. 

^lYRON  A.  BAKER,  attorney-at-law,  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  one  of  the 
pioneers  in  the  profession  in  this  section  and  a  prominent  citizen,  was  born 
Aug.  26.  1837.  at  Owasco.  Cayuga  Co..  N.  Y.,  son  of  Elisha  and  Adeline 
(Bailey)  Baker,  natives  of  New  York.  Three  of  their  five  children  still  sur- 
vive, viz. :  Myron  A.,  of  Kenosha;  Frances  A.,  widow  of  Frank  B.  Dunning, 
of  Englewood.  Chicago;  and  Warren  E..  of  North  Chicago. 

After  completing  his  education,  Elisha  Baker  was  employed  in  a  bank 
at  Owasco,  prior  to  coming  to  Wisconsin,  in  1839.  He  settled  in  Kenosha 
county,  purchasing  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Paris  township,  to  which  he  sub- 
sequently added  until  he  had  some  318  acres.  A  portion  of  this  he  sold,  but 
improved  the  rest  and  resided  here  until  his  death  in  June,  1856.  He  was 
survived  by  his  widow  until  1889,  her  age  being  seventy-two  years.  In  his 
early  years  he  was  a  captain  in  the  New  York  State  militia,  the  organization 
being  known  as  the  "Silver  Grays."  In  Paris  township  he  took  a  prominent 
stand  in  public  affairs,  was  town  clerk  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  chair- 
man of  the  town  board.  Both  he  and  his  wife  in  their  earlier  religious  con- 
nections were  in  sympathy  with  the  Baptists,  but  in  later  years  both  accepted 
the  simple  creed  of  the  Unitarians.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Baker 
was  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and  died  in  New  York.  His  wife  joined  her 
children  in  the  West  and  died  there.  On 'the  maternal  side  Mr.  Baker  conies 
also  of  Revolutionary  stock,  his  grandfather  Bailey  having  served  in  the 
Patriot  army.  He  married  Abigail  Price  who  survived  him  and  came  to 
Wisconsin  and  died  in  Kenosha  county,  aged  sixty-five  years,  the  mother  of 
four  children. 

Myron  A.  Baker  was  one  year  did  when  his  parents  brought  him  to 
Kenosha  county.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  was  educated  in  the  common 
and  high  schools  of  Kenosha,  subsequently  taking  a  special  course  in  the 
State  University  at  ]Madison.  He  then  entered  upon  the  reading  of  law.  in 
the  meantime  devoting  his  winters  to  teaching,  but  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war  interrupted  his  studies  and  turned  his  thoughts  and  ambitions  into  an  en- 
tirely different  channel. 

Immediately  after  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  ujion  Mr.  Baker  enlisted  for  ser- 
^■ice  in  defense  of  the  flag  of  his  country,  and  has  a  just  claim  of  being  the 
first  enlisted  man  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  an  honor  which  will  be  preserved 
as  a  precious  heritage  by  his  children.     On  that  historical  day,  in  company 


56  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

with  Levi  Howland,  Mr.  Bakei'  started  out  on  horseback  with  the  object  of 
ai'ousing  the  loyal  citizens  of  the  vicinity,  and  through  his  individual  efforts 
and  shining"  example,  he  induced  many  of  his  neighbors  and  schoolmates  to 
enter  the  ranks.  On  account  of  a  defect  in  one  eye,  Mr.  Baker  experienced  no 
little  amount  of  difficulty  in  getting  accepted,  but  his  determination  was  so 
strong  that  he  even  made  a  trip  to  a  celebrated  oculist  at  Chicago  and  had  an 
artificial  eye  inserted.  In  the  hurry  and  excitement  of  the  time  he  managed  to 
pass  the  surgeon  examiner  without  discovery,  and  was  sworn  into  the  service. 
He  still  had  to  pass  another  examination,  and  there  the  disabilitv  was  dis- 
covered, but  on  account  of  his  evident  patriotism  and  the  courage  wdiich  he  had 
already  displayed  his  case  was  made  an  exception  and  the  Government  gained 
a  zealous  defender. 

iVIr.  Baker  served  for  three  months  as  a  private  in  Company  G.,  ist  Wis. 
\^.  I.,  and  received  a  gunshot  wound  in  the  battle  of  Falling  Waters,  which 
sent  him  home.  He  remained  in  Wisconsin,  prevented  from  re-entering  the 
service  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  May,  1862.  For  the  past  forty- four 
years  he  has  been  a  practitioner  here,  and  stands  not  only  as  one  of  the  oldest 
but  as  one  of  the  most  eminent  members  of  his  profession  in  Kenosha  county. 
Almost  since  his  admission  to  the  Bar  he  has  been  Circuit  Court  Commis- 
sioner, and  for  twelve  years  was  district  attorney.  In  politics  he  has  always 
been  identified  with  the  Republican  party. 

Mr.  Baker  was  married  July  2,  1868,  to  Miss  Rachel  F.  Burgess,  daugh- 
ter of  Daniel  C.  and  Sylvia  A.  Burgess,  and  the  following  children  have  been 
born  to  them:  (i)  Myron  E..  who  died  in  1901,  was  a  member  of  the  fac- 
ulty of  the  State  University  at  Salem.  Oregon ;  he  married  Dora  Mavnard, 
and  is  survived  by  one  daughter,  Dorothea.  (2)  Norman  L.  is  a  well  known 
attorney-at-law.  (3)  Robert  V..  also  a  lawyer,  now  district  attornev  for 
Kenosha  county,  married  Ada  Bright,  and  they  have  two  sons,  Robert  V.  and 
Ransom  B.  (4)  Leone  A.  is  a  talented  teacher  of  piano  and  violin.  (5) 
Adeline  R.  is  the  wife  of  Daniel  Goodwnn,  of  Kenosha.  (6)  Ethel  D.  is  a 
teacher  in  the  State  Normal  School  at  Frostburg,  Md.  (7)  Portia  E.  is  a 
student  at  Kemper  Hall  Female  Seminary.  Both  IMr.  Baker  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Unitarian  Society  of  Kenosha.  They  have  a  beautiful  home 
at  No.  459  Durkee  avenue,  and  several  of  the  sons  reside  with  them. 

Mr.  Baker  was  made  a  Mason  in  1859,  and  belongs  to  Kenosha  Lodge, 
No.  47.  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  to  Kenosha  Chapter,  No.  3,  R.  A.  M. ;  and  to  Racine 
Commandery,  No.  7,  K.  T.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
and  the  Odd  Fellows. 

HON.  FREDERICK  ROBINSON  figured  conspicuously  in  the  business 
and  public  life  of  Kenosha  for  a  period  of  over  forty-five  years.  For  manv 
years  he  was  engaged  in  the  drug  business  there,  but  in  later  years  devoted 
much  time  to  his  other  interests,  being  one  of  the  three  owners  of  the  Whitaker 
Engine  &  Machine  Company,  which  interest  he  sold  some  little  time  before  his 
death,  in  1893,  As  vice-president  of  the  First  National  Bank  he  also  gave 
much  attention  to  that  institution,  holding  the  position  until  his  death,  besides 
being  president  of  the  M.  H.  Pettit  Malting  Company  of  Kenoshn.  His  con- 
nection with  public  affairs  was  likewise  intimate,  and  of  far-reaching  benefit 


If    p 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  57 

in  the  State,  as  well  as  in  his  home  community.  He  was  a  man  of  many  in- 
terests, and  fully  capable  of  looking  after  them.  When  he  came  to  Kenosha  it 
was  a  straggling  village,  and  his  own  fortunes  were  about  in  the  same  condi- 
tion. But  he  improved  them  by  industry  and  well-directed  energy,  and  in 
the  meantime  did  as  much  for  his  adopted  home.  He  developed  with  the  town, 
and,  indeed,  it  might  be  more  properly  said,  with  the  State,  rising  by  his  own 
efforts  from  humble  circumstances  to  a  position  of  wealth  and  influence.  His 
high  standing  was  as  much  the  result  of  his  efforts  to  benefit  others  as  a  tribute 
to  his  personal  achievements,  and  no  man  of  his  day  was  more  respected.  A 
mere  mention  of  the  enterprises  and  movements  with  which  he  was  connected 
would  serve  to  illustrate  the  versatility  of  the  man  and  the  wideness  of  his  in- 
terests. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  born  March  11,  1824,  in  Church  Stretton,  Shropshire, 
England,  and  was  the  youngest  in  a  family  of  nine  children.  His  father  dying 
when  he  was  only  two  years  old,  he  was  obliged  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 
world  and  accept  life's  responsibilities  at  an  unusually  early  age,  and  undoubt- 
edly his  youthful  experience  in  overcoming  obstacles  in  the  road  to  success 
made  his  later  struggles  less  difficult.  He  received  his  education  in  private 
schools  corresponding  to  the  academies  in  this  country,  and  when  about  fifteen 
was  apprenticed  to  a  druggist,  serving  five  years.  His  employer  having  been 
to  the  United  States,  young  Robinson  learned  something  about  the  country 
from  him,  and  in  1845,  with  a  companion,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  on  an  old 
sailing  vessel  which  landed  him  in  New  York  after  a  passage  of  forty  days. 
In  that  city  he  obtained  a  position  as  clerk  for  M.  Ward,  Close  &  Co.,  whole- 
sale druggists.  In  1846  he  journeyed  west  to  Chicago,  where  he  clerked  a 
short  time  for  Sidney  Sawyer.  Mr.  Sawyer,  establishing  a  drug  store  in 
Kenosha  (then  known  as  Southport),  sent  Mr.  Robinson  to  take  charge  of  it, 
and  in  1847  the  latter  purchased  the  drug  store  of  Mr.  Burnham  at  Southport. 

Mr.  Robinson  served  his  community  in  many  capacities,  besides  helping 
to  build  it  up  commercially.  He  served  several  terms  as  alderman,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  county  board  of  supervisors,  was  mayor  of  Kenosha  for  five  years, 
and  twice  represented  his  district  in  the  State  Legislature,  in  1872-73  and  1876- 
"]■],  being  the  first  Democrat  elected  to  that  incumbency  for  over  twenty  years. 
From  1850  to  i860  and  in  1872  he  served  as  chief  engineer  of  the  Kenosha  fire 
department.  Throughout  his  ptiblic  service  he  showed  himself  a  public- 
spirited  and  progressive  official,  and  was  liberal  with  his  means  as  well  as  his 
influence  in  supporting  worthy  movements.  He  took  a  particularly  active  part 
in  promoting  the  excellence  of  the  schools  of  his  city.  As  a  druggist  he  was 
an  enthusiastic  supporter  of  every  movement  calculated  to  raise  professional 
standards,  was  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin  State  Board  of  Pharmacv  from  its 
organization,  and  was  president  of  same  for  some  years,  and  had  the  honor  of 
originating  the  Pharmacy  Act  of  1882.  He  took  the  leading  part  in  adding 
the  Department  of  Pharmacy  to  the  State  University,  going  before  the  Board 
of  Regents  to  urge  its  necessity.  Being  known  as  a  man  of  liberal  and  progres- 
sive ideas  his  opinion  and  judgment  carried  weight  whenever  expressed.  Fra- 
ternally Mr.  Robinson  was  a  Knight  Templar  Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows,  and  he  always  took  great  interest  in  the  meetings  of  the  Old  Settlers' 
Society  of  Kenosha  County,  of  which  he  was  at  one  time  the  presiding  officer. 


58  CO^BIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Mr.  Robinson's  death  occurred  April  ii,  1893,  when  he  was  sixty-nine  years 
old.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  to  which  his  widow  also  be- 
longs, and  served  a  number  of  years  as  vestryman. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  married,  in  Green  Bay,  \Vis.,  Oct.  3,  1852,  to  Miss 
Ann  M.  Bertholf,  who,  with  seven  children  still  living,  survives  him.  The  chil- 
dren are:  Alma  E.,  widow  of  O.  M.  Pettit,  of  Kenosha;  Richard  T.,  secretarv 
of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  of  Racine;  Ida  A.,  Emma  E. 
and  M.  Louise,  who  are  living  with  their  mother  at  the  old  home;  Frederick, 
vice-president  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company  of  Racine ;  and 
Henry  B.,  president  of  the  Merchants  &  Savings  Bank  at  Kenosha. 

JOSEPH  F.  DAVIDSON,  president  of  the  American  Skein  &  Fonndry 
Co.,  Twenty-third  and  Racine  streets,  Racine,  Wis.,  and  vice-presidejit  of 
the  North  American  Lead  Co.,  of  Fredericktown,  Mo.,  was  born  Feb.  18, 
1857,  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  son  of  George  W.  and  Barbara  (Martin)  Davidson, 
natives  of  Ohio. 

George  W.  Davidson,  Sr.,  the  grandfather  of  Joseph  F.  Davidson,  was 
a  native  of  Scotland.  He  came  from  Edinburgh,  and  settled  in  Virginia. 
whence  he  removed  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  he  died  aged  seventy-six  years. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  a  civil  engineer,  and  helped  to  survey  the  village  of 
Franklinton,  which  was  afterwards  named  Columbus.  His  wife,  Sarah  Ann 
Mann,  died  aged  seventy-six  years,  leaving  a  family  of  ten  children,  all  of 
whom  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  Mr.  Davidson  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of 
1 81 2,  and  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Government  as  a  surveyor.  Andrew 
Martin,  the  maternal  grandfatlier  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Germany,  made 
his  residence  in  Baden  Baden,  and  was  a  captain  in  the  German  armv.  He 
came  to  America  about  1835,  and  located  first  in  Virginia,  later  removing  to 
Columbus,  Ohio,  wdiere  he  was  in  the  employ  of  a  rolling  mill  companv.  He 
and  his  wife  Barbara  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  and  at  death  left  four  children. 

George  W.  Davidson,  father  of  Joseph  F.,  had  charge  of  the  motor 
power  department  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  held 
that  position  for  many  years.  He  was  commissioned  during  the  Civil  war  as 
an  inspector,  to  keep  up  Government  repairs  to  rolling  stock.  He  died  in 
Columbus.  His  wife  passed  away  about  1859.  Both  were  Protestants.  They 
had  children  as  follows :  John,  deceased ;  George  W.-,  of  Chicago ;  Joseph 
F.,  of  Racine;  Charles  M.,  of  Columbus,  O. :  and  William  C,  also  of  Colum- 
bus, Ohio. 

Joseph  F.  Davidson  was  reared  in  Columbus.  Ohio.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  and  then  the  High  school,  and  then  began  learning  the  ma- 
chinist's and  coppersmith's  trade,  afterward  learning  the  boilermaker's  busi- 
ness in  the  shops  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Co.,  at  Columbus,  and  fol- 
lowed that  trade  as  a  journeyman  for  a  number  of  years.  About  1879  he 
began  making  investments  in  small  businesses,  and  in  1890  engaged  in  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account,  in  the  manufacture  of  wagon  skeins,  and  in  foundrv 
and  machine  shop  work.  In  February.  1004.  he  came  to  Racine  and  took 
the  presidency  of  the  American  Skein  &  Foundry  Co..  whose  general  offices 
are  located  at  No.  1209-12 13  Chicago  Stock  Exchange  Building.  Chicago. 
111.     He  still  retains  his  interest  in  the  Columbus  institution,  the  two  estab- 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  59 

lisliments  belonging  to  the  same  company.  In  the  Racine  plant  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  and  more  men  are  employed  the  year  round,  and  are  kei^t 
busy  filling  orders.  Mr.  Davidson  located  in  Racine  June  i,  1904,  and  resides 
at  No.  1033  Lake  avenue.  He  is  vice-president  of  the  North  American  Lead 
Company,  is  interested  in  the  Adding  Typewriter  Company,  and  has  other 
investments  and  interests  in  Columbus,  Ohio. 

On  Sept.  25,  1879,  Mr.  Davidson  married  Miss  Louisa  J.  Peift'er,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Olive  (Pope)  Peiffer,  and  to  this  union  three  children  have 
been  born:  William  L.,  Florence  E.,  and  Joseph  F.  J.  Of  these  William  L. 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davidson  are  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  He  is  a  32nd  degree  Scottish  Rite  ISIason,  belonging  to  York  Lodge, 
No.  334,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Ohio  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  Mount  Vernon  Commandery, 
No.  I ,  K.  T. ;  and  the  Scioto  Consistory,  all  of  Columbus.  He  also  belongs 
to  Aladdin  Temple,  Ancient  Arabic  Order,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  of 
Columbus. 

JACKSON  I.  CASE  (deceased)  was  born  Oct.  23,  1865,  the  only  son 
of  Jerome  I.  Case,  whose  sketch  will  be  found  on  another  page  of  this  work. 

The  late  Jackson  I.  Case  was  given  exceptional  educational  advantages 
and  entered  manhood  well  equipped  in  every  way  to  meet  the  emergencies 
and  to  take  part  in  the  struggles  of  life.  After  completing  the  public  school 
course  he  attended  Racine  Academy,  later  the  Michigan  Military  Academy, 
and  still  later  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology  at  Boston.  In  1883 
he  entered  into  business  as  bookkeeper  for  the  Fish  Brothers  Wagon  Com- 
pany, and  remained  in  their  employ  for  almost  two  years.  For  a  number  of 
years  afterward  he  served  as  secretary  to  his  father,  who  was  one  of  the  most 
prominent  manufacturers  and  leading  citizens  of  Racine. 

It  was  but  a  just  recognition  of  his  sterling  character  and  business  in- 
tegrity that  in  1891  Mr.  Case  was  offered  the  nomination  for  mayor  of 
Racine.  His  political  opponent  was  Adolph  Weber,  who  was  up  for  re- 
election, having  previously  been  elected  by  a  majority  of  726  votes.  It  seemed 
a  little  hazardous  for  one  who  was  little  more  than  a  boy  to  make  the  race 
against  a  man  of  Mr.  Weber's  standing,  but  the  final  count  showed  that  he 
was  elected  by  a  majority  of  286  votes,  thus  changing  the  results  of  the 
previous  year  by  over  one  thousand  votes.  He  bore  the  distinction  of  being 
the  youngest  man  who  ever  held  the  position  in  Racine,  and  was,  at  that  time, 
said  to  be  the  youngest  mayor  in  the  United  States.  He  proved  capable,  and 
little  opposition  was  found  during  his  administration. 

Mr.  Case  was  interested  in  many  important  enterprises.  He  was  presi- 
dent and  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Works, 
treasurer  and  director  of  .the  Racine  Hotel  Company,  a  director  of  the  ].  I. 
Case  Threshing  ]\Iachine  Company,  and  also  of  the  Manufacturers'  National 
Bank.  He  was  also  interested  in  raising  and  training  turf  stock,  and  owned 
a  number  of  notably  fast  horses,  among  these  being:  "Echora,"  with  a  record 
of  2:2314,  dam  of  "Direct,"  at  that  time  the  fastest  pacer  in  the  world,  with 
a  record  of  2  :o6.  Mr.  Case  served  several  terms  as  secretary  of  the  Wis- 
consin Association  of  Trotting  Horse  Breeders,  and  was  also  vice-president 
and  a  member  of  the  executive  board  of  the  Northwestern  Association  of 


6o  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Trotting  Horse  Breeders.  In  1889  he  served  as  president  of  the  Wisconsin 
Industrial  Association.  He  was  widely  and  favorably  known  all  over  the 
country. 

On  March  25.  1886,  ^Mr.  Case  was  married  to  Miss  Henrietta  Roy,  and 
four  children  were  born  to  them:  Jerome  I.,  Jr.,  (named  for  his  grand- 
father),  Roy,  Harry  and  Percival.    ]\Ir.  Case  died  Jan.  8.  1903. 

JUDGE  MAX  W.  HECK,  Judge  of  the  County  Court,  Racine  county. 
Wis.,  and  a  highly  esteemed  resident  of  the  city  of  Racine,  was  born  in  Chi- 
cago, 111..  June  9,  1869,  son  of  Jacob  and  \^ictoria  (Schlund)  Heck,  natives  of 
Germany. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  soldier  in  the  German  army,  and 
came  to  America  about  1840.  His  wife  died  on  the  trip  across  the  ocean,  and 
he  survived  but  a  year  after,  leaving  at  his  death  a  family  of  ten  children. 

Jacob  Heck,  the  father  of  the  Judge,  came  to  America  in  1851,  first  lo- 
cating at  Racine,  Wis.,  where  he  lived  with  his  bi'other  for  several  years.  He 
then  went  to  Chicago,  111.,  where  he  learned  the  machinist's  trade,  and,  return- 
ing to  Racine,  engaged  in  a  grocery  business,  in  which  he  continued  until  his 
death.  April  12,  1885,  at  the  age  of  forty-two  years.  His  widow,  Victoria 
(Schlund)  Heck,  still  survives  him.  Both  were  Lutherans.  Mr.  Heck  was  al- 
derman of  the  First  ward  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob  Heck 
had  these  children :  Jacob  Philip,  of  Memphis.  Tenn. ;  Frank  Fidel,  of  Engle- 
wood,  Chicago;  Judge  Max  W.,  of  Racine:  Charlotte,  wife  of  Emil  Bartz,  of 
Chicago ;  Victor,  of  Racine :  Miss  Minnie,  also  of  Racine :  and  one  that  died  in 
infancy.  Mrs.  Heck  was  a  daughter  of  Anthony  Schlund.  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, who  on  coming  to  the  United  States,  settled  in  Illinois.  In  1855  he  re- 
moved to  New  Jersey,  and  died  at  Newark,  that  State,  about  1882,  when  up- 
wards of  eighty  years  of  age.  Mr.  Schlund  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  German 
army.  He  had  eight  sons,  each  one  of  whom  was  in  the  army  during  the 
Civil  war. 

Judge  Max  W.  Heck  was  brought  to  Racine  when  one  year  old,  and  here 
attended  the  public  and  parochial  schools.  He  later  attended  the  academical 
school,  and  subsequently  supplemented  this  with  a  law  course  at  the  University 
of  Wisconsin  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1892,  being  admitted  to  the 
Bar  in  June  of  that  year.  He  at  once  began  practice  in  Racine,  of  which  city 
he  was  city  attorney  from  1898  to  iQOi.  In  1901  he  was  elected  Judge  of  the 
County  Court,  and  this  office  he  still  fills,  being  re-elected  in  1905.  Judge  Heck 
was  married  April  29,  1896.  to  Miss  Luella  M.  Pritchard.  daughter  of  Hugh 
and  ^Margaret  (Owen)  Pritchard.  and  to  this  union  one  daughter.  Margery 
Maxine,  has  been  born. 

Mrs.  Heck  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Judge  Heck  is  a  thirtv- 
second  degree  Mason,  and  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M.; 
Orient  Chapter,  No.  12.  R.  A.  M.;  Racine  Commanderv.  No.  7,  K.  T. :  Wis- 
consin Consistory,  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  Masons :  and  to  Tripoli 
Temole,  Nobles  of  the  Mvstic  Shrine.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  fraternity,  Racine  Lodge.  No.  7,2.  and  is  past  presiding  officer  of  that 
lodsfe.  He  is  a  member  of  Ben  Hur  and  the  Imnroved  Order  of  Red  Men, 
and  of  the  U^nited  Order  of  Foresters,  in  which  last  he  has  filled  all  of  the 


COMME-MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  6r 

chairs  in  the  local,  Grand  and  Supreme  lodges,  including  that  of  Supreme 
Chief  Ranger.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Deutscher  ^laennerverein  of  Racine, 
being  one  of  the  charter  members.  Judge  Heck  is  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Business  Men's  Association  of  Racine. 

FRANK  E.  STEVENS,  M.  D.  The  medical  profession,  as  represented 
in  Kenosha  county,  includes  many  hne  physicians  and  surgeons,  but  none 
who  are  more  devoted  to  their  calling  or  more  justly  deserve  their  success, 
than  Dr.  Frank  E.  Stevens.  He  is  a  native  of  the  county,  born  in  Pleasant 
Prairie  township,  July  ii,  1851,  a  son  of  Alanson  H.  and  Mary  (Tibbets) 
Stevens. 

The  Stevens  family  is  of  English  descent  and  came  to  Wisconsin  from 
the  State  of  New  York,  where  they  had  previously  been  established.  The 
great-grandfather  of  the  Doctor  was  one  of  those  who  helped  to  forge  the 
chain  put  across  the  Hudson  river  to  keep  the  British  from  going  up.  His  son 
Gideon  was  a  farmer  in  New  York  and  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He  married 
and  had  a  large  family,  and  his  seven  sons  were  all  long-lived,  reaching  an 
average  age  of  sixty-eight  years.  Gideon  Stevens  died  when  sixty-five,  and 
his  wife  when  eighty-three  years  old. 

Alanson  H.  Stevens  was  born  in  1809  and  grew  up  on  a  farm,  but 
learned  the  tanner's  trade.  After  migrating  to  Wisconsin  in  1842  he  turned 
his  attention  to  farming  again,  and  settling  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township  he 
worked  for  other  farmers  awhile  and  then  finally  bought  160  acres  to  operate 
for  himself.  He  lived  there  for  a  number  of  years,  but  in  time  sold  that  place 
and  moved  into  Bristol  township,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres,  from  which 
the  village  of  Bristol  was  afterward  laid  out.  The  rest  of  his  life  was  .spent 
there,  and  he  died  in  1896. 

Mr.  Stevens  married  Miss  Mary  Tibbets,  also  born  in  New  York  State, 
though  her  parents  were  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  died  there.  They  were 
farming  people.  Mrs.  Stevens  was  one  of  five  children,  three  sons  and  two 
daughters.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stevens  lived  in  Schoharie  county,  near  Gilboa, 
until  after  their  two  oldest  children  were  born.  To  them  were  born  four 
sons  and  three  daughters,  but  only  three  are  now  living,  viz. :  Martha,  widow 
of  Philander  Buck,  of  Sheboygan,  Wis. ;  Sarah  E.,  Mrs.  William  Gibbs.  of 
Stockton,  Cal. ;  and  Dr.  Frank  E.  The  parents  were  both  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church  and  Mr.  Stevens  was  a  trustee  or  steward  nearly  all  his 
life.  He  was  a  hard-working  man,  honest  and  upright,  and  was  .much  re- 
spected among  the  early  settlers  with  whom  he  had  cast  in  his  lot.  His 
brothers  were  all  men  of  the  same  character. 

Dr.  Frank  E.  Stevens  spent  his  boyhood  on  his  father's  farm  and  gained 
his  early  education  in  the  district  schools.  Afterward  he  attended  the  Osh- 
kosh  Normal  School,  and  was  a  member  of  the  first  class  graduated  from  that 
institution.  Thus  prepared,  he  naturally  entered  upon  the  teacher's  profes- 
sion, and  was  so  engaged  for  three  years.  He  then  entered  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  Northwestern  University  in  Chicago,  and  was  graduated  in 
1879.  having  the  honor  of  being  valedictorian  of  his  class.  Dr.  Stevens  be- 
gan practicing  in  the  following  year  in  Union  Grove,  and  in  1884  removed 
to  Bristol  where  he  has  had  his  ofifice  ever  since  and  has  built  up  a  large 
practice. 


62  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

On  Jan.  i,  1880,  Dr.  Stevens  was  married  to  Aliss  Ida  N.,  daughter  of 
Benjamin  F.  and  Lucy  (Oakes)  Murphy.  Mrs.  Stevens  is  a  sister  of  N.  O. 
Murphy,  governor  of  Arizona  for  five  years,  and  also  of  F.  M.  Murphy, 
president  of  the  S.  F.  &  P.  Railroad  system  in  Arizona.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Stevens 
have  had  four  children,  as  follows:  Alice  M.,  who  married  E.  C.  Smith,  of 
Evansville,  Wis.,  now  residing  in  Prescott,  Ariz.,  and  who  has  two  daughters, 
Dorothy  Ethel  and  Frances  Stevens;  Mary  E.,  now  at  home,  who  taught  for 
a  while  at  Brass  Ball,  Wis.,  and  also  in  the  Bristol  graded  school ;  and  two 
children  who  died  in  infancy.  Dr.  Stevens  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Metho- 
dist Church  and  are  active  in  its  work,  the  Doctor  having  been  chairman  of 
the  board  of  trustees  for  a  number  of  years. 

Dr.  Stevens  keeps  himself  well  posted  on  current  medical  thought  and  is 
in  close  touch  with  his  brother  physicians,  for  he  is  a  member  of  the  County 
and  State  Medical  Societies  and  the  American  Medical  Association.  Besides 
being  examining  physician  for  the  old-line  companies  he  holds  a  similar  posi- 
tion in  Bristol  Camp,  Modern  Woodmen,  in  which  order  he  holds  member- 
ship; he  is  also  a  member  of  Washburn  Lodge,  No.  145,  F.  &  A.  M.  Politi- 
cally Dr.  Stevens  is  a  Republican. 

FREDERICK  H.  HAUMERSEX,  a  prominent  business  man  of  Ra- 
cine, has  resided  in  America  for  nearly  the  whole  of  his  active  career,  but 
his  earlier  life  was  spent  in  his  native  Germany,  where  he  was  born  in  West- 
phalia, Nov.  21,  1841,  son  of  Adolph  and  Hannah  (Groenemier)  Haumersen. 

Adolph  Haumersen  was  born  in  Germany  in  1801,  and  was  one  of  five  or 
six  children  born  to  his  parents,  his  father  dying  in  Germany  well  advanced  in 
years.  Adolph  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  never  left  his  native  land. 
He  married  Hannah  Groenemier,  daughter  of  Carl  Groenemier,  of  Germanv. 
Her  parents  lived  to  a  good  old  age  and  had  several  sons  and  daughters.  To 
Adolph  Haumersen  and  his  wife  were  born  three  sons  and  three  daughters, 
of  whom  only  the  following  are  now  living:  Henry,  of  Westphalia,  Ger- 
many; Henrietta,  wife  of  Carl  W'ellner,  of  Westphalia,  Germany;  William  F., 
of  Ft.  Atkinson,  Wis.;  and  Frederick  H.  The  father  died  in  1869  and  the 
mother  in  1 870.    Both  belonged  to  the  Lutheran  Church. 

Frederick  H.  Haumersen  was  brought  up  in  Germany  and  was  given  the 
good  education  which  the  public  schools  there  offer  to  all  German  youths. 
He  learned  the  brick  making  business  in  the  Fatherland  and  followed  it  there 
for  a  few  years,  but  in  the  spring  of  1867,  immediately  after  his  marriage,  he 
sailed  for  America,  and  has  remained  in  this  country  ever  since.  He  first 
located  in  Milwaukee,  but  after  a  brief  stay  of  but  two  months  in  that  citv, 
he  came  to  Racine,  started  a  brick  yard,  and  has  been  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  bricks  there  from  that  time  to  the  present.  Altogether  he  has  been 
in  the  business  forty-five  years.  His  present  plant  employs  about  sixteen  per- 
sons, and  manufactures  a  million  and  a  half  bricks  annually.  Mr.  Haumersen 
is  thoroughly  posted  in  all  the  details  of  his  business,  is  a  good  financier,  and 
is  possessed  of  much  executive  ability,  so  that  he  has  been  eminently  success- 
ful in  his  operations,  and  ranks  among  the  prosperous  men  of  Racine. 

On  March  10,  1867,  in  Germany,  Frederick  H.  Haumersen  took  to  him- 
self as  his  wife.  Miss  Henrietta  He'brock,  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Fred- 


COI\IMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  63 

ericka  Hebrock.  Nine  children  ha\e  been  born  to  them,  five  of  whom  are 
deceased,  (i)  Frederick  is  a  grocer  in  Racine,  in  which  business  his  father 
also  has  an  interest.  He  married  Miss  Lydia  Kopplin  and  has  two  sons,  Alvin 
and  Wilfred.  (2)  Ernest  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-five.  (3)  John  is  a 
partner  of  his  father  in  the  brick  industry.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Carrie 
Stauss  and  they  have  three  children,  Irene,  Henry  and  Milton.  (4)  Charles 
is  also  in  partnership  with  his  father  in  the  brick  business.  He  married  (first) 
IMiss  Julia  Wittenweiler,  now  deceased,  by  whom  he  had  one  son,  Charlie. 
He  married  (second)  Miss  Anna  Remer.  To  this  union  also,  one  son  was 
born,  Willis.  (5)  George,  a  resident  of  Chicago,  is  assistant  superintendent  in 
a  wood  finishing  factory.  He  married  i\Iiss  Hattie  Stoeller,  and  has  one 
daughter,  Edith.  (6)  William  died  when  five  years  old.  (7)  Henry  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-four.  (8)  Nettie  died  when  four  and  a  half  years  old. 
(9)  Mary  died  wdien  three  years  old.  The  family  home  is  at  No.  1423  North 
Main  street,  a  residence  which  Mr.  Haumersen  erected  in  1903.  He  and  his 
wife  are  both  members  of  the  German  Evangelical  Association,  and  prom- 
inent in  the  work  of  that  society.  Politically  Mr.  Haumersen  is  a  Republican 
but  is  little  concerned  in  municipal  affairs. 

Mrs.  Haumersen's  parents  were  born  in  Germany  and  her  mother  died 
there  in  185 1.  In  the  fall  of  1867  her  father  came  to  America  and  lived  in 
Racine  until  his  death  in  1873,  when  sixty-eight  years  of  age.  They  had  a 
family  of  six  children,  of  whom  only  two  daughters  now  remain,  Hannah, 
residing  in  Germany,  the  widow  of  Henry  \\'isman ;  and  Henrietta,  Mrs. 
Haumersen. 

HENRY  H.  HYDE,  secretary  and  manager  of  the  Racine  Gaslight 
Company,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  is  an  experienced  man  in  his  special  line,  having- 
a  thorough  understanding  of  the  practical  side  of  the  business  as  well  as  being 
capable  of  assisting  in  the  management  of  large  enterprises  like  the  above. 

Mr.  Hyde  was  born  Oct.  2,  1865,  at  Cleveland.  O.,  a  son  of  Gustavus 
A.  and  Elizabeth  R.  (Fusselman)  Hyde,  the  former  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  Of  the  five  children  born  to  them,  four  sons 
and  one  daughter,  the  survivors  are:  Florence,  wife  of  Marcus  W. 
Levkowicz.  of  Alameda,  Cal. ;  Henry  H.,  of  Racine,  and  Eugene  A.,  of  Cleve- 
land. 

Gustavus  A.  Hyde  was  a  civil  engineer  for  a  number  of  years,  but  he 
is  now  a  gas  engineer  at  Cleveland,  where  he  has  lived  for  over  a  half  cen- 
tury. His  wife  died  Sept.  30,  1903.  aged  seventy-nine  years.  She  was  a 
devoted  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  to  which  religious'  body  her  husl)and 
also  belongs.  The  father  of  Gustavus  A.  Hyde  was  born  in  Massachusetts, 
where  he  lived  and  died.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Peter  P. 
Fusselman,  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  died  at  Fre- 
mont, Ohio,  aged  seventy-five  years. 

Until  he  was  eighteen  years  old  Henry  H.  Hyde  lived  at  Cleveland,  at- 
tending the  common  and  high  schools,  and  then  learned  the  gas  business 
with  his  older  brother.  Gustavus  A..  Jr..  who  died  at  Saginaw.  Mich.,  where 
Henry  H.  Hyde  lived  for  four  years.  He  then  spent  two  years  in  charge  of 
the  gas  works  at  Michigan  City.  Ind.,  returning  to  Cleveland,  where  he  was 
employed  for  two  years  with  the  Cleveland  Gaslight  and  Coke  Companv. 
During  this  time  he  had  charge  of  the  construction  of  their  No.  2  works.     He 


64  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

then  went  back  to  Saginaw  to  take  charge  of  the  East  Saginaw  Gas  Company 
there,  and  remained  until  June,  1899,  when  he  came  to  Racine  and  took  charge 
of  the  Racine  Gashght  Company,  becoming  secretary  and  general  manager. 
Mr.  Hyde  is  a  self-made  man,  his  success  being  the  result  of  his  persevering 
energy.  In  these  days  of  fierce  competition,  those  who  advance  beyond  their 
fellows  in  any  line  of  endeavor,  must  possess  notable  characteristics. 

On  Sept.  28,  1892,  Mr.  Hyde  was  married  to  Miss  Estelle  L.  Smith, 
daughter  of  Thomas  A.  and  Gertrude  Smith,  and  they  have  two  young  daugh- 
ters, Dorothy  G.  and  Helen  H.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  tlyde  are  members  of  the 
Episcopal  Church. 

JOHN  M.  KEHLOR,  a  prominent  resident  of  Kenosha,  where  he  is  en- 
gaged in  the  real  estate  business  and  as  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Kenosha 
Realty  Company  (real  estate,  loans  and  insurance),  is  one  of  the  younger  busi- 
ness men  of  the  city,  but  has  already  made  for  himself  an  influential  place 
among  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  place.  His  success  is  due  largely  to  the 
sterling  qualities  of  mind  and  character  for  which  he  is  partly  indebted,  per- 
haps, to  the  Scottish  ancestry  from  which  he  comes. 

The  original  form  of  the  name  in  Scotland  was  MacKehlor.  The  fam- 
ily has  been  represented  in  America  only  through  two  generations,  as  James 
MacKehlor,  the  grandfather  of  John  M.,  never  left  Scotland,  but  passed  his 
life  there  engaged  as  a  manufacturer  of  shawls.  He  died  in  middle  life.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Elizabeth  Brodie  and  she  became  the  mother  of  three  sons  and 
two  daughters. 

John  Christie  MacKehlor,  son  of  James,  was  born  in  Scotland,  Jan.  20, 
1839.  He  came  to  America  in  early  manhood  and  settled  first  at  Milwaukee, 
then  going  to  Elkhorn.  Wis.,  where  he  went  into  the  grain  business,  but  after- 
ward moved  to  St.  Louis.  In  1873  he  returned  to  Wisconsin  and  located  in 
Kenosha,  where  he  continued  in  active  financial  operations  until  his  death. 
Besides  holding  the  office  of  president  of  the  M.  H.  Pettit  Malting  Company, 
he  retained  an  interest  in  a  flouring  mill  in  St.  Louis.  Mr.  MacKehlor  died 
while  a  comparatively  young  man,  being  only  forty-six  years  old  at  the  time 
death  claimed  him,  June  i,  1885.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Isabella 
Remer,  was  born  in  New  York  State  in  1844,  passing  away  May  16,  1888. 
Both  were  Episcopalians.  Their  seven  children  were  as  follows:  Bertha,  wife 
of  L.  W.  Stebbins,  of  Chicago;  John  M.,  of  Kenosha;  James  Remer,  of  Chi- 
cago ;  Stephen  Eugene,  of  Chicago ;  D.  Howard,  of  St.  Louis :  and  two 
daughters,  who  died  in  infancy. 

On  the  Remer  side,  John  M.  Kehlor  is  connected  with  the  Riggs  familv, 
of  Revolutionary  ancestry,  and  his  claim  to  membership  with  the  Sons  of  the 
American  Revolution  rests  on  his  descent  from  Joseph  Riggs,  Jr..  of  Connec- 
ticut. The  following,  taken  from  the  Records  of  the  State  of  Connecticut, 
for  January.  1779,  Vol.  I,  p.  173,  gives  the  line  of  descent. 

(I)  Joseph  Riggs,  Jr.,  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  4th  Company,  2d  Regi- 
metit,  nf  Connecticut  troops,  and  fought  in  the  Revolution.  He  married 
Rachel  Chatfield. 

(II)  Hannah  Riggs  married  Josiah  Whitney. 

dll)      Hannah  Riggs  Whitney  married  Abram  Remer. 

(IV)      Stephen  Henry  Remer  was  the  maternal  grandfather  of  John  M. 


Smoj:AL^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRArHICAL    RECORD.  65 

Keillor.  He  was  born  in  New  York  State  ami  there  married  Miss  Adeline 
Tibbies.  They  came  to  Wisconsin  in  the  forties,  settling  at  Elkhorn,  where 
Stephen  Remer  died  in  middle  life.  His  wife  lived  to  be  seventy.  They  had 
two  children:    Isabella,  Mrs.  Kehlor;  and  Clarence  E.,  of  Kenosha. 

John  M.  Kehlor  was  born  in  Elkhorn,  Wis.,  March  9,  1867,  and  was  six 
years  old  when  his  parents  moved  to  St.  Louis.  Only  one  year  was  spent  in 
that  city,  as  the  family  settled  in  Kenosha  in  1873,  ^^^d  there  the  boy  attended 
the  public  schools,  completing  the  course  ofYered,  and  graduating  from  high 
school,  after  which  he  entered  Racine  College.  In  1883  he  went  to  St.  Louis 
to  work  in  a  new  flouring-mill  which  his  father  had  just  built  there,  and  he 
remained  in  that  position  till  the  property  was  sold  after  his  father's  death. 
For  a  short  time  after  that  he  worked  in  a  grain  elevator  belonging  to  his  uncle, 
James  B.  M.  Kehlor,  of  St.  Louis,  and  then  went  to  Memphis,  Tenn.,  to  rep- 
resent the  firm  of  Kehlor  Brothers,  flour  manufacturers.  From  here  he  again 
returned  to  St.  Louis  and  went  into  the  grain  commission  business  under  the 
style  of  Kehlor  &  Samuels.  This  partnership  continued  until  1890,  when  Mr. 
Kehlor  withdrew  and  went  into  the  mining  business  in  Joplin,  Mo.  He  re- 
mained there  only  two  years,  and  then  came  north  to  Kenosha,  where,  after 
several  years  on  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  he  established  himself  in  the  real 
estate  and  insurance  business.  He  has  been  very  generally  successful  in  his 
operations,  and  is  one  of  Kenosha's  substantial  men. 

On  Jan.  g,  1889,  John  M.  Kehlor  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Francesca 
Reese  Haven,  daughter  of  Julius  and  Ellen  (Spear)  Haven,  of  Chicago,  and 
later  of  Kenosha,  the  former  of  whom  was  a  paymaster  in  the  army.  To  this 
union  three  children  have  been  torn,  James  Malcolm,  Hugh  Spear  and  Ken- 
neth Haven.  Mr.  Kehlor  and  his  wife  both  belong  to  the  Episcopal 
Church.  They  reside  in  a  beautiful  home,  just  completed,  on  the  lake 
shore,  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county.  Mr.  Kehlor  is  very  prominent  in  fra- 
ternal circles,  being  especially  active  in  the  Order  of  Elks,  belonging  to  Keno- 
sha Lodge,  No.  750;  he  w^as  exalted  ruler  two  terms,  besides  being,  in  1903, 
the  district  deputy  grand  exalted  ruler  for  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  and  is  at 
the  present  time  a  member  of  the  Auditing  Committee  of  the  Grand  Lodge. 
Mr.  Kehlor  is  a  thirty-second-degree  Mason,  and  is  af^liated  with  Kenosha 
Lodge,  No.  47.  F.  &  A.  M.;  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  Knights  Templar; 
and  the  Mystic  Shrine.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

JOHN  T.  WENTWORTH,  an  attorney-at-law  of  Racine,  Wis.,  is 
well  and  favorably  known  to  the  people  of  that  city.  He  was  born  at  Sara- 
toga Springs,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  13,  1855,  son  of  John  T.  and  Frances  (McDonnell) 
Wentworth,  natives  of  New  York  State. 

John  Wentworth,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  spent  his  life 
in  Greenfield,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  in  middle  life. 

Tohn  T.  Wentworth.  son  of  John  and  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  law- 
yer o"f  Saratoga,  N.  Y..  and  located  in  Chicago  in  1S57.  There  he  practiced 
for  several  years,  and  in  i860  removed  to  Lake  Geneva,  remaining  there  until 
1869.  In  this  vear  Mr.  \Ventworth  removed  to  Elkhorn,  where  he  remained 
until   1877,  when  he  located  in  Racine,  and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his 


66  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

life,  dying  when  about  seventy-six  years  of  age.  He  \vas  circuit  judge  for 
nine  years,  and  prior  to  that  had  been  clerk  of  the  court  of  Walworth  county, 
and  had  also  served  as  district  attorney.  He  was  prominent  in  Masonic  cir- 
cles. He  married  Frances  McDonnell,  daughter  of  Thomas  McDonnell,  and 
thev  had  these  children;  Jnhn  T.,  of  Racine;  McDonnell,  deceased;  Mary 
E.,  of  Chicago;  and  Jane  R.,  the  wife  of  J.  Pinto,  of  Brussels.  Belgium. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  XV'entworth  were  Presbyterians.  Thomas  McDonnell, 
father  of  Mrs.  Wentworth,  was  a  native  of  irelantl,  of  Scotch  ancestry,  who 
came  from  Porto  Ferry,  in  the  northeast  part  of  Ireland,  to  America,  and  first 
landed  in  New  York  City,  whence  he  went  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  later  return- 
ing to  New  York,  and  settling  in  Syracuse.  He  finally  located  at  Saratoga 
Springs,  where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent,  dying  there  at  an  ad- 
vanced age. 

John  T.  Wentworth,  our  subject,  spent  his  boyhood  days  at  Lake  Geneva, 
Wis.,  attended  the  public  schools  there,  and  was  graduated  from  the  high 
school  in  1873,  later  entering  Yale  College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1879.  He  had  been  admitted  to  the  Bar  the  year  previous,  and  came  to  Racine 
in  1880,  since  which  time  he  has  practiced  law  here.  Mr.  Wentworth  and  his 
mother  reside  at  No.  170J  College  avenue. 

WTLLIAM  W.  DINGEE,  mechanical  engineer  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Thresh- 
ing Machine  Company,  Racine,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Philadelphia.  Pa.,  born 
Jan.  5,  1 83 1,  son  of  Dr.  Obediah  and  Hannah  (Welch)  Dingee,  also  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  Dingees  are  of  Huguenot  descent.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  Jacob  Dingee,  was  a  farmer.  He  and  his  wife,  Eliza- 
beth, both  lived  to  advanced  age. 

Dr.  Obediah  Dingee,  who  was  a  physician,  practiced  all  of  his  active  life 
in  Pennsylvania.  He  died  in  Lancaster  count}',  that  State,  in  1849,  'i^  fi's 
fiftieth  year,  while  his  wife  survived  him  until  1884,  being  eighty-four  years 
old  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  She  and  her  husband  were  Quakers.  They  had 
three  children :  Charles,  a  rose  man  of  West  Grove,  Pa. ;  Dr.  Richartl,  who 
is  deceased;  and  William  W. 

William  W.  Dingee  was  reared  in  Pennsylvania.  He  served  an  appren- 
ticeship in  Baltimore  to  the  machinist's  trade,  and  in  1852  established  the  ma- 
chinist business  in  York,  Pa.,  which  is  now  carried  on  by  A.  B.  Farquhar, 
remaining  there  until  1863,  in  which  year  the  establishment  was  burned  out. 
Mr.  Farquhar  was  Mr.  Dingee's  apprentice,  and  during  the  last  two  years  of 
Mr.  Dingee's  stay  they  were  in  partnership.  In  1863  Mr.  Dingee  came  to  Ra- 
cine, ^^'is.,  and  established  what  was  known  as  the  Geiser  Threshing  Machine 
Company.  A  few  years  later  he  removed  to  Oshkosh.  where  he  was  engaged 
with  the  Sawyer  Manufacturing  Company,  of  which  the  late  Senator  Saw- 
yer was  president.  In  1878  the  Case  Company  bought  out  the  Sawyer  Com- 
pany, and  Mr.  Dingee  has  been  with  this  company  ever  since,  in  Racine.  He 
is  of  an  inventive  turn  of  mind,  and  has  taken  out  perhaps  one  hundred  pat- 
ents. For  the  past  few  years  he  has  traveled  extensively,  visiting  prominent 
points  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and  Europe  in  the  interests  of  the 
company. 

On  Oct.  28,   1855,  Mr.  Dingee  was  married  to  INIiss  }>Iartha  Parker  at 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  67 

the  home  of  Rev.  Theodore  Pa.ker,  her  uncle,  in  Boston,  Mass.  Mrs.  Dingee 
was  born  in  Lexington,  Mass.,  June  13,  1831,  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Martha 
M.  (Miller)  Parker,  and  a  great-granddaughter  of  Capt.  John  Parker,  of 
Revolutionary  fame.  Two  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dingee : 
Gertrude  Parker,  a  Latin  teacher  in  the  Hyde  Park  high  school,  Chicago;  and 
Theodore,  who  died  aged  seven  years.    Mrs.  Dingee  is  a  L'nitarian. 

Politically  Mr.  Dingee  is  a  Republican,  and  he  was  at  the  convention 
which  nominated  Fremont  for  President,  since  which  time  he  has  voted  the 
Republican  ticket  regularly.  He  owns  and  occupies  a  beautiful  home  at  No. 
1 1 24  Main  street.  Mr.  Dingee  was  an  early  member  of  the  American  Society 
of  Mechanical  Engineers. 

The  founder  of  the  Parker  family  in  America  was  Thomas  Parker,  of 
Lynn,  Mass.,  who  settled  here  in  1637.  Capt.  John  Parker,  Mrs.  Dingee's 
great-grandfather,  died  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  in  1775,  having  been  in 
command  of  the  company  of  sixty  men  who  went  out  to  meet  the  British 
force  of  eight  hundred  at  Lexington.  This  was  the  first  battle  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  His  son,  John  Parker,  was  a  farmer  and  pump  maker.  He 
married  Hannah  Stearns,  and  they  reared  a  family  of  eleven  children,  the 
youngest  of  whom  was  the  Rev.  Theodore  Parker,  of  the  28th  Congrega- 
tional Society  of  Boston,  who  died  in  Florence,  Italy,  in  i860,  and  whose 
grave  in  the  Protestant  cemetery  there  is  still  visited  by  many  tourists  from 
all  parts  of  the  world.  His  birthplace  at  Lexington  is  marked  by  a  granite 
monument  on  the  old  Parker  farm.  Isaac  Parker,  Mrs.  Dingee's  father,  was 
a  farmer  at  Lexington,  Mass.,  carrying  on  operations  on  a  farm  which  had 
been  in  the  family  since  171 2,  and  which  is  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Dingee's 
brother,  Charles.  There  Isaac  Parker  died  in  1872,  aged  seventy-five  years, 
his  wife  surviving  him  until  1897,  when  she  passed  away,  lacking  a  few  weeks 
of  being  ninety-six  years  old.  She  and  her  husband  had  eight  children,  five 
sons  and  three  daughters,  and  of  this  family.  Mrs.  Dingee  and  Charles,  who 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war,  being  in  a  Massachusetts  regiment,  are  the 
only  living  members. 

Mrs.  Dingee  is  a  Daughter  of  the  American  Revolution ;  is  an  advocate 
of  Woman  Suffrage,  and  edited  the  Wisconsin  Citiccn.  a  Woman  SufTragist 
paper,  for  seven  years  gratuitously.  She  and  her  husband  are  very  highly 
esteemed  throughout  the  city. 

PATRICK  H.  CONNOLLY,  city  engineer  and  a  member  of  the  lioard 
of  public  works,  ex-officio,  of  Racine,  \\'is.,  was  torn  in  Rochester,  N.  Y., 
April  24.  1863,  son  of  Patrick  and  Eliza  (Beaumont)  Connelly,  the  former  a 
native  of  County  Westmeath.  Ireland,  and  the  latter  of  Centerville,  Mich. 
The  father  of  Patrick  H.  was  a  wagonmaker,  emigrating  to  America  many 
years  ago  and  settling  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.  There  he  resided  until  1864,  when 
he  removed  to  Racine,  which  has  since  been  his  home.  He  at  first  engaged  in 
the  setting  up  of  threshing  machines  in  the  shops  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Company, 
afterward  being  employed  by  Bull  &  Wooster,  at  the  Bain  \Vagon  Works 
(Kenosha),  and  finally  at  the  Fish  Brothers'  Wagon  Works,  where  he  has 
remained  for  the  past  forty  years.  Mrs.  Eliza  (Beaumont)  Connolly  died 
Nov.  22,  1878,  aged  forty  years,  both  she  and  her  husband  being  attendants 


68  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

of  the  Catholic  Church.  The  following  children  were  born  to  ]\lr.  and  Mrs. 
Connolly;  William  E.,  of  Allegheny,  I'a. ;  John  E..  of  Racine;  Patrick  H. ; 
Frank,  of  Racine;  James,  of  Allegheny,  Pa.,  and  Mary  Veronica,  of  Racine. 

Patrick  H.  Connolly  was  but  one  year  old  when  brought  to  Racine  by 
his  parents.  There  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  he  has  made  that  city  his  home 
most  of  his  life.  He  attended  the  public  and  high  schools,  graduating  from 
the  latter  in  1881,  and  was  a  student  in  the  civil  engineering  department  of 
the  State  University,  completing  his  course  in  1885.  Since  that  year  he  has 
been  engaged  in  professional  work.  Since  1899  he  has  served  as  city  engineer, 
having  previously  been  village  engineer  of  Riverside  for  a  period  of  seven 
years.     In  politics  he  is  independent. 

On  May  28,  1891,  Patrick  H.  Connolly  married  Miss  Catherine  A.  Hass, 
daughter  of  George  A.  and  Sarah  x\.  (Houpt)  Hass,  and  to  them  have  been 
born  the  following:  George  H.,  on  Aug.  5,  1892;  Frances  E.,  Nov.  13, 
1893;  Henry,  March  20,  1896,  and  Robert,  April  21,  1899.  Mr.  Connolly 
lives  in  a  pleasant  home,  at  No.  1310  Wisconsin  street,  where  the  many  friends 
of  himself  and  wife  are  always  welcome. 

CHARLES  B.  McCANNA  was  born  April  21,  1851,  in  Jefferson  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  was  reared  in  his  native  State  on  a  farm.  He  attended  the  dis- 
trict schools  and  the  high  scliool,  graduating  from  the  latter,  after  which  he 
taught  school  for  five  or  six  winters.  His  early  training  however,  had  been 
along  agricultural  lines,  and  he  found  his  business  instincts  developing  best  in 
that  direction.  He  engaged  in  dairying  and  cheesemaking  in  Jefferson  county, 
also  running-  a  cheese  factory  there  for  two  years,  but  he  finally  decided  to  try 
his  fortunes  in  the  West.  In  the  spring  of  1876  he  migrated  to  Wisconsin,  and 
after  spending  two  months  at  Fond  du  Lac  located  in  Allen's  Grove,  Walworth 
county,  where  he  purchased  a  cheese  factory  in  company  with  T.  P.  Davis. 
They  continued  together  for  two  years,  after  which  Mr.  McCanna  located  in 
Rochester,  Racine  county,  where  he  remained  a  year,  removing  thence  to 
Springfield,  Wis.,  where  he  married.  He  resided  there  for  several  years,  in 
1887  removing  to  Burlington,  where  he  has  since  been  established.  Here  he 
opened  a  large  cheese  factory  and  creamery,  also  becoming  interested  in  a  num- 
ber of  the  leading  factories  in  the  surrounding  country.  In  1893  he -associated 
himself  w'ith  R.  G.  Fraser  of  Glasgow,  Scotland,  and  the  firm  name  is  known 
as  INIcCanna  &  Fraser  Company,  a  corporation  which  is  still  in  existence,  and 
is  at  the  present  time  running  the  old  business  which  was  organized  by  C.  B. 
McCanna  &  Co.,  consisting  of  some  twelve  or  fifteen  creameries  in  the  sur- 
rourding  country  -which  they  are  operating.  They  are  also  purchasing  the 
butter  from  several  more  independent  creameries,  marketing  their  product  in 
Philadelphia.  Pennsylvania,  where  the  company  has  its  own  store  at  No.  40 
South  Water  street,  and  distributes  its  own  butter  to  the  choice  trade  of  that 
city.  * 

In  1898  he.  in  company  with  R.  G.  Fraser  and  others,  organized  the  Wis- 
consin Condensed  Milk  Company,  which  concern  is  still  running  and  doing 
an  immense  business.  They  also  have  a  branch  office  at  Pecatonica.  III.,  and 
their  output  ranges  from  ten  to  twelve  cars  of  condensed  milk  per  week.  Mr. 
McCanna  is  president  of  l)oth  con-ipanies.  arifl  his  son.  Charier  Rov.  is  secre- 


^y^,9ii^c 


(X'l^^t^'t^ 


COMME.MORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  69 

tary.  The  two  companies  employ  from  100  to  125  people,  and  occnpy  the 
original  and  another  plant  built  in  1901-OJ. 

In  September,  1879,  Mr.  McCanna  was  married  to  Pauline  Cheeseman, 
a  native  of  Racine  county,  daughter  of  Edward  and  Eliza  (Johnson)  Cheese- 
man,  originally  of  England,  who  were  pioneer  settlers  in  Racine  county.  One 
son  has  been  born  to  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  McCanna,  Charles  Roy. 

The  family  belongs  to  the  Catholic  Church,  and  Mr.  ]\IcCanna  affiliates 
with  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  He  is  independent  of  political  connection,  pre- 
ferring to  support  the  men  and  measures  he  favors  most  without  party  bias. 
He  is  president  of  the  Burlington  school  board,  and  vice  president  of  the  Bank 
of  Burlington. 

Mr.  McCanna  is  an  influential  citizen  of  Burlington  and  one  of  the  most 
prominent  business  men  in  this  section  of  Racine,  in  addition  to  the  interests 
previously  mentioned  being  president  of  the  Burlington  Land  and  Improve- 
ment Association  and  president  and  treasurer  of  the  Burlington  Brass  Works. 
He  is  a  man  of  ability  and  acumen,  honest  and  upright  in  every  dealing,  and 
though  strict  in  all  his  transactions  is  respected  and  liked  where\'er  known. 

HORACE  T.  SANDERS  (deceased).  The  city  of  Racine  had  in 
Horace  T.  Sanders  a  whole-hearted  patriot  and  a  man  whose  devotion  to  the 
interests  of  his  State  and  country  probably  hastened  the  end  of  a  noble  and 
notable  life.  He  was  born  at  Sheldon,  Genesee  Co.,  N.  Y..  Mav  i,  1820,  and 
died  Oct.  6,  1865. 

Ichabod  and  Sallie  (Turner)  Sanders,  his  parents,  were  natives  of  New 
York  and  they  had  three  children,  all  of  whom  have  passed  from  the  scene 
of  life.  The  early  records  of  the  family  were  not  preserved,  hence  it  is  im- 
possible to  trace  the  source  whence  came  the  noble  qualities  which  Horace 
T.  Sanders  possessed,  or  to  draw  a  lesson  from  the  early  surroundings  which 
so  evidently  shaped  his  career. 

Mr.  Sanders  received  his  collegiate  training  at  Lockport,  N.  Y.  He 
iDecame  a  member  of  the  legal  profession,  and  in  ]\Iay.  1842,  settled  in 
Racine,  Wis.,  soon  afterward  being  elected  district  attorney  for  the  county, 
a  position  he  filled  for  many  years  under  both  Territorial  and  State  govern- 
ments. In  1847  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention 
and  served  in  that  body  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  General  Provisions, 
which  embraced  the  consideration  and  perpetuation  of  many  of  the  most  im- 
portant articles  in  the  new  Constitution ;  be  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Con- 
stitution, which  he  drafted.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  general  debates 
and  proceedings,  and  because  of  his  legal  training,  education  and  intelligence, 
was  able  to  render  very  useful  and  valuable  services.  He  served  as  a  member 
of  the  Assembly  from  Racine  in  1853  ^"<:1  *°o'^  ^"  important  i^art  in  the  pro- 
of that  body.  During  the  impeachment  trial  of  Judge  Levi  Hubbell,  he  was 
chairman  of  the  committee  of  managers.  In  1862  he  was  appointed  colonel 
of  the  19th  Wisconsin  Infantry  and  was  assigned  for  service  to  the  i8th 
Army  Corps.  Among  other  duties  to  which  he  was  called  during  the  several 
following  years  were  those  pertaining  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  and 
of  provost  judge  of  the  city  of  Norfolk,  Va.  The  fatigues  and  hardships  of 
several  campaigns  on  the  field,  with  consequent  exposure,  proved  too  much 


70  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

for  his  physical  constitution  and  his  death  came  as  the  result.  He  lived  long 
enough,  however,  to  witness  the  final  triumph  of  the  Union  cause  which  was 
so  dear  to  his  heart. 

Mr.  Sanders  was  married  March  4,  1848.  to  Miss  Eunice  Wentworth, 
daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Catherine  (Walrath)  Wentworth — a  most  nappy 
marriage.  They  became  the  parents  of  eight  children,  one  son  and  seven 
daughters,  viz. :  Horace  Turner,  Martha,  jeanie,  Ella  W.,  Margaret,  Sarah 
Fredrika,  Catherine  and  Eunice  W.  The  only  son,  Horace,  died  in  his 
seventh  year.  Martha  died  in  her  ninth  year.  Jeanie  is  unmarried.  Ella  W. 
married  John  Edwin  Pyatt,  and  they  have  one  son,  Horace  Sanders ;  they 
reside  in  Oak  Park,  Chicago.  Margaret  and  Fredrika  died  in  girlhood. 
Catherine  married  Rev.  W.  A.  Masker,  an  Episcopal  clergyman.  Eunice  W. 
married  Richard  Bernard  Hughes  and  had  two  daughters,  Eunice  \V.  and 
Dorothea  W. 

Mrs.  Sanders  is  a  descendant  of  Elder  William  Wentworth,  of  York- 
shire, England,  and  her  parents  were  natives  of  New  York  State  and  were  of 
English  and  i!)utch  descent,  the  founders  of  the  Wentworth  family  having 
come  to  America  from  England.  The  father  was  an  architect  and  house- 
builder,  and  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1842,  settling  with  his  family  at  Raymond 
Center,  where  he  bought  a  farm  which  he  subsecjuently  sold  and  in  1862 
moveil  to  Minnesota.  He  settled  at  Northfield.  Rice  county,  and  died  there 
the  following  year,  aged  eighty-three  years  and  eleven  months.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wentworth  were 
ten  in  number,  two  sons  and  eight  daughters,  Mrs.  Sanders  being  one  of  the 
survivors.  The  maternal  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Sanders  were  Jacob  H.  and 
Margaret  (Webb)  Walrath,  who  lived  and  died  in  New  York.  The  grand- 
father Walrath  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 

Col.  Sanders  belonged  to  a  very  important  period  of  time  in  the  history 
of  Wfs'consin  and  his  place  is  with  her  distinguished  sons.  In  his  profession 
he  was  a  man  of  marked  ability.  In  every  circle  he  was  the  center.  His  per- 
sonality was  that  of  a  cultivated,  affable  gentleman,  whose  friends  and  ad- 
mirers were  legion.  His  widow,  Mrs.  Eunice  (Wentworth)  Sanders,  is  still 
li\ing  in  Racine,  remarkably  active  in  body  and  mind  for  one  of  lier  years. 

CHRISTOPHER  C.  GITTINGS,  of  the  well-known  law  firm  of  Pal- 
mer &  Gittings,  Racine,  Wis.,  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Racine  Bar. 
He  was  born  in  Caledonia,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  Oct.  29,  1862,  son  of  William 
and  Elizabeth  (Gittings)  Gittings,  natives  of  Montgomeryshire,  Wales.  The 
paternal  grandfather  came  from  Wales  with  his  son  William,  and  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life  on  the  farm,  upon  which  he  died,  aged  eighty-nine  years. 
His  children  were :  William,  the  father  of  Christopher  C. ;  Margaret,  Mrs. 
Price,  deceased:  and  Jane,  the  wife  of  Ellis  Gittings.  The  maternal  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  Thomas  Gittings,  was  a  farmer  of  Wales,  where  he 
died. 

William  Gittings,  our  subject's  father,  has  always  been  a  farmer,  but  is 
now  living  retired.  He  came  from  Wales  in  1840,  settling  in  New  York  State, 
and  lived  at  Utica  and  in  that  vicinity  for  fifteen  years.  In  11^55  he  came  to 
Racine  county.  Wis.,  and  purchased  a  farm  of  140  acres  in  Caledonia  town- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  71 

ship,  which  she  stiH  owns.  Several  years  ago  he  and  his  wife  moved  to  Ra- 
cine, where  she  died  in  1903,  aged  seventy-four  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  to  which  Mr.  Gittings  also  belongs.  He  has  held  various 
township  offices.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Gittings  had  children  as  follows : 
Kate,  the  wife  of  John  Pugh,  of  Racine;  William  G.,  manager  of  the  Gold 
Medal  Camp  Furniture  Company,  of  Racine ;  Mary,  deceased,  who  was  the 
wife  of  Charles  E.  Kittinger;  Christopher  C,  of  Racine;  Miss  Elizabeth,  of 
Racine;  Ward  R.,  of  Racine;  and  John  T.,  an  attorney  at  Union  Grove,  Wis., 
secretary  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Society. 

Christopher  C.  Gittings  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Caledonia 
township  and  attended  the  district  schools,  graduating  from  McMiini's  Acad- 
emy in  1881.  Some  years  later  he  attended  Racine  College,  and  during  that 
time  studied  law  in  the  offices  of  Fuller  &  Fuller,  being  admitted  to  the  Bar 
in  1889.  The  same  year  he  commenced  practice  in  his  present  office.  Henry 
T.  Fuller,  the  senior,  died  July  12,  1889,  and  some  time  later  Mr.  Gittings, 
Percival  S.  Fuller  (son  of  Henry  T.)  and  Colin  H.  Fyffe  formed  a  partner- 
ship and  practiced  for  a  time,  Mr.  Gittings  having  charge  of  the  Racine 
office,  while  Mr.  Fuller  and  Mr.  Fyi^e  ran  the  Chicago  office.  This  partnership 
continued  one  year,  when  Mr.  Fuller  withdrew  his  interest  in  the  Racine  of- 
fice and  confined  his  practice  to  Chicago.  Mr.  Gittings  and  W^alter  C.  Palmer 
then  formed  the  partnership  which  still  continues,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Palmer  &  Gittings. 

On  May  16,  1901,  ■Mr.  Gittings  married  Miss  Laura  A.  Jones,  daughter  of 
Capt.  John  W.  and  Jane  Jones.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gittings  are  members  of  the 
Park  Avenue  Congregational  Church,  of  which  he  is  treasurer  and  deacon. 
Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  32,  Knights  of  Pythias,  for  many  years.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Republican.  He  has  held  numerous  offices,  having  been  city 
attorney  for  five  years,  on  the  State  Central  Committee  for  many  years,  a 
delegate  to  several  State  conventions,  is  chairman  of  the  Republican  County 
Central  Committee,  treasurer  of  the  Republican  State  Central  Committee, 
and  at  present  postmaster  of  Racine.  Mr.  Gittings  resides  at  No.  1303  Main 
street,  where  he  owns  a  fine  home,  also  being  the  owner  of  a  nice  residence 
property  on  Asylum  avenue,  and  three  acres  of  ground.  He  is  president  of 
the  Gold  Medal  Camp  Furniture  Company,  in  which  he  owns  a  half-interest, 
and  is  interested  in  farm  lands  in  Racine  county  and  South  Dakota. 

ALBERT  L.  FLEGEL.  a  practical  architect  and  author  of  several 
works  on  architecture,  who  resides  at  No.  613  Wisconsin  street,  Racine,  was 
bom  on  Grand  Island,  New  York,  Sept.  13,  1864,  son  of  Frederick  and  Alice 
C.  (Neef)  Flegel. 

Frederick  Flegel  was  born  in  Erie,  Pa.,  while  his  wife  was  a  native 
of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Their  union  was  blessed  with  seven  children,  namely : 
Albert  L.,  of  Racine;  Harry  D.,  of  Racine;  Nellie,  who  married  R.  W.  Lang- 
don,  of  Pardeeville,  Wis. ;  Eugene,  who  lived  but  three  months ;  and  Chaun- 
cey  R.,  Benjamin,  and  Frederick,  all  of  Racine.  Mr.  Flej-el  came  to  Colum- 
bia county.  Wis.,  about  1876,  and  remained  there  for  ten  years,  after  which 
he  went  to  the  northern  part  of  the  State  for  five  years,  and  in  1891  located 


y2  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGR.VrHICAL    RECORD. 

permanently  in  Racine,  w  here  he  still  resides.     He  is  a  contractor  and  builder 
by  occupation. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Albert  L.  Flegel  lived  to  a  godd  old  age, 
and  was 'the  father  of  a  large  family.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr. 
Flegel  was  born  in  Switzerland,  was  a  farmer  and  speculator  in  land,  and  lived 
to  the  age  of  seventy-eight,  while  his  wife  was  ninety-nine  years  old  when 
she  died.    They  had  thirteen  children. 

Albert  L.  Flegel  lived  in  Tonawanda,  N.  Y.,  until  he  was  eleven  years 
old,  and  attended  school  there.  From  that  time  he  has  resided  almost  en- 
tirely in  Wisconsin,  growing  to  manhood  in  Columbia  county.  He  worked  at 
carpentry  under  his  father  for  three  and  a  half  years,  and  then  began  contract- 
ing. After  ten  years  in  that  line,  he  took  up  architectural  work,  beginning  in 
Chicago,  but  in  1888  he  located  in  Racine.  In  addition  to  the  practical  side  of 
the  business,  he  has  also  established  a  mail  order  office  and  has  orders  from  all 
sections.  Mr.  Flegel  has  written  seven  books  on  architecture,  along  such  lines 
as  "Flegel's  Modern  Homes,"  and  is  likewise  the  founder  and  proprietor  of  a 
magazine  entitled  "The  Modern  Home  Builder,"  which  has  a  good  circulation. 
Mr.  Flegel's  office  is  located  at  No.  220  Fifth  street. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Flegel  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  ]\IcKinley,  daughter  of 
John  and  V.  V.  McKinley,  was  celebrated  in  1889.  Both  are  members  of  the 
Universalist  Church,  attending  the  Good  Shepherd's.  Mr.  Flegel  takes  no 
active  part  in  politics,  but  votes  the  Republican  ticket.  Sociallv  he  belongs  to 
Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. 

JOSEPH  DULLER  (deceased)  accomplished  as  much  as  anv  one  man 
in  the  industrial  and  municipal  development  of  Racine,  Wis.,  and  stood  i^er- 
sonally  for  all  that  was  honorable,  public-spirited  and  charitable.  As  a  Ger- 
man-American citizen  he  was  an  honor  to  his  Fatherland  and  to  his  adopted 
country,  such  as  he  representing  an  element  in  the  national  life  which  is  at  the 
foundation  of  its  greatness.  From  early  youth  until  his  death  in  his  seventy- 
fourth  year  he  was  virtually  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Racine,  and  during  that 
long  period  of  nearly  sixty  years  he  continued  steadily  to  weave  his  personality 
into  the  confidence  and  admiration  of  the  community.  His  friends  and  fellow 
citizens  not  only  rewarded  him  with  an  unbounded  faith  in  his  ability  and  in- 
tegrity, but  with  manifestations  of  their  loyalty  in  such  forms  as  the  mayoralty 
and  the  aldermanship. 

Mr.  Miller  was  born  in  Niederzer,  Rhenish  Prussia,  Aug.  8,  1832.  a  son 
of  Reiner  and  Elizabeth  (Gramlich)  Miller.  Until  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age 
he  was  educated  in  the  thorough  manner  of  the  average  German  boy.  On 
Sept.  27,  1847,  however,  his  father  decided  to  leave  the  old  country  and  search 
for  better  labor  conditions  and  opportunities  for  his  growing  family,  in  the  land 
across  the  ocean,  arriving  in  New  York  City  the  latter  part  of  October  on  the 
sailing  vessel  "Shakespeare."  On  the  .-^rd  of  November  he  left  BufYalo  on  the 
steamer  "Saratoga"  and  arrived  in  Milwaukee  on  the  nth  of  the  month.  Ac- 
quaintances had  already  established  themselves  at  Racine,  the  prosoerous  little 
town  in  the  woods  of  Wisconsin,  and  thither  he  traveled  with  wife  and  five 
children.  There  thev  located,  and  both  i-iarents  lived  in  the  city  to  an  advanced 
age.     Their  children  were:     Joseph,  of  Racine;  Margaret,  wife  of  \Mlliam 


/^^^^^^^--^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  73 

Peil,  of  Milwaukee;  Henry  J.;  Constantine,  who  met  death  by  drowning-  in 
1855,  in  the  Mississippi  river;  Clara,  wife  of  C.  T.  Schweitzer,  vice-president 
of  The  J.  Miller  Company;  and  Rev.  William  G.,  a  priest  of  the  Catholic 
Church  now  stationed  at  Waukesha,  Wisconsin. 

Joseph  Miller  was  a  well-grown,  fairly  educated  youth  of  fifteen  years 
when  his  parents  brought  him  to  Racine  in  November,  1847.  In  the  succeed- 
ing spring  he  entered  into  an  apprenticeship  with  McDonald  &  Roby,  shoe- 
makers, afterward  working  as  journeyman  and  foreman,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1857,  purchased  the  business  of  his  former  employers.  In  the  purchase  of  the 
original  stock  he  not  only  used  all  of  his  savings,  but  was  obliged  to  draw  upon 
his  credit,  which  even  at  that  early  day  was  considerable.  Within  a  few  years 
he  had  so  expanded  the  business  that  it  rec^uired  commodious  quarters,  and  he 
was  an  acknowledged  leader  in  the  boot  and  shoe  trade  of  the  city.  Pros- 
perity rewarded  his  industry,  his  fair  dealing  and  his  ability,  and  fortune,  also, 
was  with  him  until  Jan.  5,  1866,  when,  in  a  few  hours,  a  disastrous  fire  swept 
away  all  his  possessions. 

A  very  short  time  was  given  by  Mr.  Miller  to  mourn  over  his  misfor- 
tune. He  had  mastered  the  shoe  business,  both  in  the  manufacturing  and  dis- 
tributing lines,  and  he  soon  resumed  operations,  although  on  a  very  small  scale. 
In  1870  he  admitted  one  of  his  former  clerks,  A.  G.  Peil,  into  partnership,  and 
they  continued  together  until  1872,  when  Mr.  Miller  sold  the  store  to  Mr.  Peil 
for  the  purpose  of  devoting  himself  solely  to  the  manufacturing  business,  feel- 
ing confident  that  he  could  successfully  engage  in  that  specialty  by  carefully 
pushing-  excellent  goods  at  a  fair  rate  of  profit.  In  1875  he  admitted  into  part- 
nership Charles  T.  Schweitzer,  his  former  foreman,  and  Rush  S.  Adams,  once 
his  bookkeeper,  and  in  that  year  the  title  of  J.  Miller  &  Co.  was  adopted. 

The  new  company  made  no  phenomenal  leap  into  public  favor ;  in  fact  the 
growth  was  at  first  slow,  but  following  out  the  founder's  ideas,  the  superior 
Cjuality  and  finish  of  the  goods  served  as  their  greatest  advertisement,  and  by 
1875  the  annual  output  had  increased  to  $500,000.  In  the  year  named  with  an 
idea  of  securing  better  conditions,  Mr.  Miller  and  his  associates  located  in 
Dubuque,  Iowa,  but  the  removal  was  no  sooner  realized  by  the  capitalists  of 
Racine  than  they  agreed  that  he  was  too  valuable  a  man  to  permit  another  city 
to  enjoy  the  benefits  his  business  would  bring  to  it.  Hence  they  offered  a  build- 
ing and  grounds  for  his  factory  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  street  and  Lake  ave- 
nue if  he  would  return  and  Mr.  Miller,  seeing  in  this  not  only  a  friendly  inter- 
est but  a  good  business  proposition,  accepted,  with  the  proviso  that  he  should 
later  be  permitted  to  purchase  the  property.  This  condition  was  accepted  and, 
several  years  later,  carried  out  by  Mr.  Miller  to  the  letter.  The  return  to  Ra- 
cine was  both  a  tribute  to  his  business  and  personal  valuers  a  large  factor  in 
the  prosperity  and  standing  of  the  city,  and  a  change  which  seemed  to  favor 
his  individual  interests,  since  he  had  discovered  that,  as  Dubuque  was  not  a 
manufacturing  center,  it  was  tlifhcult  to  secure  and  retain  the  skdled  labor 
which  he  required. 

The  business  continued  to  be  conducted  with  an  ever-increasmg  growth, 
at  the  corner  of  Lake  avenue  and  Fourth  street,  until  it  became  necessary  to 
erect  a  larger  factorv  for  its  accommodations,  at  the  corner  of  Third  street  and 
Lake  avenue.     In  1882,  during  the  great  fire  which  so  nearly  destroyed  the 


74  COM  MELIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

entire  business  portion  of  Racine,  his  plant  was  again  swept  away.  Emerging 
from  the  ordeal  a  heavy  loser,  but  unthsmayed,  lie  immediately  commenced 
the  erection  of  a  larger  and  more  modern  manufactory,  which  was  a  portion  of 
the  great  establishment  in  which  the  departments  of  "The  J.  Miller  Company" 
were  conducted  at  the  time  of  the  founder's  death. 

At  this  time  (  1882)  the  firm  of  J.  IMiller  &  Co.  was  incorporated  under 
the  name  of  The  J.  Miller  Company,  with  the  following  officers  and  stock- 
holders:  Jos.  iNIiller,  president;  C.  T.  Schweitzer,  vice-president:  Frank  J. 
Miller,  treasurer:  Henry  C.  ]Miller.  superintendent;  and  George  W.  Miller, 
secretary,  with  Joseph  F.  Miller,  bookkeeper. 

Mr.  Miller's  life  of  constant  and  strenuous  labor,  the  burdens  of  which 
were  undoubtedly  increased  by  the  anxieties  incident  to  at  least  two  calamities 
in  his  business  career,  at  length  undermined  a  naturally  vigorous  constitution, 
so  that  for  about  a  year  before  his  death,  Dec.  29,  1905,  he  was  a  suiTerer  from 
heart  disease.  At  the  time  of  his  decease  The  J.  Miller  Company  furnished  em- 
ployment to  375  hands,  and  the  money  disbursed  to  them  finds  its  way  into  the 
various  avenues  of  business  carried  on  in  Racine.  It  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant industries  of  Racine  and  has  been  developed  mainly  through  the  business 
capacity  and  personal  force  of  the  deceased :  but  fair  credit  must  also  be  given 
his  associates,  wdio  are  men  of  keen  business  perceptions  and  honorable  meth- 
ods. Mr.  Miller  was  interested  in  a  number  of  other  successful  enterprises  as 
president  of  the  Racine  Knitting  Company,  the  Turner  Stove  Company,  the 
Belle  City  Railway  Company,  and  the  Racine  Nail  and  Tack  Co. ;  director  of 
the  Chicago  Rubber  Clothing  Company,  the  Racine  Hotel  Company,  and  the 
Cappon  Bertsch  Leather  Company,  of  Holland,  Mich.  At  one  time  he  was  also 
president  of  the  Racine  Business  Men's  Association,  a  director  of  the  Manu- 
facturers' National  Bank  and  a  stockholder  in  the  First  National. 

In  public  life  Mr.  Miller  served  the  city  a  number  of  times  on  its  edu- 
cational boards,  was  an  alderman  of  the  Third  ward,  and  in  1888  was  mayor 
of  the  city.  It  was  during  his  administration  of  municipal  afifairs  that  the 
water  works  system  was  projected.  He  was  one  of  the  greatest  promoters  of 
public  interests  and  industries  in  Racine,  being  particularly  prominent  in  the 
Business  Men's  Association,  an  organization  effected  for  the  purpose  of  ad- 
vancing the  welfare  of  the  city  in  every  particular.  On  account  of  failing 
health  he  was  finally  oljliged  to  withdraw  from  all  active  participation  in  busi- 
ness and  live  in  comparative  retirement  at  his  beautiful  home.  No.  iioo  Main 
street.  Racine,  where  he  passed  away,  sincerely  and  universally  mourned. 

Mr.  Miller  was  married  Oct.  26,  1854,  at  Racine,  to  Miss  Theresa  Bauer, 
who  was  born  in  Germany.  Dec.  15.  1831.  and  they  have  had  six  children,  five 
sons  and  one  daughter,  namely:  William,  deceased;  Elizabeth,  deceased; 
Frank  J. ;  Henry  C. ;  George  W..  and  Joseph  F.,  all  connected  with  the  J.  Mil- 
ler Company. 

Frank  J.  Miller  is  treasurer  of  The  J.  Aliller  Company,  as  well  as  a  direc- 
tor (if  the  Manufacturers'  Bank.  He  was  treasurer  of  the  Belle  City  Street 
Railway  Company,  until  it  was  sold  to  the  Milwaukee  Company.  He  has 
serx-ed  terms  as  school  commissioner,  and  has  always  taken  a  lively  interest 
in  educational  matters.     Formerly  he  was  president  of  the  Business  Men'.s 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  75 

Association.  His  marriage  took  place  Aug.  3.  1888,  to  Miss  Minnie  B.  Whit- 
ford,  daughter  of  C.  P.  and  Ellen  (Sommers)  Whitford. 

Henry  C.  Miller  is  superintendent  of  the  factory  of  The  J.  ]\Iiller  Com- 
pany. For  two  terms  he  served  as  alderman  of  the  Second  ward.  He  married 
Miss  Cozie  Clarke,  daughter  of  John  J.  and  Margaret  (Harter)  Clarke,  of 
Waukesha,  and  they  have  two  children,  Clarke  and  Noel. 

George  W^  Miller  is  secretary  of  The  J.  Miller  Company.  He  is  also  a 
prominent  and  useful  citizen,  and  has  served  as  school  commissioner  for  three 
terms.  He  married  Josephine  Thomas,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary 
(Scheuer)  Thomas,  of  Racine,  and  they  have  three  children,  Joseph,  Grover 
and  Bernard. 

Joseph  F.  Miller  is  bookkeeper  for  The  J.  Miller  Company.  He  married 
Miss  Catherine  Reichert,  daughter  (.)f  Nicholas  and  Catherine  (Becker) 
Reichert. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Miller  were  members  of  the  St.  Rose  Catholic 
Church  of  Racine,  to  which  the  widow  is  still  devoutly  attached.  The  de- 
ceased was  not  only  an  earnest  and  liberal  supporter  of  the  church  but  a  warm 
and  useful  friend  to  hospital  work,  and  his  entire  life  ofifers  a  notable  example 
of  worldly  success  based  on  morality  and  enlightened  by  charity  and  benevo- 
lence. His  capable  sons  were  so  reared  that  they  can  handle  large  affairs  with 
marked  success,  a  fact  which  no  doubt  was  a  source  of  deep  pleasure  to  their 
venerable  father  during  his  last  days,  as  was  the  added  realizatiiin  that  tliey 
were  following  his  example  in  the  higher  life. 

GEORGE  H.  RIPLEY,  M.  D.,  a  successful  physician  and  surgeon  of 
Kenosha,  was  born  in  Fond  du  Lac  county,  W'is.,  in  the  town  of  Oakfield, 
October  22,  i860,  son  of  Charles  T.  and  Lucy  A.  (Holton)  Ripley,  both  of 
whom  were  of  New  England  ancestry. 

The  paternal  grandparents  were  Allen  and  Laura  Ripley,  natives  of  Ver- 
mont, and  they  were  the  parents  of  two  sons  and  one  daughter,  all  now  de- 
ceased. 

On  the  maternal  side  Dr.  Ripley  traces  his  descent  through  the  Holton 
family  to 

(I)  W'illiam  Holton.  born  in  England  in  161 1,  who  came  to  America 
in  1634,  settling  in  Massachusetts,  and  died  Aug.  12,  1691.  His  wife  Mary 
died  Nov.  16.  1691. 

(II)  John  Holton.  the  date  of  whose  birth  is  not  given,  died  April  16, 
1712.     He  married  Abigail,  who  was  living  in  1718. 

(III)  William  Holton,  born  in  1679,  died  Nov.  13,  1755.  He  married 
Dec.  5,  1706,  Abigail  Edwards. 

(IV)  Samuel  Holton,  born  in  1710,  died  April  11,  1767.  He  married 
Joanna  Morton,  who  died  Dec.  8,  1796,  aged  eighty-two. 

(V)  Samuel  Holton  (2).  born  in  1743.  died  Jan.  7,  1801.  He  mar- 
ried May  19,  1770,  Sarah  Alexander,  who  died  July  28,  183 1,  aged  eighty- 
two. 

(VI)  Samuel  Holton.  born  in  :VIassachusetts  in  1770.  died  Dec.  i, 
1851.  He  married  June  22.  1809,  Polly  Stratton,  who  died  Sept.  12,  i860, 
aged  seventy-nine. 

iWl)'    Lucy   A.   Holton,  born   in   Northfield,   :\Iass.,   in    1820,   married 


76  COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Charles  T.  Ripley  and  became  the  mother  of  Dr.  George  H.  Ripley.  She  is 
directly  connected  with  the  family  from  which  D.  L.  Moody  descended. 

Charles  T.  Ripley  was  born  in  Bennington,  Vt.  in  1816.  He  went  West 
to  ^^'isconsin  in  the  early  days  and  settled  in  Fond  du  Lac,  where  he  worked 
is  a  daguerreotypist.  His  death  occurred  in  Oakfield,  Oct.  20,  i85i,  and  his 
wife  lived  till  1887.  Both  were  Congregationalists.  Their  three  sons 
are:  Charles  S.,  of  Aurora,  S.  Dak.;  Frederick  W.,  of  Oakfield;  and  Dr. 
George  H.,  of  Kenosha. 

George  H.  Ripley  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  and  remained  there  till 
he  was  of  age.  His  early  education  was  acquired  in  the  district  schools, 
while  later  he  attended  Lawrence  L^niversity,  at  Appleton,  Wis.  In  1889  he 
entered  Hahnemann  Medical  College,  in  Chicago,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  1 89 1.  At  first  he  practiced  in  Chicago,  but  soon  decided  upon  Kenosha 
as  offering  a  better  field,  and  has  ever  since  been  established  in  that  city  as  a 
physician  and  surgeon.  He  has  built  up  a  good  practice  and  is  enthusiastic  in 
his  profession.  He  keeps  himself  thoroughly  up-to-date  on  all  medical 
methods  and  theories,  and  is  in  close  touch  with  others  of  the  medical  fra- 
ternity through  his  membership  in  the  Kenosha  County  Medical  Society,  the 
Wisconsin  State  Homoeopathic  Society  and  the  American  Institute  of  HomcE- 
opathy.  The  Doctor  resides  at  No.  661  Prairie  avenue,  where  he  built  a  home 
in  1901. 

Dr.  Ripley  was  united  in  marriage,  Dec.  8,  1886,  to  Miss  Florence  M. 
Fellows,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Matilda  (Stannard)  Fellows.  Mrs.  Ripley 
is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

Henry  Fellows,  father  of  Mrs.  Ripley,  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence,  X.  Y., 
son  of  James  and  Mary  (Marks)  Fellows,  and  married  iMatilda  Stannard,  of 
Cattaraugus,  N.  Y.,  daughter  of  Hiram  P.  and  Dorothea  (DeLapp)  Stan- 
nard, and  granddaughter  of  Sidney  DeLapp,  who  came  to  this  country  w-ith 
LaFayette,  and  for  his  services  in  the  Revolution  was  awarded  a  grant  of  land 
in  Cattaraugus  county,  N.  Y.  Henry  Fellows  was  a  farmer.  In  an  early 
day  he  came  from  New  York  State  to  Wisconsin,  settling  in  Bristol,  Kenosha 
county,  where  he  and  his  wife  ended  their  days. 

CHARLES  A.  WUSTUM,  stockman  and  prominent  citizen  of  Racine, 
Wis,  was  born  there  Nov.  21,  1849,  ^  son  of  Hon.  George  and  }ilaria  (Utner) 
Wustum,  natives  of  Bavaria,  Germany. 

Sebastian  Wustum,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Charles  A.  Wustum, 
was  a  native  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  and  was  a  landlord  and  butcher  there. 
After  his  wife  died  he  came  to  America  and  settled  at  Racine,  where  he  died 
aged  eighty-four  years.  His  only  son  by  his  first  marriage  was  George  Wus- 
tum, father  of  Charles  A.  By  a  second  marriage  he  had  two  children,  Fred- 
erick and  Christian. 

Mr.  Wustum's  maternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Germany,  who 
also  came  to  America,  and  located  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Still  later  he  came  to 
Wisconsin,  and  made  his  home  part  of  the  time  with  his  daughter  here  and 
part  with  a  daughter  at  Galena,  III,  where  he  died  aged  eighty-eight  years. 
His  wife  died  young.     They  had  three  children.     He  was  a  man  of  great 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  -jy 

scholarship,  spoke  a  number  of  languages,  and  was  engaged  in  teaching  for 
many  years. 

George  W'ustum  came  to  America  and  settled  in  New  York  City,  where 
he  followed  his  trade  of  butcher.  There  he  married  and  in  1841  he  came  to 
Racine  and  engaged  in  a  butchering  business,  and  was  established  for  many 
years,  standing  in  the  same  relation  to  the  Racine  of  his  time  as  that  occupied 
by  the  Case  Company  of  to-day.  He  was  considered  a  public  benefactor  here, 
as  he  certainly  was  a  man  of  importance.  He  raised  the  first  military  com- 
pany in  the  Territory,  and  built  a  military  hall  on  Main  street  which  stood 
for  many  years.  In  1855  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Racine,  was  a  member  of 
the  city  council  for  many  years,  and  at  one  time  was  elected  to  the  Legisla- 
ture. He  received  a  commission  from  Gov.  William  A.  Barstow  of  the  Ter- 
ritory as  paymaster-general  of  the  militia  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  with  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  on  April  i,  1854.  On  May  22,  1852,  he  was  com- 
missioned major  of  the  Separate  Battalion  of  the  city  of  Racine,  by  Gov. 
Leonard  J.  Farwell.  His  first  commission  was  given  by  Gov.  Nelson  Dewey, 
of  Wisconsin,  as  captain  of  a  volunteer  company  of  infantry,  on  Sept.  3,  1850. 
and  by  the  same  governor,  on  Oct.  2,  1851,  he  was  commissioned  brigade  in- 
spector of  the  2nd  Brigade  of  the  ist  Division  of  the  militia  of  Wisconsin, 
with  the  rank  of  major  of  cavalry.  When  real  war  came  upon  the  country  he 
was  not  backward.  In  1862  he  raised  a  company  of  102  men  for  the  Civil 
war  and  was  commissioned  captain  of  that  company,  serving  in  the  war  until 
failing  health  compelled  his  resignation.  He  held  many  offices  of  trust  and 
was  continually  honored  as  long  as  he  lived.  One  of  the  newspapers  of  Racine 
in  announcing  his  death,  said  that  he  had  a  "grander  and  nobler  record  than 
gold."  He  died  April  14,  1892,  aged  seventy-seven  years.  His  wife  had  passed 
away  previously,  dying  Oct.  2^,  1884,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  Both  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  Church.  They  reared  four  sons  and  one  daughter,  viz. : 
John  G..  now  deceased;  Sebastian,  of  Racine;  Mary  B.,  wife  of  William 
Smieding,  of  Racine;  Charles  A.,  of  Racine;  and  George,  Jr.,  deceased.  Mr. 
Wustum  belonged  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  K  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  to  Orient 
Chapter,  No.  12,  R.  A.  M.  Politically  he  was  a  Democrat.  He  w-as  a  man 
whose  efforts  in  securing  pensions  for  the  soldiers  made  him  much  beloved 
by  them. 

Charles  A.  ^^'ustum  was  reared  until  the  age  of  fifteen  years  in  Racine, 
and  he  attended  the  common  schools  and  the  Dan  Howard  Commercial  Col- 
lege, and  then  entered  the  Chicago  University,  wdiere  he  continued  three  years. 
His  first  business  connection  was  with  his  brother  Sebastian,  and  they  operated 
a  market  at  the  corner  of  i8th  street  and  W'aljash  avenue,  in  Chicago,  until 
Februarv,  1878.  Thev  then  bought  the  "Home  Stake"  gold  mine,  in  the  Black 
Hills,  at  Lead,  S.  Dak.,  which  they  sold  in  the  second  year  to  George  Hearst 
of  San  Francisco,  father  of  the  'present  Congressman  and  newspaper  pub- 
lisher. On  disposing  of  their  mine.  Sebastian  returned  to  Chicago  and  later 
to  Racine,  but  Charles  A.  did  not  close  out  his  interest  in  mining  property._  as 
he  afterward  owned  and  worked  the  "Pacacho"  gold  mine,  at  Central  City. 
S.  Dak.,  which  he  later  sold  and  then,  in  1881.  went  to  Montana  and  turned 
his  attention  to  lumber  and  stock  interests.  Montana  was  yet  a  Territory  and 
Charles  A.  Wustum  built  the  first  frame  house  at  Bilhngs,  which  is  now  the 


78       .       COMMEAIORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

■  county-seat  of  Yellowstone  county.  He  ser\-ed  four  years  as  postmaster  at 
Billings  under  President  Cleveland  and  was  one  of  the  dominant  men  of  that 
locality.  While  living  at  Billings  he  erected  a  number  of  handsome,  sub- 
stantial buildings  and  owned  the  finest  home  there,  and  he  was  the  founder 
of  the  Montana  Lumber  Company  and  chairman  of  the  executive  committee 
that  was  instrumental  in  the  creation  of  Yellowstone  county.  He  was  the 
godfather  of  the  county,  giving  it  its  name.  He  owned  a  large  horse  and  cat- 
tle ranch  of  some  three  thousand  acres  there,  and  held  his  in.terests  until  1901, 
when  he  sold  out.  His  father  and  younger  brother,  George,  Jr.,  had  died,  and 
his  father  left  him  a  farm  in  the  west  end  of  his  estate.  Charles  A.  accepted 
the  west  end  farm,  and  bought  another  on  the  east  end,  and  combined  three 
farms  comprising  325  acres  just  at  the  edge  of  Racine,  on  which  he  has  built 
an  elegant  home.  He  owns  city  property  in  addition  to  his  interests  mentioned, 
and  he  has  stock  in  various  enterprises. 

Mr.  Wustum  was  married  I'^eb.  i,  1879,  to  Miss  Jennie  Electa  Stewart, 
daughter  of  Alexander  and  Martha  (Dunlap)  Stewart.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wus- 
tum are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  He  belongs  to  Lodge  No.  52, 
B.  P.  O.  E. ;  to  Racine  Lodge.  No.  18,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Orient  Chapter,  No.  12, 
R.  A.  M.;  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  K.  T.,  and  is  a  32nd  degree  Scottish 
Rite  Mason.  He  belongs  to  Milwaukee  Valley  Consistory,  Nobles  of  the 
Mystic  Shrine,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  also  members  of  the  Eastern  Star. 
Politically  he  is  a  Democrat. 

The  late  Alexander  Stewart,  father  of  Mrs.  Wustum.  was  born  in  Scot- 
land, and  her  mother  was  a  native  of  Germany.  They  both  came  to  America, 
married,  and  resided  at  several  points,  first  in  Illinois,  and  later  at  Adel,  Iowa, 
where  Mrs.  Wustum  was  born.  There  Mrs.  Stewart  died  Feb.  12,  1861,  aged 
forty-seven  years.  The  father  lived  with  his  different  daughters  until  his  death, 
Nov.  23,  1901.  when  he  was  aged  eighty-nine  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stewart 
had  eleven  children,  seven  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  and  four  now  sur- 
vive, of  which  i\Irs.  Wustum  was  the  youngest.  Mr.  Stewart  was  a 
stockman  and  large  landowner.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Glasgow  and 
a  shipowner  in  his  native  land.  He  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Missouri, 
where  he  died  and  was  interred,  living  to  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-four 
years.  He  left  a  large  family,  a  number  of  them  teing  now  prominent  resi- 
dents of  the  various  Western  States.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
\\'ustum  was  born  in  Germany,  and  also  lived  until  well  advanced  in  years. 
The  Wustum  family  and  all  its  connections  are  people  of  prominence  and 
standing,  representatives  of  the  best  American  life  grafted  on  to  the  sturdy 
stock  of  Germany  and  Scotland. 

JAMES  CAPE,  Jr.,  Chief  of  the  Fire  Department  of  Racine,  W^is..  an 
office  he  has  filled  since  June  i,  1900,  is  a  native  of  New  York  City,  where  he 
was  born  Jan.  3,  1855.  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Jones)  Cape,  natives  of 
Bristol,  England,  who  came  to  America  when  young  people. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  James  Cape,  Jr.,  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade 
and  lived  at  Langford,  England,  where  he  died  in  1849.  His  widow  surviN'ed 
him  some  fourteen  years.  Both  were  members  of  the  Church  of  England. 
James  Cape  was  a  shoemaker  liy  trade  in  his  native  country.     He  came  to 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  79 

America  in  1854,  locating  in  New  York  City,  where  he  remained  three  years. 
He  then  removed  to  Racine,  Wis.,  where  for  the  past  twenty-three  years  he  has 
engaged  in  general  contracting,  having  his  sons,  Charles  and  Albert,  associated 
in  business  with  him,  under  the  tirm  name  of  James  Cape  &  Sons.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  James  Cape  had  these  children:  James,  Jr. ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Clar- 
ence Williams,  proprietor  of  the  "Grand  Hotel,"  Oklahoma  City,  Okla. ; 
Charles,  a  contractor  of  Racine;  Albert,  also  a  contractor  of  .Racine;  and 
Benjamin,  captain  of  the  Hook  &  Ladder  Company,  Racine  Fire  Department. 

James  Cape,  Jr.,  was  brought  to  Racine  when  two  years  of  age,  and  his 
entire  life  has  been  spent  here.  After  attending  the  public  schools  he  learned 
the  shoemaker's  trade  under  his  father,  and  followed  that  occupation  until  June 
I,  1900.  He  has  been  connected  with  the  Racine  Fire  Department  for  twenty- 
eight  years,  being  in  the  call  departinent  up  to  1900.  He  first  served  as  truck- 
man, from  which  he  was  promoted  to  captain,  this  being  in  1882.  He  then 
served  as  assistant  fire  marshal  for  five  years,  and  when  Chief  Abessor  re- 
signed June  I,  1900,  the  Civil  Service  Commission  appointed  Mr.  Cape  fire 
marshal,  or  chief  of  the  fire  department,  an  office  he  still  retains.  The  Fire 
Department  of  Racine  consists  of  six  companies,  five  engine  houses  and  three 
fire  steamers.  No.  5  Engine  House  is  headquarters.  There  are  thirty  men  in 
the  department,  five  hose  carriages  and  one  hook  and  ladder  truck,  and  there 
are  twelve  head  of  horses. 

Chief  Cape  was  married  June  22,  1882.  to  ^liss  Jennie  Eagan,  of  \\'au- 
kesha,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (McGuire)  Eagan,  and  ten  children 
have  been  born  to  this  union:  Henry  J.,  Elizabeth,  Carrie.  \\'inifred,  James, 
Loretta.  Marie.  Lulu.  Clarence  and  Charles.  Mrs.  Cape  is  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  but  her  husband  is  not  connected  with  any  particular  church. 
Politically  he  is  a  Democrat.  His  fine  residence  is  situated  at  No.  472  Water 
street.  Chief  Cape  is  vice-president  of  the  Mechanics'  Building  Association, 
and  is  a  popular  member  of  the  Newhall  Club. 

ANDREW  HILDEBRAND.  superintendent  of  the  Uihlein  Brothers' 
stock  farm,  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township.  Kenosha  county,  was  born  in  Mil- 
waukee. Wis.,  Dec.  8.  1856.  son  of  Frederick  and  Sophia  (Bergh)  Hilde- 
brand. 

The  father  of  Mr.  Hildebrand  was  born  in  Hanover.  Germany,  and  the 
mother  in  Christiania,  Norway.  They  had  five  children,  as  follows :  George, 
deceased:  Christian,  of  Milwaukee:  Frederick;  Andrew  of  Pleasant  Prairie 
township ;  and  Annie,  wife  of  Andrew  Osen,  of  Oconomowoc.  Wis.  For  some 
years  Frederick  Hildebrand  filled  the  position  of  bridge-tender  in  Milwaukee, 
but  later  embarked  in  the  dairy  business  in  Lake  township,  which  he  continued 
for  eighteen  years.  He  had  come  to  America  in  1844.  and  had  settled  immedi- 
ately in  Milwaukee.  He  died  aged  sixtv-three  years,  and  his  wife  passed  away 
at  the  same  age.  They  were  worthy  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  During 
the  Civil  war,  Mr.  Hildebrand  was  drafted  into  the  army,  but  his  son  George 
went  as  a  substitute,  and  was  rejected  on  account  of  rheumatism. 

Andrew  Hildebrand  was  reared  in  Milwaukee,  and  attended  the  public 
schools  of  that  city,  and  also  took  a  commercial  course  in  the  Spencer  Business 
College.    For  a  number  of  vears  he  was  associated  with  his  brother  Frederick 


8o  CO^niE^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

in  a  general  contracting  bnsiness,  and  almost  all  his  life  he  has  been  interested 
in  horses.  For  some  fifteen  or  twenty  years  he  followed  farming  at  intervals, 
owning,  with  his  brother,  what  was  known  as  the  Joe  Arnold  farm,  and  he 
still  owns  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  the  town  of  Oconomowoc.  Since  1902  he 
has  been  superintendent  of  Uihlein  Brothers'  stock  farm,  which  contains  more 
than  one  thousand  acres  of  land  and  he  has  under  his  care  over  four  hundred 
standard-bred  trotting  horses.  One  of  these,  "Electrification,"  a  black  stallion, 
sixteen  years  old,  who  had  not  had  harness  on  for  six  years,  was  placed  on 
the  track  by  Mr.  Hildebrand,  and  he  made  a  trotting  record  of  2  :i9>^.  Mr. 
Hildebrand"  is  a  very  good  judge  of  horseflesh,  and  he  has  made  a  great 
success  as  a  trainer. 

On  Nov.  9,  1882,  'Sir.  Hildebrand  was  united  in  marriage  to  I\Iiss  Annie 
Nelson,  daughter  of  Nels  and  Harriet  (Austin)  Nelson,  and  they  have  had 
four  sons  and  three  daughters :  Raymond,  Dean,  Gordon,  Douglass.  Irma, 
Bessie  and  Blanche.  Both  Bessie  and  Blanche  are  deceased,  the  first  dying 
aged  ten  years,  and  the  latter  when  a  babe  of  twelve  months. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Hildebrand  were  natives  of  Norway,  where  their 
parents  were  born.  They  came  to  America  and  were  among  the  very  early 
settlers  of  Waukesha  county,  Wis.,  where  the  father  died  May  5,  1884,  aged 
sixty-three  years,  and  the  mother  in  1879,  aged  fifty- four  years.  They  had 
six  children,  namely :  Charles,  of  Grand  Forks,  N.  Dak. ;  Mary,  wife  of 
Christ  Peterson.'  of  Clarence,  Iowa :  Annie,  wife  of  Mr.  Hildebrand ;  Andrew, 
of  Milwaukee ;  Hattie,  wife  of  Thomas  De  Baney,  of  Shermerville,  111. ;  and 
Sophia,  who  died  aged  nineteen  years.  Mrs.  Hildebrand's  paternal  grand- 
father was  Nels  Nelson.  ■    ■ 

Politically  Mr.  Hildebrand  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  he  is  serving  as 
deputy  sheriff  tmder  Sheriff  Vietch.  He  filled  this  office  under  two  other 
officials.  Sheriffs  King  and  Blair,  for  four  years  in  Waukesha  county.  He 
belongs  to  the  order  of  ]\Iodern  Woodmen  of  America.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  South  Baptist  Church  of  Milwaukee. 

STEPHEN  HURLBUT  SAGE  (deceased)  had  the  distinction  of  being 
the  oldest  continuous  resident  of  Racine,  Wis.,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
June  28,  1905,  resided  at  No.  938  Superior  street,  that  city.  For  many  years 
he  was  an  insurance  agent.  He  was  born  in  Berkshire  county,  Mass.,  near 
Sandisfield,  Aug.  i,  1818.  the  son  of  Joel  and  Bethia  (Hurlbut)  Sage,  the 
former  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the  latter  of  Vermont.  They  had  two 
sons,   Stephen  H.  and  Sidney  A.,  both  deceased. 

Great-grandfather  Samuel  Sage  and  his  sons  were  Revolutionary  sol- 
diers. The  Sage  family  in  America  descended  from  David  Sage,  a  native 
of  Wales,  born  in  1639,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Middletown,  Conn.,  where 
he  located  in  1652. 

Enos  Sage,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  spent  his  entire  life  at  Coldbrook,  where 
he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife,  wdiose 
maiden  name  was  Chamberlain,  being  mother  of  our  subject's  father.  Enos 
Sage  had  a  family  of  fifteen  children. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Ste]>hen  H.  Sage  was  Samuel  Hurlbut,  who 


WP^ 


'^^f^' 


T 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  8i 

married  Jerusha  Higgins.  He  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  where  he  died,  and 
was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  His  wife  survived  him  a  num- 
ber of  years,  being  ninety  years  of  age  at  her  death. 

Joel  Sage,  the  father  of  Stephen  H.,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  ana 
operated  a  sawmill  during  his  young  manhood.  He  later  became  a  merchant 
at  Sandistield,  but  failed  in  business  in  183 1.  After  this  misfortune  he  be- 
gan looking  for  a  location  and  removed  to  Hoosick  Falls,  where  he  remained 
perhaps  a  year.  In  the  summer  of  1834  he  removed  West,  to  Ashtabula  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  spent  the  following  winter,  and  then  filled  a  little  leather 
valise  and  started  for  Chicago,  where  an  old  acquaintance  of  his,  a  law-yer 
from  his  native  town,  was  making  his  home.  While  in  this  law-yer's  ofifice 
Capt.  Strong  of  Racine  came  in  and  they  were  introduced,  Capt.  Strong  be- 
ing informed  that  Mr.  Sage  was  looking  for  a  location.  The  Captain  called 
his  attention  to  Root  river,  where  he  had  a  claim,  and  offered  to  let  Mr.  Sage 
ride  his  pony  down,  to  look  the  country  over,  which  offer  was  gladly  accepted. 
No  lands  were  yet  surveyed  in  that  district.  Mr.  Sage  looked  around  for 
a  day  or  two  and  then  rode  to  Milwaukee,  but  as  he  did  not  like  the  locality 
(as  there  was  too  much  water  there)  he  came  to  Racine,  where  he  took  charge 
of  the  log  cabin  of  Capt.  Knapp,  and  commenced  work  there.  Soon  after  he 
purchased  a  claim  of  107  acres  of  land  on  the  present  site  of  Racine,  for 
which  he  gave  a  barrel  of  pork  and  ten  dollars  in  money.  He  improved  the 
land,  and  continued  to  reside  there,  but  had  to  fight  for  the  claim  against 
others,  a  claim  committee  finally  awarding  the  land  to  him.  There  were 
many  "floats"  located  in  those  days,  fraudulent  claims  under  a  supposed  law, 
and  in  1837  Judge  Butterfield  of  Chicago  went  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and 
discovered  that  these  "floats"  were  fraudulent  and  the  law  permitting  them 
was  declared  void.  Mr.  Sage  then  gave  Judge  Butterfield  one-quarter  of 
his  land,  the  undivided  interest.  The  locality  was  known  as  Sagetown,  and 
Mr.  Sage  remained  until  his  death.  Up  to  that  time  the  land  ofifice  was  lo- 
cated at  Green  Bay,  but  in  1838  it  was  removed  to  Milwaukee  and  Mr.  Joel 
Sage  secured  permanently  a  pre-emption  claim.  He  died  in  1840,  aged  fifty- 
eight  years.  His  wife  survived  him  until  1868,  and  was  eighty-two  years 
old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Religiously  they  were  Congregationalists.  Mr. 
Sage  was  appointed  a  Territorial  judge  by  the  government  and  acted  as  a 
justice  of  the  peace  for  a  number  of  years,  being  the  first  justice  in  Racine 
county.  Kenosha  county  was  at  that  time  attached  as  a  part  of  Racine 
county.  Mr.  Sage  performed  the  marriage  ceremony  of  James  Kinzie,  one 
of  the  very  first  settlers  of  Chicago,  who  settled  there  wdien  k  w-as  known  as 
Fort  Dearborn. 

Stephen  H.  Sage  was  reared  in  Massachusetts  until  seventeen  or  eighteen 
years  of  age,  receiving  his  schooling  there.  He  attended  Ballard's  Seminary, 
at  Bennington,  Vt.,  and  in  February,  1836,  came  to  Racine,  Wis.,  stopping 
on  the  way  at  Perrysburg,  Ohio,  to  get  his  father's  trunk.  He  hired  a  man 
to  bring  him  in  a  lumber  wagon,  but  on  the  second'  day  the  man  backed  out 
and  Mr.  Sage  made  the  journey  from  near  Elyria,  Ohio,-  to  Michigan  City, 
Ind.,  by  stage.  While  there  he  w-as  happily  surprised  to  meet  his  brother  Sid- 
ney, who  had  come  from  Hoosick  Falls  by  team.  His  brother  took  the 
stage  to  Chicago,  whence  the  rest  came  to  Racine  in  a  light  wagon.     Arriving 


82  COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

at  Racine  ^Ir.  Sage  went  to  work  for  his  father  and  for  a  time  was  his  cook, 
his  mother  not  having  arrived  from  Ohio.  A  hght  snow  had  fallen  the  night 
before  his  arrival,  and  his  father  introduced  him  to  the  log  cabin  where  they 
were  to  li\"e,  and  to  a  bed  upon  which  to  sleep,  made  of  slips  of  bark  upon 
which  was  a  bundle  of  hay,  without  bed-clothing.  Their  meals  were  very  plain 
and  frugal  and  they  lived  in  this  humble  way  for  several  months,  until  the 
arrival  of  the  father's  household  goods,  when  their  style  of  living  was  greatly 
improved.  The  following  August  our  subject's  mother  arrived,  which  re- 
lieved him  of  cooking. 

Mr.  Sage  stayed  with  his  father  until  twenty-one  years  old,  and  then 
went  into  partnership  with  another  man  and  purchased  a  stock  of  goods. 
But  he  soon  afterward  embarked  in  the  insurance  business,  and  while  on  a 
trip  to  Walworth  county,  without  his  knowledge,  was  elected  city  treasurer 
of  Racine,  which  office  he  held  six  or  seven  years.  He  then  went  into  the 
grain  business  in  partnership  with  R.  M.  Norton  and  L.  R.  Hurlbut,  this 
firm  also  engaging  in  buying  pork,  which  line  he  followed  for  two  years.  He 
then  went  on  the  street,  buying  wheat  for  warehousemen,  later  engaging  in 
the  real  estate  and  life  insurance  business,  which  he  followed  for  many  years. 

On  Feb.  28,  1855,  Mr.  Sage  married  Miss  Helen  M.  Carpenter,  daugh- 
ter of  Eleazer  and  Fannie  (Kinney)  Carpenter,  and  two  daughters  were  born 
to  this  union,  Fannie  B.  and  Emma  M.  Fannie  B.  married  Vincent  S.  Stone 
(deceased),  who  was  a  noted  lawyer  at  Fargo,  and  they  iiad  a  daughter,  who 
died  in  infancy.  Both  daughters  now  reside  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sage, 
like  their  daughters,  were  members  of  the  Congregational  Church,  and  Mr. 
Sage  was  one  of  the  church  trustees  until  his  death.  Politically  he  was  a  Re- 
publican, and  served  as  county  superx'isor  and  city  assessor  for  a  number  of 
terms.     His  wife  passed  away  Nov.  20,  1904,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years. 

Stephen  H.  Sage  was  the  oldest  continuous  resident  of  Racine  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  having  lived  there  a  period  of  sixty-eight  years.  He  was 
well  known  throughout  the  county,  was  extremely  popular,  and  as  he  en- 
joyed a  well-earned  reputation  for  honesty  and  integrity,  he  was  universally 
respected.  He  possessed  ability  and  a  keen  mind,  had  a  remarkably  retentive 
memory,  was  a  fine  conversationalist,  and  all  in  all  was  a  fascinating  enter- 
tainer, retaining  these  attractive  traits  of  character  until  the  day  of  his  death, 
whereby  Racine  county  lost  one  of  its  leading  and  progressive  citizens. 

Sidney  A.  S-\ge,  ]\Ir.  Sage's  brother,  came  to  Racine  at  the  same  time 
as  did  our  subject,  and  died  in  1869.  He  was  in  the  mercantile  business  for 
many  years,  and  was  a  member  of  the  city  council.  In  1850  he  and  S.  E. 
Hurlbut  built  a  mill,  which  they  operated  for  a  number  of  years.  This 
was  before  the  days  of  railroads,  and  because  of  poor  shipping  facilities  they 
gave  this  business  up.  Sidney  A.  Sage  owned  considerable  real  estate.  At 
the  time  of  his  death  he  left  a  wife  (his  second)  and  one  son  and  four  daugh- 
ters. His  first  wife  was  Susan  Whitney,  of  Boston,  and  his  second  Harriet 
Foster. 

GEORGE  SPILLUM,  the  pioneer  merchant  of  North  Cape,  Norway 
township,  and  still  proprietor  of  one  of  the  leading  general  merchandise  estab- 
lishments in  his  section  of  Racine  county,  is  a  public-spirited  and  prominent 


COALMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RFXORU.  83 

citizen  of  that  region.  He  \\-as  burn  in  Norway,  Feb.  2,  1840,  his  birthplace 
being  Namsos,  and  his  father,  Ole  J.  Spillum,  was  a  native  of  the  same  locaHty. 
The  latter  married  Gunhild  Anderson,  who  was  also  born  in  Norway,  and 
tive  children  w^ere  born  to  their  union,  those  besides  George  being:  Joha'nn  O., 
who  is  living  in  Norway  on  the  father's  farm ;  Mathias,  who  died  in  Racine 
county ;  Josefa,  wife  of  Ole  Ladel,  of  Lyon  County,  Minn.;  and  Ellen  Alartha, 
w-ho  lives  in  Norway,  the  wife  of  Johann  A.  Solum.  The  father  died  in  1847,' 
when  a  young  man,  George  being  then  but  seven  years  of  age.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  a  blacksmith  by  occupation.  He  was  a  Lutheran  in  religion,  as 
was  also  his  wife.  J\Irs.  Ole  Spillum  afterward  became  the  wife  of  Ole  Ander- 
son, antl  died  in  Norway  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight,  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren by  her  second  marriage.  One  of  the  children  is  deceased,  the  other  re- 
sides in  the  old  country. 

Jonas  Spillum,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  farmer,  and  died  in  Nor- 
way, his  fatherland,  at  an  old  age.  His  wife  also  lived  beyond  the  average. 
She  was  the  mother  of  a  small  family,  all  of  the  children  being  now  deceased. 
The  maternal  grandfather  of  George  Spillum  was  Andreas  Solum,  a  Norwegian 
farmer  who,  with  his  wife,  Gunhild  Pedersen,  died  in  the  country  of  his  birth; 
the  life  of  each  spanned  its  fourscore  years. 

The  early  life  of  George  Spillum  was  divided  between  the  fields  and  for- 
ests of  Norway  and  the  schools  of  his  neighborhood.  He  thus  reached  the  age 
of  eighteen — a  hardy,  intelligent,  well-educated  and  ambitious  young  man. 
Desiring  a  broader  field  for  his  activities  than  could  be  found  at  home,  in  1858 
he  embarked  for  America,  reaching  Racine,  Wis.,  on  the  9th  of  August  of  that 
year.  Although  relatives  had  preceded  him  to  that  city,  the  day  after  his  ar- 
rival he  located  at  North  Cape,  and  has  virtually  made  that  place  his  home  ever 
since.  For  three  years  he  worked  as  a  farm  laborer  in  the  locality,  spending  his 
winters  in  the  sawmills  and  lumbering  camps  of  Michigan.  On  account  of  sick- 
ness he  then  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  a  Milwaukee  store  for  a  short  time,  and  for 
a  year  bought  and  sold  cattle.  In  company  with  his  brother-in-law  he  then 
rented  a  large  farm  In  Raymond  township,  after  which  he  became  a  permanent 
resident  of  North  Cape,  being  first  employed  as  a  salesman  in  the  store  of  Knut 
Adland. 

In  1869,  after  disposing  of  his  interest  in  the  farm  enterprise,  Mr.  Spillum 
began  to  build  his  store  m  North  Cape,  which,  wdien  completed  in  the  fall  of 
that  year,  was  opened  to  the  public  as  the  first  general  merchandise  establish- 
ment in  that  place.  With  the  exception  of  a  short  period,  when  his  son  Oscar 
managed  the  business,  Mr.  Spillum  has  conducted  the  store  ever  since.  He  car- 
ries a  varied  and  complete  stock  of  goods  valued  at  $6,000,  and  by  his  good 
judgment  of  the  public  wants,  his  shrewd  buying  and  fair  and  courteous  meth- 
ods of  selling,  has  founded  a  business  which  takes  rank  with  the  best  of  its  kind 
'n  this  section  of  the  country.  Besides  his  mercantile  establishment  he  owns 
and  conducts  a  fine  farm  of  160  acres  at  W^ind  Lake,  and  he  is  ranked  among 
the  wealthy  and  broad-minded  business  men  of  the  community. 

George  Spillum  cast  his  first  Presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  and 
has  since  Ijeen  such  a  vigorous  and  effective  supporter  of  the  Republican  party 
that  his  fellow-citizens  have  evinced  their  appreciation  of  his  services  in  no 
uncertain  manner.     He  has  served  as  township  commissioner  for  more  than 


84  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

twenty  years ;  was  clerk  of  Norway  township  for  two  years,  and  supervisor  and 
postmaster  of  North  Cape  for  thret  years.  He  is  identified  fraternally  with  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and  is  in  all  respects  as  popular  as  he  is  busi- 
ness-like, financially  successful  and  highly  honored. 

On  May  21,  1870,  Mr.  Spillum  was  joined  in  marriage  with  Betsy  Emen- 
son,  a  native  of  Norway  and  daughter  of  Aadne  Emenson  and  Hage  T.  (Tove- 
sen)  Emenson.  Mrs.  Betsy  Spillum  emigrated  to  America  with  her  parents 
during  her  childhood,  the  family  settling  in  Norway  township,  where  both 
father  and  mother  died.  The  orphan  girl  was  then  adopted  by  Herman  Nelson, 
in  whose  home  she  remained  until  her  marriage.  Her  death  occurred  in  April 
1873,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  years,  and  she  was  the  mother  of  two  children, 
Oscar  A.  and  Betsy  M.  The  son  secured  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
North  Cape,  Rochester  Seminary  and  the  Business  College  of  Racine,  assisted 
his  father  in  his  business,  and  is  now  a  bookkeeper  in  a  store  at  Rugby,  N. 
Dak.;  he  married  Lillie  Isaacs,  and  has  six  children,  Irving  G.,  Stanley,  Earl, 
Gladys,  LeRoy  and  Glen.    Betsy  M.  Spillum,  the  daughter,  died  in  infancy. 

For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Spillum  married  Anna  Christina  Setterlun.  on 
Feb.  26,  1889.  His  wife  is  a  native  of  Sweden  and  a  daughter  of  Gustav  and 
Mary  (Steppenson)  Setterlun.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  them,  viz.: 
Ellen  Magdalene,  Gertrude  Matilda.  Arthur  Gerhart  and  Clara  Josephine.  Both 
husband  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and,  with  their  chil- 
dren, form  a  happy  domestic  circle.  Mr.  Spillum  is  an  ideal  family  man.  and 
since  he  settled  in  Racine  county,  forty-eight  years  ago — especially  since  the 
commencement  of  his  married  life  in  1870 — has  made  few  journeys  outside  its 
limits.  The  most  noteworthy  and  enjoyable  was  in  1889.  when  he  spent  from 
May  to  August  revisiting  his  old  home  in  Norway  and  the  scenes  of  his  child- 
hood and  youthful  days. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Anna  Spillum  are  natives  of  Sweden.  The  father 
is  a  cabinetmaker,  which  trade  he  has  followed  both  in  his  native  land  and  in 
this  country,  they  having  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1869.  After  living 
in  Racine  seven  years  they  located  in  1876  in  Norway  township,  where  Mr. 
Setterlun  engaged  in  various  occupations.  They  now  reside  in  Norway  town- 
ship, about  two  miles  north  of  North  Cape.  Their  five  children  are  as  follows : 
Anna,  Mrs.  George  Spillum;  Mary,  w-ife  of  Abraham  Ebert,  of  Norway  town- 
ship; G.  Adolph,  a  resident  of  Shaw,  Ore.;  Frank,  a  blacksmith  at  Unior, 
Church,  and  Sarah  (Mrs.  Frank  Fohr),  also  of  that  place. 

MARTIN  MATHIAS  SECOR.  president  of  the  M.  M.  Secor  Trunk 
Company  of  Racine,  Wis.,  manufacturers  of  trunks  and  traveling  bags,  is  one 
of  the  most  highly  esteemed  residents  of  that  city.  He  was  born  twelve  Ger- 
man miles  from  Prague,  in  the  town  of  Strakonitz,  Austria,  Feb.  4.  1841, 
son  of  Mathias  and  Josephine  (Beider)  Secor,  also  natives  of  Austria. 

Mathias  Secor  and  his  w'ife  and  family  came  to  America  in  1851,  being 
six  weeks  and  six  days  on  the  ocean  in  a  sailing  vessel.  They  located  in  Ra- 
cine in  the  latter  part  of  February,  having  made  the  journey  from  New  York 
by  rail  to  Buffalo,  down  the  lake  to  Detroit,  bv  rail  to  Chicago,  and  to  Racint; 
by  side-wheel  steamer.  After  locating  here  Mr.  Secor  purchased  a  farm  of  fif- 
teen acres,  which  he  cleared  and  improved,  and  later  added  twenty  acres  to  this. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  85 

the  latter  land  being  in  Caledonia  township.  He  sold  out  about  1880  and  re- 
moved to  Racine,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  in  1886,  at  the  age  of 
nearly  eighty  years.  His  wife  died  two  years  later,  aged  seventy-six  years. 
Both,  originally,  were  Roman  Catholics,  but  he  later  became  a  Free  Thinker. 
For  sixteen  years  Mathias  Secor  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  Austrian  army,  be- 
longing to  the  Grenadiers,  the  famous  regiment  of  large  men,  all  picked  for 
their  ability,  bravery  and  strength.  In  his  native  country  he  was  a  stone- 
mason, and  manufactured  old-fashioned  bake-ovens,  an  occupation  he  followed 
to  some  extent  in  this  country,  having  built  a  number  of  small  ovens  in  and 
around  Caledonia  township.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  buried  in  the  public 
cemetery  at  Racine.  They  had  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living: 
Martin  M. ;  Mary,  the  widow  of  Joseph  Cole,  of  near  Racine;  Theressa,  Mrs. 
Dolmento,  of  Milwaukee;  Josie,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  George  Mut- 
ter, of  Racine ;  Barbara,  Mrs.  Kucera,  of  Chicago ;  and  Peter,  who  lives  in  Ra- 
cine. 

Martin  M.  Secor  was  but  ten  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America.  He 
lived  on  the  farm  with  his  parents  until  fourteen  years  old,  and  then  started 
out  to  work  for  himself,  and,  although  he  ran  away  from  home,  he  saved  his 
money  and  bought  an  ox,  which  he  gave  to  his  father.  This  ox  Mr.  Secor 
broke,  as  he  did  also  an  ox  owned  by  his  father,  thus  making  a  good  team.  He 
started  by  working  in  a  German  family,  earning  for  his  labors  a  wagon  and 
steer,  which  he  gave  to  his  father.  After  working  on  a  farm  for  two  years  he 
came  to  Racine  and  worked  in  a  grocery  store  for  eight  dollars  per  month,  his 
board  and  washing,  and  there  he  continued  for  one  year.  In  1857  he  went  to 
Darien,  \\'is.,  and  learned  the  harnessmaker's  trade,  which  he  followed  two 
years,  at  the  end  of  this  time  returning  to  Racine,  working  one  winter  as  a 
journeyman.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  went  West  and  remained  until  fall, 
when  he  again  returned  to  Racine  and  opened  a  shop  of  his  own.  He  had 
saved  up  eighty  dollars  and  owned  a  good  kit  of  tools,  borrowing  $100,  for 
which  he  paid  10%  interest  for  ten  years.  In  1862  he  also  began  the  manu- 
facture of  trunks  in  his  home  kitchen,  his  wife  using  the  part  not  wanted  by 
Mr.  Secor  for  cooking.  Mr.  Secor  first  employed  two  apprentices  and  one 
"jour,"  soon  after  employing  others.  The  kitchen  soon  became  too  small,  so 
Mr.  Secor  rented  the  old  Weed's  Hall,  that  being  on  the  site  of  the  present 
City  Hall.  Mr.  Secor  continued  work  in  his  kitchen  and  in  the  hall  for  two 
years,  and  then  purchased  three  buildings,  known  as  the  Durand  buildings, 
which  had  been  used  for  railroad  structures,  the  Racine  Bank  being  in  the 
center  building.  One  was  used  partly  as  a  hardware  store,  and  partly  as  a 
wholesale  liquor  establishment.  The  center  building  Mr.  Secor  sold  to  his 
father-in-law,  and  the  corner  one  to  his  brother-in-law,  Frank  Bowman.  The 
other  he  kept  and  later  traded  for  his  present  beautiful  home.  During  the  time 
he  occupied  this  building  Mr.  Secor  purchased  several  lots  on  Lake  avenue, 
formerly  called  Chatham  street,  where  he  erected  a  frame  building  with  40 
free  frontage,  three  stories  high.  Mr.  Secor  has  since  erected  several  brick 
and  frame  buildings,  with  400  feet  frontage,  extending  to  the  lake,  and  all  used 
for  manufacturing  purposes.  He  also  owns  another  lot  of  175  feet  frontasre 
by  114  feet  depth,  upon  which  he  has  erected  a  warehouse  three  stories  high, 
with  two  elevators.    He  is  the  oldest  living  manufacturer  of  trunks  and  travel- 


86  CO^niE^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

ing  bags  in  the  United  States  that  was  in  business  in  1861,  for  after  forty-six 
years  in  the  business  he  tinds  he  is  the  only  one  left  of  all  his  old  associates  and 
competitors.  'Mr.  Secor  owns  much  other  city  property  besides  his  plant, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  the  M.  M.  Secor  block,  the  only  tire-proof 
building  in  the  city,  and  next  to  it  another  fine  building;  adjoining  the  last 
named  is  the  New  Office  building,  which  is  in  turn  adjoined  by  the  Belle  City 
Furniture  Company  building,  which  is  fitted  with  prism  lights  through  the 
sidewalk.  ]\Ir.  Secor  being  the  first  to  introduce  that  kind  of  lighting  in  Ra- 
cine. In  the  M.  M.  Secor  block  may  be  found  bathrooms  for  furnishing  Turk- 
ish, Russian,  Carlsbad  and  numerous  other  baths. 

'Sir.  Secor  was  married  Feb.  4,  1862,  to  Miss  Fanine  Hagek,  daughter  of 
Frank  and  Frances  Hagek,  and  nine  children  were  born  to  this  union :  Louis- 
ana,  who  died  in  early  childhood ;  Louisa,  who  married  F.  ^V.  Gromm,  now  of 
Denver,  Colo.,  and  has  four  sons,  Willie  Secor,  Charlie,  Frank  and  Ralph; 
Emily  and  Lillie,  twins,  who  died  within  a  few  days  of  each  other,  when  two 
years  old:  Mattie,  who  married  Frank  Posta,  of  Chicago,  and  has  one  son, 
Jerald;  Frank,  deceased;  Frank  (2),  deceased;  Emily  (2),  who  married  F. 
W.  Perkins,  vice-president  and  superintendent  of  the  Webster  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  Chicago;  and  Miss  Frankie,  who  is  teaching  in  the  public  schools. 

Mr.  Secor  is  a  Free  Thinker  in  religion.  Politically  he  is  independent, 
voting  rather  for  the  man  than  for  the  party.  He  was  twice  elected  mayor 
of  Racine,  first  in  1884,  and  again  in  1888,  and  was  nominated  three  different 
times,  but  refused  to  accept  the  honor.  Mr.  Secor  is  one  of  the  prominent  citi- 
zens of  Racine — wealthy  and  self-made,  and  what  is  better  still,  has  accom- 
plished as  much  as  any  one  man  for  the  material  advancement  of  the  city.  His 
beautiful  home  place  covers  an  entire  block,  and  his  great  love  of  flowers  is 
shown  in  his  magnificent  conservatory  and  large  hothouse,  and  in  the  gar- 
dens, fruit  trees  and  water  fountain,  the  last  named,  an  attractive  feature  of  his 
grounds,  being  in  front  of  his  residence.  He  is  also  a  great  lover  of  birds  and 
animals,  numbering  among  his  pets  a  half  dozen  deer,  two  bears  and  several 
parrots.  Mr.  Secor,  in  fact,  may  be  said  to  love  all  nature,  as  he  is  friendly  to- 
ward men.  The  natural  result  is  that  he  is  very  popular.  He  is  a  fluent  con- 
versationalist. 

BENJAMIN  O.  STURGES.  The  origin  of  the  family  name  is  clouded 
in  uncertainty,  the  first  known  of  it  in  this  country  being  that  it  was  borne  by 
two  brothers  who  settled  in  Connecticut  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. Strong  Sturges,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  went  from  that  State  to  New- 
York  City,  where  he  later  held  the  position  of  Collector  of  the  Port,  and  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties  contracted  cholera,  being  the  first  victim  of  that  disease 
to  die  in  this  country  during  the  epidemic  of  1837. 

George  W.  Sturges,  son  of  Strong,  was  born  in  New  York  in  1808  auft 
ran  away  to  sea  when  sixteen  years  of  age.  After  sailing  several  years  on  both 
the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  he  gave  it  up.  and  returning  to  New  York  entered  com- 
mercial life,  being  connected  with  one  of  the  banks  of  that  city.  He  there  mar- 
ried Sarah  Barnard,  and  two  children  were  born  to  them,  William,  now  de- 
ceased, and  Annie,  widow  of  John  H.  Hedley.  Mrs.  Sturges  died  in  New 
York  Citv,  and  later  George  W.  Sturges  removed  to  Walworth  county.  Wis., 


CO^^OIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  87 

where  he  settled  on  a  farm.  He  spent  his  last  years  in  Lake  Geneva.  Dnring 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion  Mr.  Sturges  was  State  Agent  for  Wisconsin  and 
Minnesota,  looking  after  the  soldiers  in  the  hospitals  along  the  Mississippi 
river,  transferring  them,  sending  them  home,  etc.  George  W.  Sturges  married 
Miss  Ann  M.  Humphrey,  one  of  the  family  born  to  Hiram  H.  and  Ann  (Blod- 
gett)  Humphrey.  Mr.  Humphrey  was  born  in  Ohio,  of  an  old  English  family, 
and  lived  to  be  eighty-eight  years  old ;  his  wife  died  when  eighty-seven.  The 
children  born  to  George  W.  ahd  Ann  Sturges  were  seven  in  number,  as  fol- 
lows:  George  H.,  of  Chicago;  Sarah  B.,  Mrs.  John  B.  Simmons,  of  Racine; 
Walter  I.,  of  Omaha,  Neb.;  Charles  S.,  of  Arkansas;  Arthur  E.,  of  Chicago; 
Mary  E.,  Mrs.  L.  H.  Taggart,  of  Lake  Geneva,  Wis.;  and  Benjamin  O.,  of 
Kenosha.  George  W.  Sturges  died  in  1885,  but  his  widow  survived  until  Jan. 
I,  1897.     She  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1830. 

Benjamin  O.  Sturges  was  born  in  Lake  Geneva,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis., 
Nov.  27,  1867.  and  received  his  earlier  education  there  in  the  public  schools. 
He  was  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1887,  and  after  a  few  years  spent 
in  commercial  life  entered  the  law  school  of  the  Wisconsin  State  University, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1898.  He  has  since  been  practicing  his  pro- 
fession in  Kenosha.  In  the  spring  of  1903  he  was  elected  to  the  office  o£ 
justice  of  the  peace  and  is  still  discharging  the  duties  of  that  office  in  connec- 
tion with  his  law  business.  While  residing  in  Lake  Geneva  he  was  city  clerk 
for  two  terms,  his  political  affiliations  being  always  with  the  Republican  party. 
Mr.  Sturges  is  a  member  of  Lake  Geneva  Lodge,  No.  96,  K.  P.,  and  of  Keno- 
sha Lodge,  No.  750,  B.  P.  O.  E.  He  is  unmarried,  and  resides  at  No.  211 
Market  street. 

ROBERT  ]MUTTER,  ex-sheriff  of  Racine  county.  Wis.,  who  makes  his 
residence  in  the  city  of  Racine,  is  a  native  of  that  county,  born  in  Dover,  Dec. 
20,  1873.  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Tait)  Mutter,  natives  of  Scotland  and  New 
York  State  respectively. 

William  Mutter,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of 
Scotland,  where  he  followed  farming  as  an  occupation.  His  son,  John,  came 
with  his  parents  to  America  when  a  child  three  years  old.  They  first  settled  in 
Canada,  and  John  came  to  Wisconsin  some  time  in  the  sixties,'  settling  in  Ra- 
cine, where  he  followed  milling.  A  few  years  later  he  purchased  a  farm  of  260 
acres  in  Dover  township,  which  he  improved,  and  upon  which  the  remauider  of 
his  life  was  spent.  He  was  killed  by  a  bull  in  his  fifty-ninth  year.  His  wife 
had  passed  away  the  January  before,  aged  forty-nine  years.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  They  had  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are 
now  living:  Marv,  the  wife  of  William  Caven.  of  Escanaba,  Mich.;  John  G.. 
of  Burlington.  Wis.;  James  W.,  of  Dover  township,  on  the  old  homestead; 
Robert,  of  Racine;  and  Jennie  I.,  the  wife  of  Edward  :Mealy,  of  Burlington, 
■Wisconsin. 

Robert  Mutter  was  raised  on  his  father's  farm,  and  attended  the  district 
schools.  He  left  home  at  an  early  age  and  went  to  Burlington,  Wis.,  where  he 
worked  in  a  hotel  for  his  brother,'  later  becoming  interested  in  the  business.  On 
account  of  failing  health  he  was  compelled  to  give  up  active  work  for  some 
time,  but  in  iSge'^became  deputy  sheriff  under  Sheriff  John  C.  Wagner  for  two 


88  COAniEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

years.  He  was  then  appointed  under  sheriff  under  Edward  A.  Rein,  holding 
the  office  two  years,  and  was  re-appointed  under  WiHiam  Baumann,  Jr.  In 
1902  Air.  Mutter  was  elected  sheriff",  and  took  up  the  duties  of  that  office  in 
January,  1903.     Since  his  retirement  he  has  operated  a  hotel  and  saloon. 

Air.  Alutter  was  married  Oct.  3,  1900,  to  Miss  Isabelle  Bradshaw,  of  Bur- 
lington, \\'is.,  daughter  of  George  Bradshaw,  and  granddaughter  of  \Villian-i 
Bradshaw.  William  Bradshaw  was  born  of  Scotch  parents,  and,  on  coming  to 
America,  first  settled  in  \'ermont,  from  which  State  he  removed  to  W^isconsin 
at  a  very  early  day.  He  died  in  Racine  county  at  upwards  of  seventy  years  of 
age,  leaving  a  widow,  Nancy,  and  seven  children.  George  Bradshaw  came  to 
Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  when  a  small  boy,  having  been  born  in  Vermont.  Here  he 
grew  to  manhood,  and  followed  painting.  He  died  in  January.  1901,  aged 
fifty-six  years,  while  his  widow  still  survives  him.  George  Bradshaw  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  belonging,  as  a  private,  to  the  ist  \\'is.  V.  I.  He  served 
something  like  two  years,  when  he  was  wounded  and  honorably  discharged  on 
account  of  disability.  Mrs.  Bradshaw  was  born  in  County  Roscommon,  Ire- 
land, daughter  of  Dominick  Feeney.  a  native  of  Ireland,  who  came  to  this 
country  and  settled  in  Racine  county,  where  he  lived  retired.  He  had  been  a 
farmer  in  Ireland,  and  had  been  very  successful  in  his  operations.  He  and  his 
wife,  whose  maiden  name  had  been  Nellie  Tigh,  died  at  an  old  age,  she  being 
killed  in  Chicago,  during  the  World's  Fair.  They  had  twelve  children.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  George  Bradshaw  were  the  parents  of  five  children,  only  two  of 
whom  are  still  living :    Mrs.  Mutter  and  Miss  Carrie. 

Mr.  Alutter  is  a  member  of  Burlington  Lodge,  No.  28,  F.  &  A.  AI. ;  Ori- 
ental Chapter.  No.  12,  Royal  Arch  Masons;  and  Racine  Commandery.  No.  7, 
Knights  Templar.  He  also  belongs  to  Council  No.  5,  and  has  a  membership 
!in  the  Eastern  Star,  as  has  his  wife.  Mr.  Mutter  is  a  member  of  the  Uni- 
formed Rank  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  is  connected  with  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  No.  252,  of  Racine.  Politically  Sheriff  Alut- 
ter  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  success  of  that 
narty  in  this  section.     He  owns  a  farm  of  sixty  acres  in  Yorkville. 

JOHN  L.  STEVENS,  now  living  retired  at  No.  366  Prairie  avenue. 
Kenosha,  enjoys  with  his  sister.  Airs.  Benjamin  T.  Hatch,  the  distinction  of 
representing  one  of  the  first  pioneer  families  of  Kenosha  county,  and  they  are 
the  oldest  continuous  residents  of  Kenosha  county. 

Air.  Stevens  is  descended  on  both  sides  from  Revolutionary  A'ermont 
stock.  His  father's  father.  Isaac  Stevens,  was  a  native  of  that  State,  of  Engli,-h 
lineage,  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution. 
He  married  four  times,  and  had  three  sons  and  two  dnughters. 

Daniel  Stevens,  father  of  John  L.,  and  his  wife,  Eunice  Bnrlow,  were 
both  horn  in  Vermont.  Her  parents  were  Abner  and  Eunice  (French)  Barlow, 
the  latter  of  whom  was  of  French  descent,  while  the  former  was  a  Vermont 
fanner  and  a  Revolutionary  soldier  for  seven  years,  two  of  them  spent  n-i  a 
prison  in  Quebec.  They  went  to  Kenosha  county  in  the  early  dnvs  of  1835. 
when  it  was  a  part  of  Racine  county,  but  died  soon  after  their  arrival.  They 
had  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Daniel  Stevens  was  a  farmer  who  left 
Vermont  for  New  York  and  from  there  went  on  to  \\'isconsin  in   1835.   He 


COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  89 

took  up  his  claim  of  640  acres  on  July  4,  1835,  and  camped  that  da)-  on  Wash- 
ington Island.  He  was  the  very  first  settler  there,  with  only  two  houses  be- 
tween his  claim  and  Chicago.  After  locating  his  claim,  he  went  hack  East, 
while  in  the  fall  his  son  Orrin,  then  at  Joliet,  111.,  went  up  there  and  built  a 
log  cabin  which  was  ready  for  them  to  occupy  together  when  the  father  re- 
turned with  the  family  in  the  winter.  Daniel  Stevens  improved  his  farm  and 
spent  the  rest  of  his  life  there,  dying  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight,  in  1856.  In  the 
war  of  1 81 2  he  was  called  out  by  the  government  and  served  in  the  army  for 
a  time,  but  was  never  in  active  battle.  Mrs.  Stevens  died  two  years  after  her 
husband,  aged  seventy-two.  Both  were  Wesleyan  Methodists.  She  was  in 
every  sense  a  helpmate  in  their  pioneer  life,  and  lived  long  enough  to  see  some 
of  the  fruits  of  their  industry  and  perseverance.  Thev  had  five  children,  three 
sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  only  John  L.  and  Eliza,  widow  of  Benjamin 
T.  Hatch,  are  now  living.  The  others  were :  Orrin ;  Almeda,  who  married 
George  Arnold ;  and  Walter. 

John  Levant  Stevens  was  born  in  Chautauqua  county,  N.  Y.,  March  3, 
1 81 4,  and  grew  up  in  that  State,  on  a  farm,  where  he  helped  to  clear  up  150 
acres  of  timberland  before  he  came  West.  He  received  only  such  an  education 
as  the  old-fashioned  subscription  schools  of  that  day  afforded.  He  went  to 
Wisconsin  with  the  rest  of  the  family  in  1835,  his  brother  Orrin  having  gone 
to  Illinois  five  years  earlier.  John  L.  had  also  made  a  visit  to  Fort  Dearborn  in 
1832,  but  returned  to  the  East  almost  immediately. 

The  country  began  to  fill  up  very  slowly  at  first,  the  real  migration  com- 
mencing in  the  fall  of  1836,  while  in  the  following  year  there  was  a  rtish  of 
people  looking  for  locations.  The  land  was  rapidly  improved  and  a  great  deal 
of  wheat  planted,  so  much  that  wdien,  in  1841,  a  million  bushels  were  raised, 
there  were  no  transportation  facilities  for  it.  The  vessels  then  were  not 
adapted  to  carrying  wheat,  but  suitable  ones  were  soon  provided,  the  first 
steamer  on  Lake  Michigan  to  stop  there  being  the  "Madison." 

The  first  claim  taken  up  by  John  L.  Stevens  was  one  of  160  acres  in  Sec- 
tion 15,  in  the  town  of  Pleasant  Prairie.  Later  he  accumulated  300  acres,  all 
of  which  he  improved,  although  to  meet  the  conditions  for  taking  up  a  claim  a 
man  was  obliged  to  break  no  more  than  ten  acres  of  ground,  in  atldition  to 
building  some  kind  of  a  house  and  residing  there  a  stipulated  time.  Mr. 
Stevens  was  always  a  farmer,  but  made  his  home  most  of  the  time  about  a  mile 
from  his  property,  where,  in  1836,  on  first  coming  to  Wisconsin,  he  had  es- 
tablished a  blacksmith's  shop,  conducting  it  for  some  years.  His  entire  resi- 
dence in  Kenosha  county  covers  a  period  of  seventy  years.  In  addition  to 
his  farm  he  owns  a  good  home  in  Kenosha  together  with  other  city  property, 
and  has  accumulated  a  considerable  fortune.  Mr.  Stevens  was  originally  a 
Democrat,  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Jackson,  but  since  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Republican  party  he  has  steadily  adhered  to  it. 

On  April  8.  1840,  John  L.  Stevens  married  Miss  Isabella  Derbyshire 
daughter  of  Christopher  and  Emily  (Stickney)  Derbyshire.  Six  children 
were  born  to  them,  Svlmenia,  Walter,  Orrin.  Henry  (i),  Henrv  (2)  and 
John  Levant,  the  last  alone  being  now  alive.  He  married  Miss  Edith  Bissell. 
They  have  no  children  of  their  own.  but  ha\-e  an  adopted  daughter,  whom  they 


90  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

named  Isabella.  Mrs.  Isabella  Stevens  departed  this  life  Jan.  8,  1886,  aged 
seventy-five,  a  devout  believer  in  the  Congregational  faith. 

Although  Mr.  Stevens  is  past  ninety  years  old,  he  is  quite  active  and  re- 
tains his  memory  to  a  remarkable  degree.  He  recalls  readily  and  accurately 
many  interesting  events  of  the  early  days,  relating  them  with  great  detail,  and 
dwells  with  special  pleasure  upon  the  honesty  and  integrity  of  the  sturdy  pio- 
neers. Once  when  he  was  ten  years  old  he  was  left  upon  the  farm  to  watch 
the  crows,  but  he  ran  away,  going  to  Westfield,  N.  Y.,  to  see  Gen.  LaFayette. 
He  saw  the  noted  Frenchman,  shook  hands  with  him,  and  then  hastened  back 
to  his  home  one  mile  distant.  One  incident  which  he  recalls  with  much  en- 
thusiasm is  a  Fourth  of  July  celebration  gotten  up  by  the  scattered  settlers  in 
1836.  Although  every  one  came,  from  a  wide  extent  of  territory,  they  could 
muster  only  sixty  in  all.  However,  they  were  all  good  Americans  and  made 
enthusiastic  preparations,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  they  were  much  hampered  by 
lack  of  provisions.  Everything  possible  was  done  to  promote  the  jollity  of  the 
occasion  and  one  feature,  contributed  by  Mr.  Stevens,  was  a  wagon  fashioned 
out  of  two  carts  and  drawn  by  twenty-one  yoke  of  oxen. 

Orrin  Stevens,  eldest  brother  of  John  L.,  went  out  with  his  young  wife  to 
Fort  Dearborn  in  1830,  and  lived  there  until  1835.  Their  oldest  child  was  born 
during  this  period.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Sophia  Derbyshire,  a  sister  of  Mrs. 
John  L.  Stevens,  and  they  had  four  children,  namely:  William;  Emily,  wife 
of  H.  S.  Towne;  Duane;  and  Isabella,  widow  of  Frank  Leach.  Orrin  Stevens 
served  as  a  soldier  during  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  later  was  elected  to  the 
Wisconsin  Legislature,  dying  before  the  expiration  of  his  term. 

HENRY  G.  POWLES  (deceased)  was  one  of  the  prominent  residents  of 
Union  Grove  and  an  honored  veteran  of  the  Civil  war.  Probably  no  citizen  of 
Racine  county  took  a  more  active  part  and  participated  in  more  of  the  import- 
ant battles  of  the  Rebellion  than  he,  for  from  the  time  of  the  first  call  for  troops 
until  the  South  laid  down  its  arms  he  was  found  at  the  front  valiantly  defend- 
ing the  Union.  Praise  may  be  heaped  upon  praise,  yet  the  debt  of  gratitude  due 
the  brave  boys  in  blue  can  never  be  repaid. 

Mr.  Powles,  who  so  long  fought  for  this  country's  preservation,  was  born 
lin  Wales  in  1844,  and  of  that  land  his  parents,  William  G.  and  Ann  (Ed- 
Avards)  Powles.  were  also  natives.  His  paternal  grandfather,  John  Powles, 
also  a  native  of  Wales,  came  to  this  country  in  1843,  ^"^^  took  up  160  acres 
of  Government  land  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county.  He  afterward  sold 
that  farm  and  went  into  the  milling  and  real  estate  business  at  Racine,  owning 
a  gristmill  and  waterpower  there.  He  died  there  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years, 
while  his  wife,  Mary  Edwards,  also  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  William  G. 
Powles,  father  of  Henry  G.,  was  a  brick  and  stone  mason,  and  a  stone-cutter. 
With  his  wife  and  seven  children  he  sailed  from  Liverpool,  England,  for  New 
York,  arriving  at  his  destination  after  a  voyage  of  seven  weeks,  during  which 
time  the  vessel  came  in  contact  with  a  large  iceberg.  The  travelers  at  once 
continued  their  way  to  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and  settled  upon  a  farm  nine  miles  west 
of  that  place,  but  Mr.  Powles  was  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  home. 
\\niilc  working  in  the  hayfield  he  received  a  sunstroke  from  which  he  died, 
leaving  a  widow  with  seven  small  children  to  support.     It  was  an  arduous  task. 


COMINIE.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  91 

the  care  of  so  many  little  ones,  but  her  duty  was  faithfully  performed.  She 
made  her  home  in  Union  Grove  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in  1886,  and 
the  parents  now  lie  side  by  side  in  the  Union  Grove  cemetery.  Her  father, 
James  Edwards,  was  also  a  native  of  Wales.  He  died  in  his  native  country, 
as  did  also  his  wife,  and  they  left  a  large  family. 

The  eldest  of  the  nine  children  born  to  William  G.  and  Ann  Powles,  John, 
is  now  deceased.  Mary  A.  became  the  wife  of  John  Bixby  (who  was  accident- 
ally killed),  and  afterward  married  Aaron  Brick;  she  resides  in  Union  Grove. 
Sarah  married  for  her  first  husband  Henry  Colon,  and  is  now  the  wife  of  Irvin 
Connell,  a  carpenter  and  joiner  of  Yorkville  township.  Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of 
George  Price,  a  successful  farmer  of  Kenosha  county.  William  G.  is  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  in  Union  Grove.  Henry  G.  is  deceased.  Charles  resides  in 
Evansville,  Rock  county.  James  also  lives  in  Evansville,  Rock  county,  and 
Peter  died  in  Wales. 

.V  ]K)or  boy  left  fatherless  at  an  early  age,  Henry  G.  Powles  had  to  start 
out  in  life  for  himself  when  only  ten  years  old,  and  to  farm  work  he  devoted  his 
energies  until  sixteen  years  old,  when  he  entered  the  service  of  his  adopted  coun- 
try, on  April  18,  1861,  as  a  member  of  Company  F,  2d  Wis.  V.  I.,  under  Capt. 
William  Strong  and  Col.  Coon.  The  company  was  organized  at  Racine,  and  at 
Madison  joined  the  regiment,  which  was  ordered  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and 
assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  then  in  charge  of  Gen.  McDowell,  while 
Gen.  Sherman  was  brigade  commander.  After  a  month  spent  in  Camp  Peck 
the  troops  were  ordered  to  be  ready  for  battle.  They  had  previously  l)een  un- 
der fire  at  Blackburn's  Ford,  on  the  i8th  of  July,  and  on  Sunday,  the  21st, 
took  part  in  the  battle  of  Manassas  Junction,  the  2d  Wisconsin  Infantry  reach- 
ing the  scene  of  action  about  sunrise  and  being  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  until 
the  retreat,  at  four  o'clock  in  the  evening.  Mr.  Powles  received  a  slight  gun- 
shot wound  in  the  left  knee  during  the  charge  of  the  Black  Horse  Cavalry,  a 
Confederate  command,  and  was  kept  from  duty  for  two  weeks.  Next  came  the 
battle  of  Cedar  Mountain,  but  the  Union  troops  sustained  little  loss,  as  the 
Rebels  fired  high  and  the  balls  flew  over  them.  On  the  28th  of  August,  1862, 
in  the  terrible  battle  of  Gainesville,  the  2d  lost  heavily,  117  being  killed  and 
254  wounded  in  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  Its  duty  with  the  remainder  of  the 
brigade  was  to  hold  Gen.  Jackson's  division  in  check.  In  this  engagement  Mr. 
Powles  was  taken  prisoner,  but  was  soon  paroled.  The  following  day  the 
second  battle  of  Bull  Run  began,  and  Mr.  Powles  received  a  l)ad  wnund 
in  the  left  side.  He  was  leaning  up  against  a  low  stone  wall  when  a  Rebel 
ofticer  sprang  in  front  of  him,  whipped  out  his  revolver  and,  with  an  oath,  aimed 
for  the  heart,  but  the  ball  struck  one  of  his  ribs  and  glanced  into  the  muscles  of 
his  stomach,  where  it  remained  until  his  death. 

The  army  was  ordered  to  follow  Gen.  Lee,  who  was  then  making  a  raid  in 
Maryland,  and  the  engagement  at  South  Mountain,  and  the  bloody  battle  of 
Antietam,  were  there  fought.  It  was  here  tlint  the  2d,  6th  and  "th  ^^■isconsin 
regiments  were  christened  the  "Iron  Brigade"  by  Gen.  George  B.  McClellan, 
who  saw  their  charge  across  the  flats  and  up  a  hill  to  the  enemy's  batteries, 
which,  with  all  the  supplies,  they  took  by  storm.  They  made  their  way  to  the 
place  amidst  a  rain  of  lead,  but  as  evening  was  falling  the  dusk  somcwlnt 


92  CO^BIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

mitigated  their  danger.    The  batteries  captured  and  the  3d  Virginia  Regiment 
were  part  of  Gen.  Longstreet's  army. 

The  Union  troops  now  marched  back  to  Alexandria  and  Behes  Plaines  and 
the  command  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  Gen.  McClehan  to  Gen.  Burnside.  The 
latter  planned  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  which  occurred  Dec.  13,  1862,  ana 
was  a  total  loss.     Mr.  Powles'  regiment  made  the  first  charge,  and  captured 
sixty-four  Rebels,  but  victory  favored  the  Confederates  that  day.     Gen.  Burn- 
side  withdrew  his  forces  and  the  next  engagement  into  which  he  led  the  troops 
was  known  as  the  Mud  March.    The  rain  came  down  in  torrents.    They  started 
with  the  entire  artillei^y  and  supplies,  but  at  the  end  of  the  march  not  more  than 
half  a  dozen  cannon  had  reached  Fredericksburg,  and  many  of  the  boys  had 
dropped  out  of  the  ranks.     About  this  time  Gen.  Hooker  took  charge  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  and  Col.  Fairchilds,  of  the  2d  Wisconsin,  was  on  his  staff. 
He  led  the  troops  into  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville.  May  3.  1863.     The  result 
was  indecisive,  but  Gen.  Lee  remarked  that  if  "Fighting  Joe"  Hooker  had  been 
allowed  to  let  his  5th  Corps  still  advance  on  his  rear,  he  (Lee)  would  have 
been  compelled  to  retreat  into  Richmond.     It  was  at  the  battle  of  Chancellors- 
ville that  the  brave  Gen.  Stonewall  Jackson  was  killed  by  a  mistaken  volley 
from  his  own  troops.     Gen.  Hooker  retreated  to  Rappahannock,  and  for  ten    _ 
days  prevented  Lee  from  crossing  the  river.    It  was  Lee's  object  to  cross  farth- 
er down  and  make  his  way  through  Maryland  to  Pennsylvania.     The  Rebels 
cut  up  railroad  iron  into  pieces  about  eighteen  inches  long  and  used  it  as  shot. 
These  made  a  terrible  screech,  and  it  was  some  time  before  the  Union  troops 
found  out  what  it  was.     At  length  the  scene  of  battle  was  changed  to  the 
North,  and  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  fought.     Mr.  Powles'  brigade  was 
the  first  to  open  fire  at  sunrise  on  July  i.  1863.    About  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon his  head  was  cut  open  by  a  piece  of  shell  and  for  thirty-seven  days  he 
lay  unconscious.     For  four  days  he  lay  on  the  battlefield  without  water  or 
food,  and  was  then  carried  to  the  old  tavern  and  laid  upon  the  porch  for  dead. 
but  a  movement  in  his  foot  attracted  the  attention  of  a  nurse,  some  rude  ser- 
vices were  rendered  him,  and  he  was  then  sent  to  a  hospital  in  Harrisburg, 
Pa.,  where  he  lay  for  four  months.     There  Dr.  Wood,  of  Allegheny  City,  Pa., 
performed  an  operation,  placing  a  three-inch  piece  of  silver  in  his  skull.     A 
piece  of  his  skull  had  been  pressed  down  upon  his  brain,  which  caused  his  long 
unconsciousness,  and  when  it  was  removed  he  at  once  recovered  his  senses. 
When  he  came  to  he  saw  sitting  near  him  Thomas  Lyons,  one  of  his  comrades, 
and  Mr.  Powles  asked,  "Tom,  is  the  battle  over?"     Lyons  immediately  an- 
swered, "Good  God,  Hank,  the  battle  has  been  over  a  month,  and  Lee  is  in 
Richmond,  with  our  troops  close  at  his  heels."       When  he  was  partially  con- 
valescent, Mr.  Powles  was  told  he  might  be  discharged,  but  replied  :    'T  volun- 
teered to  serve  through  the  war  and  propose  to  remain  until  it  is  over." 

He  reioined  the  regiment  at  Culpeper  Court  House,  and  on  veteranizing, 
Feb.  14,  1864.  received  a  thirtv  davs'  furlough,  and  returned  home.  He  took 
part  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  from  the  5th  to  the  9th  of  ]May,  one  of  the 
most  both-  contested  engagements  of  the  war.  On  the  7th  his  gun  was  lym? 
in  the  fork  of  a  tree,  when  a  Rebel  yelled  out  "surrender."  Mr.  Powles'  reply 
was  to  fire.  He  then  dropped  his  emi  and  ran,  and  in  the  race  a  minie  ball  rut 
the  hair  from  his  head,  from  the  forehead  to  the  apex  of  his  cranium.     The 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  93 

Rebel,  however,  was  killed.  At  the  battle  of  Spottsylvania,  May  10,  1864,  a 
mime  ball  pierced  Mr.  Powles"  riglit  lung,  breaking-  his  shoulder  blade  in  four 
pieces.  He  was  taken  to  Campbell  Hospital  in  the  District  of  Columbia  where 
he  was  confined  until  July  10,  1864,  when  he  was  granted  a  sixty  days'  fur- 
lough to  regain  his  health.  ■  He  then  returned,  and  after  serving  three  months 
as  a  nurse  in  the  Campbell  Hospital  was  placed  in  the  2d  Invalid  Corps  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  as  provost  guard,  where  he  remained  until  the  war  ended. 
He  was  on  duty  as  sergeant  of  the  guard  at  Ford's  Opera  House  when  Lin- 
coln was  assassinated  and  saw  Booth  as  he  jumped  on  the  stage  and  shouted 
"Sic  semper  tyraiinis."  He  witnessed  the  Grand  Review  in  \\  ashington,  and 
on  the  15th  of  July,  1865,  a  scarred  but  honored  veteran,  was  discharged  from 
the  service. 

After  his  return  home  Mr.  Powles  secured  a  position  as  fireman  on  the 
Racine  &  Mississippi  railroad,  and  after  serving  in  that  capacity  for  a  year  and 
a  half  worked  in  a  gas-fitting  establishment  in  Chicago  for  eight  months.  About 
this  time  he  was  united  in  marriage,  June  17,  1867,  with  Miss  Martha  M. 
Whitcher,  who  was  born  in  Wisconsin  Nov.  i,  1845.  daughter  of  John  Charles 
and  Sarah  Ann  (Holden)  Whitcher,  natives  of  England.  Two  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powles  :  Frank  Sherman  and  Charles  Alexander.  Frank 
S.  Powles  travels  for  Swift  &  Co.,  the  large  Chicago  packers;  he  married 
Elizabeth  Bolton  Hayes,  and  they  have  five  children.  Claron  Daniel.  Harry 
Denton,  Harold  Abram,  Dorothy  Elizabeth  and  Frances  Martha.  Charles 
Alexander  Powles  is  a  butcher  in  Antioch,  111.;  he  married  Erma  \^anPatton, 
and  they  have  two  sons.  Laurel  Dewey  and  Frank  Dotton. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Powles  were  natives  of  London.  England,  and  were 
there  married.  On  coming  to  America  they  were  among  the  early  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  Yorkville  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  the  county  at  that  time  being 
infested  with  Indians,  and  wolves  and  wild  game  of  all  kinds  were  abundant. 
Mr.  Whitcher  purchased  government  land  at  $1.25  per  acre,  and  here  reared 
his  family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitcher  had  two  children  born  to  them  in  their 
native  country ;  Sarah,  who  died  in  England,  when  two  years  old ;  and  Char- 
lotte, who  came  with  her  parents  to  the  United  States  and  married  Adam  Hun- 
ter, now  being  a  resident  of  Yorkville  township.  Four  children  were  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wliitcher  in  this  country,  namely;  Elizabeth,  deceased;  Mar- 
tha M.,  widow  of  Henry  G.  Powles;  Thomas  James,  who  resides  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Yorkville  township,  and  Charles  Holden,  who  lives  near  Bristol, 
in  Kenosha  county,  and  who  was  sherift'  of  that  county  for  two  years.  John 
Charles  Whitcher,  the  father,  was  a  coachman  in  England,  but  after  coming  to 
this  country  he  always  followed  farming.  He  lived  upon  the  farm  on  which 
he  settled  for  forty  years  or  more,  after  which  he  and  his  wife  removed  to 
LTnion  Grove,  where  she  died  in  1890,  aged  eighty-one  years.  After  the  death 
of  his  wife  Mr.  Whitcher  went  to  live  with  his  daughter.  Mrs.  Powles.  with 
w-hom  he  died  in  1891,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 

Henry  G.  Powles  cast  his  first  Presidential  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  He 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  G.  A.  R.  post  of  Union  Grove,  and  was  an 
ofificer  of  the  day  for  many  years.  He  had  the  good-will  and  esteem  of  all  who 
knew  him,  his  upright  life  having  won  him  universal  confidence.  He  died  at 
his  home  in  the  village  of  LTnion  Grove,  about  eight  o'clock  on  Tuesday  morn- 
ing, Oct.   II.  1904.  and  although  his  death  was  expected  the  announcement 


94  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

cast  a  pang  of  sorrow  throughout  the  village  and  southern  part  of  the  county. 
He  had  been  a  great  sufferer  from  the  close  of  the  war  until  his  death.  Air. 
Powles  was  quite  a  genius  in  the  use  of  the  scroll  saw,  and  left  many  relics  of 
his  handiwork  which  will  be  greatly  cherished  by  his  descendants. 

CHARLES  D.  AIcXEIL,  carpenter  and  builder  in  Pleasant  Prairie  town- 
ship, Kenosha  county,  was  born  in  Jeft'erson  county,  X.  Y.,  June  3,  1839,  son 
of  William  and  Sarah  (Lyon)  McNeil. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  McNeil  were  natives  of  New  \  ork,  but  the  paternal 
grandfather  was  bom  in  Scotland  and  reared  three  sons,  Benjamin,  William 
and  James.  The  children  of  William  and  Sarah  McNeil  were  four  sons  and 
two  daughters,  namely:  Rosalie,  wife  of  Robert  Tait,  of  Racine;  Charles  D., 
of  Pleasant  Prairie  township;  George,  also  of  that  township;  William,  de- 
ceased ;  Frank,  of  Bristol  township ;  and  Addie,  who  lives  with  her  brother 
Frank.  William  McNeil,  the  father,  was  reared  a  farmer,  and  he  came  from 
New  York  to  Wisconsin  in  1845,  settling  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township  where 
he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  and  improved  it,  and  on  it  he  reared  his  family 
in  comfort.  He  died  here  in  1870,  aged  sixty-six  years,  survived  by  his  wife 
a  number  of  years.  They  were  most  worthy  people,  respected  by  all  who  knew 
them. 

Charles  D.  McNeil  was  six  years  old  when  his  parents  came  to  Kenoshai 
county,  and  he  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  in  Pleasant  Prairie  town- 
ship, and  was  educated  in  the  district  schools.  He  remained  at  home  until  his 
majority,  and  then  went  to  work  at  the  carpenter  trade  which  he  has  followed 
ever  since  with  the  exception  of  three  years,  during  which  he  was  foreman  on 
the  old  Truesdale  farm  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township. 

Air.  McNeil  was  married  Feb.  22,  1866,  to  Miss  Laverne  A.  Taylor, 
daughter  of  Parsons  and  Mary  A.  (Higgins)  Taylor,  and  a  family  of  eleven 
children  has  been  born  to  this  union,  five  sons  and  six  daughters:  (i)  Alice 
married  O.  G.  Bush,  and  they  live  in  Marathon  county.  Wis. ;  they  have  chil- 
dren:  Duane,  Harold,  Raymond,  Archie,  Laverne  and  Irene.  (2)  Delia  mar- 
ried William  Hollenbeck,  and  at  death  left  these  children :  Nettie,  Jessie  and 
Isabel.  (3)  George  lives  at  Mount  Vernon,  Washington,  where  he  is  a  fisher- 
man. He  married  Edith  Gage.  (4)  Jessie  married  Charles  Johnson,  and  they 
live  in  Racine.  Their  children  are:  Harold  and  Beulah.  {5)  Chauncy  is  a 
teamster  and  lives  in  Kenosha.  He  married  Gertrude  Lewis,  and  they  have  two 
children.  Earl  and  Esther  Laverne.  (6)  Mary  married  Henry  Gunderson,  of 
Pleasant  Prairie  township  and  they  have  one  son.  Glen.  (7)  Lulu  married 
Harry  Cummings,  of  Kenosha,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Evelyn.  (8) 
Florence  married  Harry  Bain,  and  they  live  in  Racine.  (9)  Jay  is  employed 
in  the  powder  mill  at  Pleasant  Prairie.  He  married  Lulu  Eby  anfl  they  have 
one  son,  Everett.     (10)  Frank  lives  at  home  as  does  (11)  Raymond. 

Politically  Mr.  MclNeil  is  a  stanch  Republican.  In  1864  he  enlisted  for 
service  in  the  Civil  war,  in  Company  C.  39th  Wis.  \^.  I.,  and  served  f()ur 
months,  returning  to  his  home  without  injury. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  McNeil  was  a  farmer  and  reared  six 
children.  Her  maternal  grandfather  was  Fitch  Higgins,  who  came  to  Wis- 
consin from  Connecticut,  and  settled  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  where  he 


COMME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  95 

Avas  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers.  He  took  up  go\-ernnieut  land  Iwo  miles  from 
Southport,  on  which  he  lived  until  his  death  when  over  ninety  years  of  age. 
He  and  his  first  wife,  the  grandmother  of  Mrs.  McNeil,  were  the  parents  of 
one  son  and  four  daughters,  namely :  W-illiam ;  Emeline,  who  married  Rollin 
Tuttle;  Mary  Ann,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  McNeil;  and  Eliza,  who  married 
Hezekiah  Richards ;  the  youngest  and  the  only  survivor  being  Amanda,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Adrian  Foster.  The  second  wife  of  Mr.  Higgins  was 
Lucinda  Miller  and  they  had  tw^o  children,  viz. :  Charles,  a  resident  of  Pleas- 
ant Prairie,  and  Frederick,  who  lives  in  Chicago. 

Parsons  Taylor,  the  father  of  Mrs.  McNeil,  was  born  in  New  York,  and 
married  Mary  A.  Higgins,  a  native  of  Vermont.  They  came  to  Pleasant 
Prairie  township  with  the  early  pioneers,  and  saw  many  hardships  incident  to 
life  here  in  those  days.  The  father  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  which  he  later 
sold  and  bought  200  acres  at  Pleasant  Prairie  Station.  This  he  also  sold  and 
bought  a  farm  near  Marengo,  111.,  later  removing  to  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Dodge, 
la.,  where  he  died.  His  widow  survived  him  until  the  spring  of  1903,  when 
she  was  in  her  seventy-ninth  year.  They  had  eight  children,  namely :  Ellen, 
deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  George  Poor;  Edgar  Taylor,  deceased  ;  Laverne, 
wife  of  Mr.  McNeil;  Oscar,  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township:  Fitch,  of  Wheaton, 
111. ;  Dellazon,  deceased ;  Ida,  wife  of  James  McDonald,  of  Rockford.  111. ;  and 
Evelyn,  wdio  died  aged  twelve  years. 

JOHN  J.  ENGLISH,  a  leading  business  man  of  Kenosha,  Wis.,  engaged 
in  the  hardware  line,  was  born  in  that  city  June  8,  1855.  He  is  a  son  of 
Patrick  and  Elizabeth  (Murray)  English,  the  former  a  nati\-e  of  Ireland,  the 
latter  of  Scotland.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  John  J.  English,  a  native  of 
Ireland,  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Kenosha,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced 
age,  as  did  also  his  wife.  They  had  a  family  of  fi\-e  children  of  whom  Patrick 
was  the  father  of  our  subject. 

Patrick  English,  on  coming  to  America,  settled  in  Southport  (now  Keno- 
sha) Wis.,  where  he  carried  on  a  butcher  business  for  many  years.  He  died  in 
1883,  aged  si.xty-three  years.  At  an  early  date  in  the  history  of  Kenosha  he  w^as 
an  alderman  of  the  city.  His  widow^  survived  until  August,  1903,  being  in  her 
seventy-ninth  year  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Both  were  Catholics.  They  were 
the  parents  of  fourteen  children,  eleven  of  whom  are  still  living:  William; 
Edward ;  Thomas ;  Robert ;  John  ;  Charles ;  Ann,  the  widow  of  William  Mc- 
Dermott;  Lizzie;  ]\Iary,  the  widow  of  Michael  Burns:  Angeline,  the  wife  of 
Harry  Kupfer ;  and  Catherine,  the  wife  of  Thomas  O'Neil.  Mrs.  Patrick  Eng- 
lish was  a  daughter  of  William  and  Ann  (Riley)  Murray,  natives  of  Scotland, 
who  came  to  America  and  for  a  number  of  years  lived  in  Kenosha  county, 
Avhere  they  both  died. 

John  J.  English  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Kenosha.  After  attending  the 
public  and  parochial  schools  he  began  clerking  in  the  hardware  business,  and 
in  1892  formed  a  partnership  with  G.  V.  Redeker.  in  that  business,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Redeker  &  English.  This  firm  continued  until  1902.  when  -Mr. 
Fnglish  purchased  his  partner's  interest,  and  he  has  since  continued  the  business 
alone.  On  April  24.  t888,  Mr.  Ensrlish  and  Miss  .\nnie  Moeller.  daughter  of 
\\'illiam  and  ^lary  (Reiman)  [Nloeller,  were  united  in  marriage,  and  two  chil- 


96  CO:\OIE?.IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

dren  have  beeif  born  to  this  union,  Beatrice  and  Beulah.  The  family  reside  at 
Mo.  353  Fark  street,  where  Mr.  tinglisli  built  a  pleasant  home  in  1902.  Mr. 
and  ivirs.  Enghsh  are  members  of  st.  James  Catholic  Church,  traternally 
Air.  English  is  connected  with  the  Canadian  foresters.  Politically  he  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat. 

The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  English  was  a  native  of  Hilldrup,  Westphalia, 
Prussia,  and  on  coming  to  America  settled  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  where  he  and  his 
wife  died  at  an  advanced  age.  They  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  of  whom 
William  Moeller  was  the  father  of  Airs.  English.  He  was  born  in  Westphalia, 
and  on  coming  to  America  settled  in  Southport  (now  Kenosha),  where  he 
followed  his  trade  of  brewer.  At  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  Kenosha  he 
was  marshal  of  the  city.     He  died  in  1886,  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight  years. 

Mr.  Moeller  married  Mary  Reiman,  who  was  born  at  Neunkirchen, 
Kriegsdown,  Trier,  Prussia,  daughter  of  Bernard  Reiman  and  Lena  Barlinger, 
natives  of  Prussia  who  came  to  America  and  lived  in  Kenosha  county  for  a 
number  of  years,  both  dying  here;  they  were  Catholics  in  religious  faith.  Will- 
iam and  Mary  (Reiman)  Moeller  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  the 
mother  and  eleven  children  surviving  the  father.  Nine  of  this  family  are  still 
living :  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Schoetler ;  Mary,  wife  of  George  Gill ;  Rose, 
wife  of  James  Gorman ;  Annie,  born  in  Kenosha  March  1 1.  1863,  wife  of  John 
J.  English ;  William,  unmarried ;  Kate,  wife  of  Edward  Dolan ;  Caroline,  who 
is  unmarried;  Josephine,  wife  of  Eli  Dresden;  and  John,  who  is  married. 

GEORGE  D.  HEAD,  who  was  until  his  death  senior  member  of  the  iirm 
of  Head  &  Grant,  proprietors  of  the  Kenosha  Lumber  Company,  of  Kenosha, 
Wis.,  was  born  in  Paris,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  June  22,  1830,  son  of  Ralph 
and  Eliza  (Doolittle)  Head,  natives  of  New  York. 

Jonathan  Head,  the  grandfather  of  George  D.,  was  probably  a  native 
of  Rhode  Island.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  also  followed  agricultural 
operations,  and  was  an  early  settler  of  New  York  State.  He  died  in  the  town 
of  Paris,  N.  Y.,  being  nearly  ninety  years  of  age.  His  wife,  Hepsabeth  Liv- 
ermore,  also  attained  an  advanced,  age. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  George  D.  Head  was  Uri  Doolittle,  a  native 
of  Connecticut.  A  mason  by  trade,  he  was  the  builder  of  Hamilton  College, 
and  he  also  operated  a  farm  upon  which  he  lived  in  Paris  township,  in  New 
York.  He  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  attained  an  advanced  age, 
as  did  also  his  wife.     He  belonged  to  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

Ralph  H^ad  was  a  wagonmaker  in  Paris.  N.  Y.,  and  there  died  aged  for- 
ty-six years.  Two  years  after  his  death  his  wife  came  West,  and,  settling  in 
Kenosha,  lived  witii  her  son  George  D.,  until  her  death  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
one  years.  Both  she  and  her  husband  were  Episcopalians.  He  was  a  stanch 
Andrew  Jackson  Democrat  and  was  quite  a  politician.  Of  his  six  children 
but  one  is  now  living,  Mary  E.,  wife  of  R.  E.  Sutherland,  of  Kenosha. 

George  D.  Head  was  reared  in  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained 
until  sixteen  years  of  age.  In  1846  he  came  to  Southport,  and  lived  here 
ever  afterward.  His  schooling  was  obtained  in  New  York  State,  and  his 
entry  in  the  business  world  was  as  a  clerk  for  his  uncle,  Daniel  Head,  at  An- 
tioch.  Lake  Co.,  111.     On  locating  in  Southport  he  became  clerk  in  the  old 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  97 

"Runals  House"  for  Head,  Campbell  &  Head.  In  1854  he  started  in  business 
for  himself  in  a  general  store,  continuing  in  that  business  until  1S60,  when 
he  was  burned  out  in  a  fire  which  destroyed  both  sides  of  the  street,  he  being 
located  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Pearl  streets.  Not  having  carried  any 
insurance,  Mr.  Head's  loss  was  a  total  one,  but,  nothing  daunted,  he  started 
in  the  lumber  business.  Soon  after  this  he  started  pressing  hay,  and  also  a 
wagon  works  with  R.  E.  Sutherland  (his  brother-in-law),  which  ventures, 
proving  profitable,  gave  him  a  new  start.  Although  starting  without  capital, 
he  soon  established  a  reputation  for  square  dealing,  and  built  up  a  good 
credit  and  a  large  business.  He  continued  hay  pressing  for  a  few  years,  in 
connection  with  wagon  making,  after  which  time  he  devoted  his  time  and 
attention  almost  exclusively  to  the  lumber  business.  For  the  last  eleven 
years  of  his  life  he  was  associated  with  E.  L.  Grant. 

Mr.  Head  died  May  19,  1906,  after  a  long  illness,  and  was  laid  to  rest 
in  the  family  plot  in  the  city  cemetery.  The  following  appeared  in  a  local 
paper  the  day  of  the  funeral : 

"The  death  of  George  D.  Head  marks  the  passing  of  one  of  the  best 
known  men  in  this  part  of  Wisconsin.  He  w'as  a  man  universally  known  and 
universally  loved  and  the  announcement  of  his  deatii  will  cause  the  tear  of 
sorrow  to  fall  in  many  homes  in  the  city.     *     *     *     * 

"Few  men  in  Kenosha  enjoyed  such  a  personal  popularity  as  George  D. 
Head.  He  was  a  man  without  enemies  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  word. 
He  took  a  kindly  interest  in  the  affairs  of  those  he  chose  to  call  his  friends, 
and  to  these  people  his  death  must  come  as  a  personal  sorrow.  Mr.  Head  was 
distinctly  a  man  of  the  home,  and  those  who  knew-  him  at  his  fireside  will  feel 
his  loss  most  keenly." 

On  Nov.  I,  1858,  Mr.  Head  married  Miss  Eliza  ]\I.  Sexton,  daughter  of 
Aaron  and  Maria  (Runals)  Sexton,  and  to  this  union  were  born  eight  chil- 
dren: Kittie  D.,  Eugene  Ralph,  Bertha,  Daniel  O..  Ida  Belle,  Frederick  S.. 
and  two  who  died  in  early  childhood.  Kittie  D.  married  E.  S.  Wilson,  of 
Oshkosh,  Wis.,  and  has  four  children,  George  H..  Ralph,  Morris  and  Joseph. 
Eugene  R.  is  in  the  printing  and  publishing  business,"  continuing  the  paper 
established  in  Kenosha  (or  Southport) — the  Telegraph  Courier — and  also 
operates  in  real  estate;  he  married  Mildred  Lewis,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren, Clarence,  Bertha  and  Robert.  Bertha,  the  third  child,  was  drowned 
in  Lake  Michigan  when  twenty  years  of  age.  Daniel  O.,  who  engaged  in 
the  lumber  business  with  his  father,  married  Lottie  A.  Chalfant.  and  they 
have  four  children,  George  D.,  Randolph,  Daniel  Orin  and  Beatrice.  Ida 
Belle  married  Frank  Pearson,  and  they  reside  in  Chicago,  III.  Frederick  S. 
is  in  the  employ  of  a  lumber  company  of  Goldfield.  Neb. ;  he  married  Ruth 
Hurd.  and  they  have  two  children,  Charles  and  Elizabeth. 

George  D.  Head  was  an  Episcopalian,  as  is  also  his  widow.  He  was 
a  Republican,  and  closely  connected  with  local  political  affairs  for  half  a  cen- 
tury. In  the  early  days  he  served  as  city  treasurer  of  the  city,  for  one  term, 
was  alderman  of  the  First  ward,  and  later  held  the  same  position  in  the  Fourth 
ward.     Mr.  Head  lived  at  No.  404  Park  street  from  1854  until  his  death. 


98         co:m:me^iorative  biographical  record. 

REV.  STEPHEN  DEAN  TRANT,  who  is  well  known  throughout 
Wisconsin  for  the  great  and  good  work  he  has  accomplished  as  a  minister  of 
the  Gospel,  is  pastor  of  St.  Patrick's  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  Racine,  and 
dean  of  the  Racine  District  of  the  Catholic  Church.  His  birth  occurred  in 
Southport  (now  Kenosha),  Wis.,  Dec.  26,  1844,  and  he  is  a  son  of  William 
and  Anastasia  (Scannell)  Trant,  natives  of  the  south  of  Ireland. 

Thomas  Trant,  the  grandfather  of  Dean  Trant,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and 
there  died.  He  and  his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  had  been  Bridget  Hussey, 
had  one  son  and  two  daughters.  This  son,  William,  married  in  Canada,  Nov. 
28,  1838,  Anastasia  Scannell,  daughter  of  William  Scannell,  a  merchant  of 
Ireland,  where  he  died.  Mrs.  Trant's  mother  was  Ellen  Kent,  who  passed 
away  in  Milwaukee.  After  marriage,  in  1842,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Trant 
left  Canada  and  came  to  Wisconsin,  locating  in  Southport,  where,  until  Mrs. 
Trant's  death,  in  1850,  of  cholera,  they  conducted  an  old-fashioned  tavern, 
known  as  the  "Lake  House."  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trant  had  four  children,  two  sons 
and  two  daughters,  namely :  Rev.  Stephen,  William  Joseph  and  Maria, 
twins,  and  Ellen.  The  last  named  died  of  cholera  at  the  time  of  the  death  of 
her  mother.  William  Joseph  was  a  machinist  by  trade  and  resided  in  Mil- 
waukee for  nearly  fifty  years,  dying  there,  a  bachelor,  March  27,  1905,  while 
Maria  is  the  widow  of  Christopher  Garvey,  and  resides  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
Wis.  William  Trant  continued  to  reside  in  Kenosha  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  May  24,  1854,  when  about  fifty-four  years  of  age.  He  had  been  a 
bookkeeper  in  his  native  country,  and  was  a  man  of  fine  education  and  excel- 
lent reputation. 

Father  Stephen  Trant  was  reared  in  Kenosha,  where  he  remained,  at- 
tending the  public  schools,  until  1856,  in  which  year  he  went  to  live  with  an 
aunt  in  ^Milwaukee,  both  his  mother  and  father  having  died.  He  attended  the 
Christian  Brothers'  School  at  old  St.  Peter's  Church  and  afterward  St.  Aloy- 
sius'  Academy,  conducted  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers.  At  the  latter  institution  he 
remained  until  February.  1861,  and  then  entered  St.  Francis'  Seminary  at 
Milwaukee  to  study  for  the  priesthood,  being  ordained  Dec.  19,  1868.  His 
first  assignment  was  to  Highland,  Wis.,  where  he  remained  twelve  years, 
whence  he  became  pastor  of  St.  Joseph's  Church  at  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.,  and 
remained  at  this  charge  fi\-e  years.  On  Feb.  10,  1886,  Father  Trant  came  to 
Racine,  becoming  pastor  of  St.  Patrick's  Chvirch,  where  he  still  remains,  be- 
loved by  a  large  congregation.  Since  taking  charge  of  the  pastorate  consid- 
erable improvements  have  been  made,  but  the  Father's  modesty  makes  it  im- 
possible for  the  writer  to  enumerate  these.  In  connection  with  the  Church  is 
a  graded  school,  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  St.  Dominic.  This  school  has 
grown  rapidly  from  a  small  one  organized  by  two  sisters  to  a  school  of  con- 
siderable size.  In  the  year  1887  Father  Trant  was  made  dean  of  the  Racine 
District. 

Father  Trant's  father,  William  Trant,  acquired  valuable  property  in 
Kenosha,  and  as  a  man  of  progressive  ideas  and  public  spirit  gave  liberally  to 
the  support  of  those  enterprises  which  he  believed  would  have  a  beneficial 
effect  upon  the  community.  He  was  zealous  in  the  cause  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church,  and  donated  the  site  of  the  house  of  worship  in  Kenosha,  with  the 
one  condition  that  the  congregation  should  erect  thereon  a  brick  stnicture. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  99 

This  was  done,  the  old  St.  Mark's  church  being  built,  which  has  been  replaced 
by  the  present  St.  James"  church.  William  Trant  and  his  wife  were  highly 
respected  and  greatly  esteemed  among  the  neighbors,  who,  in  their  deaths, 
sustained  the  loss  of  charitable  friends  and  true  Christian  people. 

Father  Trant's  congregation  embraces  something  over  two  hundred  fam- 
ilies, and  by  all  he  is  esteemed  and  beloved.  Full  of  charity  and  thought  for 
others,  he  has  hosts  of  friends  throughout  the  State,  while  his  sound  judg- 
ment and  sterling  character  have  won  for  him  a  place  in  the  front  rank  of  men 
of  refinement  and  education. 

St.  Patrick's  Church  Society.  The  pioneer  settlers  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  faith  in  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties  had  their  spiritual  wants  at- 
tended to  by  Rev.  Thomas  Morrissy,  who  came  to  the  Territory  about  1840. 
There  was  not  then,  nor  for  some  years  afterward,  any  Catholic  Church  in 
these  two  counties.  Upon  the  arrival  of  Father  Morrissy;  wdiich  was  at 
somewhat  irregular  periods,  it  was  customary  to  notify  the  few  Catholics  in  the 
vicinity  to  meet  at  a  certain  house,  where  mass  and  instructions  were  held, 
and  the  necessary  sacraments  dispensed.  One  of  the  stations  of  his  very 
extensive  circuit  w-as  at  Racine. 

Near  the  close  of  1841  Rev.  Martin  Kundig  came  to  the  Territory  from 
Detroit,  Mich.,  and  made  his  headquarters  in  Milwaukee.  He  also  made 
frequent  visits  to  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties,  gathered  the  faithful  to- 
gether, said  mass,  instructed  the  people,  and  baptized  the  children.  In  time, 
the  number  of  Catholics  increasing  in  Racine,  property  was  purchased  on 
Fifth  street,  near  where  the  "Commercial  Hotel"  now  stands,  and  an  unpre- 
tentious frame  building  erected  thereon.  This  was  the  first  Catholic  Church 
in  Racine,  and  was  called  St.  Luke's.  In  less  than  two  years  this  church  was 
found  to  be  too  small  to  accommodate  the  rapidly  increasing  number  of  Cath- 
olic worshippers,  and  steps  were  taken  to  build  a  larger  edifice.  A  Mr.  Riordan 
gave  the  society  a  quit  claim  deed  for  two  lots  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
Eighth  street  and  Lake  avenue,  upon  what  was  then  the  school  section.  In 
1845  a  church  building  sufficiently  large  to  accommodate  the  Catholics  of  all 
nationalities  was  erected  on  this  site.  Services  were  then  discontinued  at  the 
old  St.  Luke's  Church  and  the  property  sold. 

In  September,  1846,  by  the  appointment  of  the  Right  Rev.  John  Martin 
Henni.  who,  two  years  previously,  was  made  Bishop  of  Milwaukee,  Rev. 
Francis  Prendergast  w^as  sent  to  Racine  as  the  first  resident  pastor  of  the 
church,  which  was  called  St.  Ignatius.  Father  Prendergast  remained  in 
charge  only  about  one  year  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  P.  J.  Fander.  wlio 
remained  two  years.  In  August,  1849,  Rev.  Charles  Shroudenbach- 
took  pastoral  charge,  and  remained  about  three  years.  In  November,  1851. 
Rev.  John  W.  Norris.  D.  D.,  was  appointed  pastor,  which  position  he  held 
one  year,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  :Martin  Kundig,  V.  G.,  in  August, 
1852.  During  his  pastorate,  which  lasted  about  two  years,  the  German  Cath- 
olics saw  that  they  were  numerically  strong  enough  to  build  a  church  of  their 
own  and  support  a  priest  of  their  own  nationality.  Tlie  English  speaking 
Catholics  indemnified  their  brethren  for  the  money  interests  they  had  held  in 
St.  Ignatius  Church  when  the  Germans  proceeded  to  build  a  church  on  the 


lOO  CO^IMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

corner  of  College  avenue  and  Eighth  street.  Father  Kundig  became  the  pas- 
tor of  the  new  St.  Mary's  Church  and  Rev.  T.  A.  Smith  succeeded  him  as 
pastor  of  the  Church  of  St.  Ignatius  in  June.  1855.  Though  additions  had 
twice  been  build  to  St.  Ignatius  Church,  and  notwithstanding  that  the  Ger- 
mans now  had  a  church  of  their  own,  it  was  soon  apparent  that  the  old  church 
was  entirely  too  small  to  afiford  ruum  for  the  English  speaking  Catholics.  In 
canvassing  the  opinions  of  the  congregation  on  the  subject  of  a  new  church, 
it  became  manifested  that  by  far  the  greater  number  of  the  communicants 
resided  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  as  a  consequence  voted  to  have  the 
new  church  in  question  erected  on  the  north  side.  Under  the  management 
of  Father  Smith,  property  was  secured  on  St.  Clair  street,  and  the  present 
St.  Patrick's  Church  completed  in  1856.  The  pastors  of  St.  Patrick's  Church 
also  officiated  at  St.  Ignatius  Church,  on  the  south  side,  every  Sunday  up  to 
May  12,  1862,  when  services  were  discontinued.  From  this  time  until  1885 
the  English  speaking  Catholics  of  Racine  worshipped  at  St.  Patrick's.  At 
this  time  the  necessity  of  having  another  English  speaking  church  in  the  city, 
and  located  on  the  south  side,  became  apparent.  The  result  was  the  building 
of  St.  Rose's  Church,  at  the  corner  of  Eleventh  and  Grand  avenue. 

In  September,  1859,  Father  Smith  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  G.  H.  Bren- 
nan,  who  remained  in  charge  until  Jan.  14,  1861,  when  he  was  followed  by 
Rev.  M.  W.  Gibson,  who,  in  turn,  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  George  W. 
Matthews,  on  the  14th  of  May,  1863.  Under  the  administration  of  Father 
Matthews,  which  continued  for  twenty-three  years,  more  church  property  was 
secured,  a  brick  parsonage  built,  a  commodious  schoolhouse  and  church  hall 
were  erected,  all  church  indebtedness  paid,  and  many  improvements  made. 
Father  Matthews  died  while  acting  as  pastor  of  the  church,  Jan.  27,  1886, 
highly  esteemed  by  all  classes. 

The  present  pastor.  Rev.  Stephen  Trant,  was  appointed  to  the  charge  of 
St.  Patrick's  Church  after  the  death  of  Father  Matthews.  St.  Patrick's  con- 
gregation has  an  excellent  parochial  school,  a  fine  pastoral  residence,  which 
has  been  considerably  remodeled  and  improved  under  the  present  management, 
and  a  beautiful  church  property.  The  temporal  or  business  affairs  of  the 
society  are  managed  by  a  committee  elected  by  the  congregation,  and  whose 
duty  it  is  to  confer  with  the  pastor  on  matters  of  a  purely  secular  nature.  The 
affairs  of  St.  Patrick's  Church  now,  as  in  the  past,  are  conducted  without  the 
least  friction. 

DAVID  PAYXTER  WIGLEY  is  one  of  the  most  successful,  substan- 
tial and  enterprising  business  men  of  Racine.  It  is  dubious,  indeed,  whether 
there  has  ever  been,  in  the  history  of  the  business  men  of  Racine,  such  a  re- 
markably successful  career  as  that  of  Mr.  Wigley  during  the  twelve  years  he 
has  been  actively  engaged  in  business  there.  From  the  position  of  a  poor  me- 
chanic during  the  panic  of  1893.  he  overcame  the  keen  competition  of  well- 
established  business  firms  in  the  flour  and  feed  line  at  that  time,  which  is  the 
most  difficult  obstacle  that  every  man  beginning  in  the  business  world  has  to 
contend  with,  and  by  steps  forward  in  steady  and  rapid  succession  he  quickly 
arose  to  the  point  where  he  was  and  is  referred  to  as  one  of  Racine's  proud 
products  of  substantial  financial  worth  as  well  as  a  dealer  of  high  and  good 
repute. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  loi 

]\Ir.  \\'igley  was  burn  in  Rhus  Goch,  Staylittle,  Trefeghvys,  Montgoniery- 
shire,  North  Wales,  Nuv.  25,  1856.  His  boyhoud  days  were  spent  in  a  humble 
farming  community,  and  being  dissatisfied  witli  the  prospects  of  advancement 
and  financial  betterment  there  he  decided  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  United  States. 
He  came  here  in  the  month  of  March,  1881,  and  soon  secured  employment  on 
the  farm  of  David  Jones,  about  five  miles  west  of  the  city,  in  the  town  of  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.  Here  he  remained  for  one  year  and  during  the 
winter  months  availed  himself  of  a  short  schooling  in  district  school  No.  10. 
The  following  year  he  removed  to  the  city  and  for  a  period  of  eleven  years  was 
engaged  in  the  wood  department  shops  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing'  Machine 
Company. 

On  Aug.  31.  1892,  Mr.  Wigley  was  united  in  marriage  with  ]Miss  Jane 
Jones,  of  Venedocia,  Ohio,  and  soon  after  purchased  a  home  at  No.  712  Villa 
street.  Mrs.  Wigley  was  born  at  Brynunty,  Llanbrynmair,  Montgomeryshire, 
North  Wales,  and  with  her  parents  came  to  this  country  and  settled  near  Vene- 
docia, Ohio,  in  the  year  1884.  Mrs.  Wigley  was  given  a  warm  welcome  into 
Racine  society.  She  is  a  most  highly  esteemed  lady,  possessing  a  charming  and 
most  amiable  disposition,  and  her  ability  and  energy  and  co-operation  were 
equal  factors  in  the  success  of  her  husband  in  every  way. 

During  the  panic  of  1893,  as  referred  to  before,  Mr.  Wigley  accepted  a 
position  as  city  solicitor  and  salesman  with  the  Star  Mills.  During  his  few 
months'  services  with  this  company  he  grasped  the  idea  of  a  future  livelihood 
and  soon  he  started  as  a  small  dealer  in  the  flour  and  feed  business,  on  his  own 
responsibility.  Working  and  hustling  at  all  hours,  and  by  strict  attention  to 
business,  he  soon  became  prominent  in  his  line  and  by  conservative  thriftiness 
was  able  to  cope  with  the  competition  in  the  market.  • 

In  1895  li^  purchased  one  of  the  oldest  flour  and  feed  establishments  in 
the  city,  that  of  Kent  &  Smith,  on  College  avenue.  Here  he  forged  ahead  with 
a  much  more  rapid  pace,  and  five  years  later  purchased  the  old  Turner  Hall 
site,  one  of  the  most  valuable  real  estate  sites  in  the  heart  of  the  city.  He  re- 
modeled the  structure  at  a  large  expense,  transforming  the  ground  floor  into 
one  of  the  most  modern  stores,  and  improving  the  hall  above,  which  to-day  is 
known  as  Wigley's  Hall — a  commodious  place  of  gathering  for  lodges  and  var- 
ious societies. 

Mr.  Wigley  In'  this  time  had  built  up  not  only  a  retail  but  one  of  the  largest 
wholesale  trades  in  Racine,  and  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  secure  ware- 
rooms  near  railroad  accommodations.  He  purchased  a  valuable  site  at  Mead 
and  Eighth  streets,  near  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  Company's 
tracks,  where  he  erected  a  substantial  two-story  depositary.  Within  the  past 
very  few  years  his  business  has  increased  much  more  rapidly,  and  to  such  an 
extent  that  he  has  been  obliged  to  again  seek  larger  and  better  facilities  f(^r  the 
care  of  his  trade.  In  1905  he  purchased,  on  the  river  front,  at  Wisconsin  and 
Third  streets,  the  Emerson  Mills,  which  were  then  owned  by  the  trust,  the 
American  Linseed  Oil  Company,  a  large  formidable  six-story  brick  structure, 
with  thousands  of  square  feet  of  floor  space.  He  has  completely  remodeled  the 
interior  and  equipped  the  same  with  the  most  modern  grinding  machinery  and 
devices  for  the  rapid  handling  of  all  cereal  products.  He  is  proprietor  of  the 
only  elevator  in  this  part  of  the  State,  and  is  now  engaged  in  not  only  supply- 
ing all  local  trade  l)Ut  in  exporting  in  trainlnad  quantities. 


I02  CO.MMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

i\Ir.  W'igley  is  not  only  a  successful  business  man  but  is  equally  prominent 
in  tbe  best  social  circles  of  tbe  city.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wigley  are  among  the 
leading  members  of  the  Welsh  Presbyterian  Church,  and  he  is  also  an  honorary 
member  of  the  Kymric  Club,  as  well  as  a  member  of  the  Royal  League,  Modern 
Woodmen,  St.  David's  Society  and  the  Royal  Arcanum. 

JOHN  FOX  WELL  (deceased)  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Racine 
county,  with  which  he  was  identified  for  over  forty  years.  He  was  born  in 
Cornwall,  England,  son  of  William  Foxwell. 

William  Foxwell  was  born  in  England,  and  died  in  that  country,  where 
he  and  his  father,  John  Foxwell,  were  country  gentlemen  owning  good  estates. 
William  Foxwell  was  the  recipient  of  a  medal  from  the  Royal  Society  of  Eng- 
land for  saving  the  crew  of  the  troop  ship  "Royal  George,"  which  was  wrecked 
of¥  the  coast  of  Cornwall  when  returning  from  India.  He  died  when  about 
&eventy-five  years  old,  and  was  survived  by  his  wife,  Ann  (Harris)  Foxwell, 
a  daughter  of  John  Harris,  a  farmer,  who  died  in  England.  After  her  hus- 
band's death  Mrs.  Foxwell  came  to  America  with  her  family,  although  she  was 
then  sixty-three  years  of  age,  and  she  lived  in  Yorkville  township,  Racine  Co., 
Wis.,  until  her  death,  which  occurred  when  she  was  in  her  eightieth  year. 

John  Foxwell  came  from  England  to  America  in  1840,  and  located  in 
Racine  county.  Wis.  He  took  up  land  from  the  government  at  $1.25  per  acre, 
buying  what  is  now  known  as  the  Thomas  Shephard  farm,  but  in  less  than  a 
year  he  sold  out  and  moved  to  Caledonia  township,  buying  a  farm  there.  After 
some  fifteen  years'  residence  there  he  returned  in  March,  1856,  to  Yorkville 
township,  where  he  purchased  a  large  farm  on  which  he  lived  until  the  day  of 
his  death.  ]Mr.  Foxwell  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary'  mental  attainments, 
and,  having  received  a  liberal  education  in  his  native  land,  became  a  valuable 
acquisition  in  this  new  community.  With  a  musical  and  artistic  temperament, 
and  deep  religious  convictions,  he  was  a  power  among  his  neighbors  for  good, 
and  was  one  of  the  founders  and  a  lifelong  supporter  of  the  church  and  society 
at  Yorkville,  his  best  endeavors  being  freely  given  as  a  lay-preacher,  as  long  as 
he  was  able  to  build  it  up.  Politically,  before  and  during  the  Civil  war,  Mr. 
Foxwell  was  an  Abolitionist,  and  when  that  question  was  settled  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  Prohibition  party.  He  was  without  political  ambition,  but  never 
indifYerent  to  the  welfare  of  the  State.  He  died  at  his  home  March  20.  1882, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years. 

John  Foxwell  chose  for  his  wife  Miss  Lucy  P.  Briggs,  daughter  of  Ansel 
and  Susanna  (Alton)  Briggs,  born  in  Zanesville.  Ohio,  Aug.  30,  1820.  They 
were  married  Sept.  13,  1841.  and  Mrs.  Foxwell  is  still  living  in  their  old  home. 
They  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  namely  :  William,  of  Lincoln.  Neb. : 
Susan  j\I.,  deceased,  wife  of  John  F.  Movie:  Avis,  wife  of  Wells  M.  Cook,  of 
DesMoines,  Iowa;  Lvdia,  wife  of  Jerome  McLaughlin,  of  Hartford,  Mich.; 
Marv  Ann,  wife  of  Thomas  F.  Movie,  of  Waterford.  Wis. ;  Philander,  de- 
ceased; Tohn.  of  Wapello,  Iowa:  Alark.  of  Manitoba;  Geore-^.  of  Waterford; 
Lucv,  wife  of  George  Richards,  of  Waukesha:  and  Paul  and  Elsie,  who  did  not 
outlive  infancy. 

Mrs.  Lucv  P.  Foxwell  is  in  the  seventh  generation  from  the  first  of  the 
Briggs  familv  to  come  to  America.     There  were  three  brothers  who  came  to 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  103 

Massachusetts  early  in  the  sixteen  hundreds,  possibly  among  the  Pilgrims.  Her 
paternal  grandfather,  Zedock  Briggs,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  bore  arms  in  the  Revolution.  He  married  Miss  Harriet  Pal- 
meter,  and  both  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  her  death  occurring  only  six  weeks 
prior  to  his.  They  had  five  daughters  and  seven  sons.  Their  son  Ansel,  father 
of  Mrs.  Foxwell,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and  grew  up  and  married  there, 
but  in  1814  went  with  his  wife  to  Ohio.  He  settled  first  on  a  farm  on  the 
Muskingum  river,  but  afterward  moved  to  Medina  county,  and  finally,  in  1837, 
went  to  Wisconsin,  settling  in  Caledonia  township,  Racine  county,  where  he 
remained  about  thirteen  years.  Then  he  again  sought  a  new  home  further 
west,  finally  locating  in  Iowa,  in  Illyria  township,  Fayette  county,  where  he 
and  his  wife  died.  They  were  buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Lima.  At  the  time  of 
his  death.  May  8,  1855,  Mr.  Briggs  was  sixty-five  years  old,  and  his  wife, 
Susanna  {  Alton)  Briggs,  died  June  10,  1853,  3-g^<i  fifty-eight  years.  They  had 
ten  sons  and  two  daughters,  ten  of  whom  grew  to  maturity. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Foxwell,  Amasa  Alton,  came  to  this 
countrv  as  a  Hessian  soldier,  fought  against  the  Colonists,  was  wounded,  and 
was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Saratoga.  On  parole,  becoming  better  ac- 
quainted with  the  object  of  the  Colonists,  he  espoused  their  cause,  and  renounc- 
ing his  allegiance  to  King  and  Country  became  an  American  citizen.  When 
the  strife  was  over  he  lived  and  died  as  a  farmer  in  Massachusetts.  He  was 
twice  married,  first  to  Miss  Rachel  Blood  and  second  to  Miss  Philena  Rice.  By 
the  two  marriages  he  became  the  father  of  six  children,  all  daughters. 

Mrs.  Lucy  P.  Foxwell  made  the  journey  from  Ohio  to  Wisconsin  with 
her  father's  family  in  1837,  and  she  well  remembers  the  trip,  which  was  made 
by  wagon.  A  resident  of  Wisconsin  for  sixty-nine  years,  she  has  seen  the  coun- 
try develop  from  a  wilderness,  and  can  recall  Racine  when  there  were  only 
four  houses  on  the  east  side  of  Main  street.  One  of  the  interesting  characters  in 
this  sketch,  she  still  lives  at  the  age  of  eighty-six,  in  her  own  home,  and  in  the 
full  possession  of  all  her  faculties.  Her  reminiscences  of  the  early  settlement  of 
Racine  county  are  highly  prized  by  her  children,  grandchildren  and  great- 
grandchildren, by  all  of  whom  she  is  duly  honored  and  loved  and  whose  great 
pleasure  it  is  to  gather  annually  at  her  home  and  celebrate  her  birthday. 

JUDGE  WTLLIA:\I  SMIEDING,  Jr..  Judge  of  the  ^lunicipal  Court  for 
Racine  County.  Wis.,  has  held  that  position  since  January,  1902.  Judge 
Smieding's  birth  occurred  Sept.  9,  1868,  in  Racine,  and  he  is  a  son  of  William 
and  Mary  ( Wustum)  Smieding,  the  former  a  native  of  Prussia,  Germany,  and 
the  latter  of  Racine,  Wisconsin. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  native  of  Germany,  where 
he  died,  as  did  also  his  wife.  George  Wustum,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  the 
Judge,  was  a  native  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  and  came  to  Racine  during  the  early 
settlement  of  that  city.  He  was  a  butcher  by  trade,  and  conducted  a  shop  in 
the  city  for  some  years.  He  was  mayor  of  Racine  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr. 
Wustum  died  in  Racine,  aged  seventy  years,  and  his  wife,  Barbara,  also  lived 
to  a  ripe  old  age. 

William  Smieding,  the  Judge's  father,  came  to  America  in  1853,  settling 
first  in  Cincinnati,  later  at  St.  Louis,  and  coming  to  Racine  about  18^5.  In 
partnership  with  .-n  elder  brother,  Henry  E..  he  estnlilished  a  drug  business  at 


I04  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

the  corner  of  Third  and  Main  strets,  and  there  he  continued  to  do  business  for 
twenty-four  or  twenty-five  years,  when  the  business  was  sold.  Since  tliat  time 
Mr.  Smieding  has  made  his  home  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  where  he  owns  a 
small  farm.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  Protestants.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
Smieding  have  had  these  children  born  to  them:  Henry  G.,  of  Racine;  Judge 
William:  Miss  Marie;  Herman,  of  Racine;  George,  a  physician  of  Jefferson 
county.  Wis. ;  and  Fred,  of  Racine. 

William  Smieding,  Jr.,  was  reared  in  Racine,  where  he  attended  the  public 
and  high  schools,  from  the  latter  of  which  he  was  graduated  in  1887,  in  which 
year  he  entered  the  Wisconsin  University,  at  Madison,  graduating  therefrom  in 
letters  in  1891  and  from  the  law  department  in  1893.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Bar  in  June  of  the  same  year,  and  at  once  began  practice  in  Racine.  In  April. 
1901,  he  was  elected  Judge  of  the  Municipal  Court  of  Racine  and  assumed  the 
duties  of  the  office  Jan.  i,  1902,  and  was  re-elected  for  a  second  term  in  April, 
1905.  This  office  he  still  holds.  Judge  Smieding  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge, 
No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. :  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  32,  Knights  of  Pythias;  to  the  Ete. 
and  to  the  Maccabees. 

HON.  ALEXANDER  BAILEY,  who  has  been  a  resident  of  the  village 
of  Salem,  Wis.,  for  nearly  fifty  years,  is  now  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
influential  citizens  of  that  village.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of  Lorraine, 
Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y.,  June  26,  1824.  son  of  George  and  Olive  (Kasson)  Bai- 
ley, the  former  a  native  of  Rhode  Island  and  the  latter  of  Montgomery 
county,  New  York. 

The  paternal  grandfather,  George  Bailey,  and  his  wife,  Nancy  Briggs, 
belonged  to  prominent  stock  of  Massachusetts,  and  were  of  English  descent. 
They  had  a  family  of  seven  children.  The  founders  of  the  Kasson  family  in 
this  country  were  Adam  and  Jane  (Hall)  Kasson.  members  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church  of  Voluntown  at  its  incorporation  in  October,  1723.  Their 
son,  Robert  Kasson.  born  in  1741.  was  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  and 
married  Jennie  Gaston.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  French  and  Revolutionary 
wars,  but  being  opposed  to  the  acceptance  of  French  aid  in  the  latter  struggle, 
because  they  were  Roman  Catholics,  he  finally  left  the  service,  for  which  he 
was  court-martialed,  but  afterward  reprieved.  He  was  a  wheelwright  by 
occupation,  and  made  his  home  in  Broadalbin,  Fulton  Co..  N.  Y.,  where  he 
died  Sept.  25,   1826,  aged  eighty-five  years. 

George  Bailey,  the  father  of  Hon.  Alexander,  spent  his  life  at  Lorraine, 
Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  in  May,  1838,  aged  fifty-four  years,  nine 
months.  He  belonged  to  the  Minute  Men  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  and  in  the 
battle  saw  General  Gray,  commander  of  the  British  troops,  shot.  His  wife 
survived  him,  passin?  away  in  May,  1876,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 
They  had  seven  children,  as  follows :  Marvel,  who  resided  in  Watertown, 
Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y. ;  Clark,  who  was  a  farmer  of  the  Empire  State;  Harvey, 
who  died  in  Adams,  where  he  followed  harnessmaking;  Jane,  wife  of  Levi 
Lamson.  deceased  in  18^9;  George,  who  was  a  farmer  of  Webster  county, 
Nebr. ;  Henrv,  who  resided  in  Adams,  N.  Y..  and  Alexander.  All  of  these 
children,  with  the  exception  of  Alexander,  are  now  deceased. 

Alexander  Bailev.  the    vouneest    of    the    familv,    attended    the    district 


Cl^cjl^,  X^«?t-<-^<6^ 


CO^niE^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  105 

scliools  until  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  completed  his  education  in  Adams 
Seminary.  He  taught'  his  first  school  the  winter  he  was  seventeen  years  of 
age  and  "followed  that  profession  for  two  years,  when,  in  1843,  he  came  to  the 
West  to  try  his  fortune  on  its  broad  prairies.  By  canal  and  lake  he  journeyed 
westward,  landing  in  October,  1843,  in  Milwaukee,  where  he  left  his  wife, 
while  he  started  on  foot  to  seek  a  location.  He  walked  all  the  way  to 
Kenosha  county,  and  purchased  160  acres  of  land  on  Section  33,  Brighton 
township,  paying  for  it  at  the  Government  price  of  $1.25  per  acre.  On  the 
claim  a  small  frame  cabin  had  been  built,  10x10  feet,  and  for  four  months 
this  was  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bailey.  They  lived  in  true  pioneer  style, 
and  experienced  many  of  the  privations  and  hardships  incident  to  life  on  the 
frontier.  For  fourteen  consecutive  winters  he  engaged  in  teaching  school, 
while  in  the  summer  season  his  energies  were  devoted  to  the  cultivation  and 
improvement  of  his  land,  which  in  course  of  time  yielded  him  abundant 
harvests. 

In  1856  :\Ir.  Bailey  removed  to  what  is  now  the  village  of  Salem,  and 
purchased  145  acres  of  land  on  Sections  10  and  11,  Salem  township,  putting 
up  the  first  building  in  the  village  and  renting  same  out  to  Schuyler  Benson, 
who  conducted  a  store  in  the  building  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr.  Bailey  con- 
tinued to  operate  the  farm  until  1859.  He  then  accepted  the  position  of  sta- 
tion agent  at  Salem,  with  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  Company, 
and  served  as  such  until  1889,  or  for  thirty  long  years,  a  fact  which  illustrates 
his  faithfulness  and  the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  the  company.  Much  of  this 
time  he  held  the  office  of  postmaster,  to  which  he  was  appointed  in  i860.  No 
other  filled  the  position  until  the  election  of  Grover  Cleveland,  in  1884,  when, 
on  account  of  his  political  views,  he  was  superseded  by  a  Democrat.  Other 
official  positions  he  has  also  held,  having  served  as  assessor  in  1850-51;  in 
1858  as  superintendent  of  schools  in  Salem  township;  from  1862  to  1869  as 
town  treasurer;  and  in  1870  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  where  he 
served  with  distinction.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Old  Settlers' 
Club  of  Salem  township. 

Mr.  Bailey  is  now  living  retired  after  many  years  of  faithful  labor. 
He  has  a  wide  acquaintance  throughout  his  community  and  is  held  in  high 
esteem  for  his  sterling  worth  and  integrity.  His  public  and  private  life  are 
alike  above  reproach,  and  he  well  deserves  representation  in  this  volume. 

On  July  16,  1843,  just  before  coming  West,  Mr.  Bailey  married  Miss 
Betsey  L.  Haws,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Lucinda  (Potter)  Haws,  and 
seven  children  were  born  to  this  union,  Ellen  Jane,  Frances  A.,  Eugene. 
George,  Lamont  and  Lillie  (twins)  and  Rosa.  Of  these,  (i)  Ellen  Jane 
married  Andrew  Booth,  and  they  live  in  Trevor,  Wis.  They  have  four 
daughters  living,  Mabel,  Carrie.  Gertrude  and  Nina.  Mabel  married  Henry 
Lubeno,  and  they  have  three  children,  Harry,  Mildred  and  Vera.  Carrie 
married  Ellery  Patterson,  of  Glendive.  Mont.,  and  they  have  three  children, 
Myron,  Eugene  and  Helen.  Nina  married  George  Swan,  and  they  live  in 
Topeka,  Kans.,  and  have  two  children,  Donald  and  Dorothy.  (2)  Frances 
A.  married  Jerome  Palmatier,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war  and  died  in 
May,  1874. "  They  had  two  children  :  Myron,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
six  years,  married  Lovina  Riley,  and  had  one  child,  Lora ;  Luanah,  who  mar- 


io6  CO^vIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

ried  George  Patrick,  has  two  children,  Byron  and  Mihon.  (3)  Eugene  mar- 
ried Avis  Smith,  and  for  his  second  wife  Carrie  Davison  (now  deceased),  by 
whom  he  had  four  children,  Bessie  (who  married  Llewellyn  Lloyd),  Eugenia, 
Alexander  and  Ivlarjnrie.  He  married  for  his  third  wife,  Inastelle  Gauch, 
and  they  have  two  children,  Annie  Frances  and  George.  (4)  George  is 
deceased.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Elizabeth  Oberlander, 
and  the  second  Nellie  Bowman.  They  had  one  child,  Christine,  who  died  in 
infancy.  (5)  Lament  died  in  infancy.  (6)  Lillie  married  Adelbert  Corn- 
well,  and  they  live  in  Bristol,  and  have  four  children :  Ralph,  who  married 
Margaret  Bishop,  and  has  two  children,  Marie  and  Hele:i ;  Ina.  who  married 
Edwin  Thom,  and  has  two  children,  Lillian  and  Marion,  twins ;  Clarence, 
and  Kenneth.  (7)  Rosa,  the  youngest  child  of  Alexander  Bailey,  married 
Robert  Tait  and  they  had  one  child,  Harold,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine 
years.  They  live  in  Milwaukee.  The  mother  of  the  foregoing  children  was 
called  to  her  final  rest  Aug.  ij.  1891,  and  her  remains  were  interred  in  the 
Liberty  cemetery,  in  Salem  township. 

Hon.  Mr.  Bailey,  although  in  his  eighty-second  year,  reads  and  writes 
without  glasses.  He  stands  erect  and  walks  rapidly,  and  with  a  firm  step. 
He  carries  with  him  an  inexhaustible  fund  of  humor,  is  a  good  conversation- 
alist, and  possesses  a  remarkable  memory.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in 
Kenosha  county. 

SAMUEL  REYNOLDS,  who  has  been  a  resident  of  Kenosha  for  sixty- 
two  years,  is  one  of  the  most  highly  respected  citizens  of  that  place.  He  ie- 
sides  at  No.  473  Durkee  avenue.  He  was  born  in  Llanidloes,  Montgomery- 
shire, Wales,  March  22,  1834,  son  of  Owen  and  Margaret  (Owens)  Reynolds, 
natives  of  Wales.  His  grandparents  on  toth  the  maternal  and  paternal  sides 
were  natives  of  Wales,  where  their  lives  were  spent  and  where  they  died.  John 
and  Ann  Reynolds,  the  paternal  grandparents,  were  natives  of  Wales,  and  both 
died  there  in  old  age.  Their  family  consisted  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters, 
all  of  whom  came  to  America  and  died  here.  John  Reynolds  was  an  under- 
taker by  calling. 

Owen  Reynolds  was  a  blacksmith.  He  came  to  America  with  his  family 
in  1842,  locating  near  L^tica,  N.  Y.,  where  he  followed  his  trade  of  blacksmith 
until  1844,  when  he  and  part  of  his  family  came  west  to  Kenosha  county.  Wis., 
the  rest  coming  in  1845.  They  settled  five  miles  west  of  Southport.  now  Ken- 
osha, Mr.  Reynolds  buying  a  farm  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  and  blacksmithing.  He  served  his  fellow-citizens  in  various 
minor  offices.  He  died  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township  in  1861.  aged  sixty-one 
years.  Owen  Reynolds  married  Margaret  Owens,  daughter  of  John  Owens, 
an  Episcopalian  minister,  who  died  in  Wales  about  1839.  He  was  twice  mar- 
ried, and  Margaret  was  the  eldest  of  the  children  born  to  his  first  union.  Mrs. 
Reynolds  passed  away  in  1857,  at  the  age  of  about  fifty-seven.  She  was  an  in- 
telligent and  well-educated  woman,  and  both  she  and  her  husband  were  Meth- 
odists, and  very  devout  Christians.  Mr.  Reynolds  was  a  Sunday-school  super- 
intendent for  about  fifteen  years  in  his  native  country.  ^Ir.  and  IMrs.  Rey- 
nolds had  ten  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  Wales.  The  other  eight,  four 
sons  and  four  daughters,  grew  to  maturity,  and  came  to  the  LTnited  States, 
all  becoming  well  settled  in  life.    Samuel  is  now  the  onlv  survivor. 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  107 

Samuel  Reynolds  was  but  eight  years  old  when  he  came  to  America,  and 
from  the  age  of  ten  years  has  called  Southport  or  Kenosha  his  home.  When 
twelve  years  of  age  he  commenced  work  with  his  brother  John,  at  blacksmith- 
ing,  working  with  him  four  years,  and  then  for  two  years  lived  in  the  country, 
working  on  the  farm  in  the  summer  seasons,  while  he  attended  the  schools  dur- 
ing the  winters.  When  eighteen  years  of  age  he  left  Kenosha  county  and  went 
to  De  Pere,  Wis.,  remaining  there  nine  months  in  the  employ  of  Jackson  & 
Bone,  blacksmiths.  Mr.  Reynolds  then  went  to  Pensaukee,  Wis.,  and  helped 
iron  a  vessel  there,  the  "Fannie  Gardner."  He  left  there  on  that  vessel  in 
October,  1853.  and  came  to  Kenosha,  entering  the  employ  of  Edward  Bain, 
with  whom  he  has  ever  since  been  employed. 

Mr.  Reynolds  was  married  Jan.  31,  1856,  to  Miss  Jennie  Tymeson,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Tymeson,  and  to  this  union  was  born  one  son,  Chester  J.,  who  is 
buyer  for  the  Studebakers  in  South  Bend,  Ind. ;  he  married  Lizzie  Bradford,  of 
Bennin.gton.  Vt..  and  has  two  sons,  Bradford  and  Chester.  Mrs.  Jennie  Rey- 
nolds died  in  1871,  aged  about  thirty-three  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church.  On  Feb.  i,  1875,  Mr.  Reynolds  married  Kate  Bissell.  daugh- 
ter of  Leonard  and  Emily  Bissell,  and  one  daughter  was  born  to  this  union, 
Julia  Camilla.  Mrs.  Reynolds  is  an  Episcopalian,  while  her  husband  has  been 
connected  with  the  Methodist  or  Congregational  churches.  He  was  a  leader 
in  Congregational  and  Methodist  church  choirs  for  thirty  years,  and  was  a 
Sunday-school  superintendent  for  many  years.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  he  ser\'ed  as  alderman  of  the  First  ward  for  two  years.  Mr.  Reynolds 
has  lived  long  and  been  permitted  to  see  many  changes  in  Kenosha,  doing  his 
share  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  city  during  his  long  residence  here.  He  is 
very  well  known  and  highly  respected. 

Mrs.  Ann  (Reynolds)  Lane,  one  of  the  daughters  of  Owen  and  ^Mar^aret 
(Owens)  Reynolds,  was  born  July  11,  1825,  in  Montgomeryshire,  Wales, 
where  she  lived  until  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  in  1842  accompanying  her  par- 
ents to  America.  They  crossed  the  ocean  in  the  old  sailing  vessel  "Sheridan," 
Capt.  Depester,  the  voyage  consuming  six  weeks.  Coming  west  with  the  fam- 
ily she  was  married  in  1845  ^  James  Brooks  Lane,  who  was  born  in  Jeffer- 
son county,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  14.  1823,  son  of  Abraham  and  Selecta  (Bennett) 
Lane,  and  died  the  day  before  Thanksgiving  Day,  1889.  Ten  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lane,  namely :  Owen  Henry,  Margaret  Selecta.  James 
Franklin,  Allsup  Brooks  (deceased),  Ferris  Leonard,  Edwin  Myron,  Anna 
Maria,  Hollis  Whitney  (deceased),  Charles  Ozro  and  Jane  Elizabeth.  Of  these 
Owen  Henry,  Margaret  Selecta  and  Anna  Maria  died  in  infancy. 

When  Mrs.  Ann  (Reynolds)  Lane  departed  this  life,  on  April  6.  1906.  at 
the  age  of  eighty-one  years,  she  had  been  a  resident  of  Kenosha  county  for 
sixty-one  years,  a  long  time  in  which  to  watch  the  growth  and  development  of  a 
country.  She  saw  the  wilderness  converted  into  fertile  fields  and  a  great  city 
grow  upon  the  spot  where  once  roamed  the  wild  creatures  of  the  forest. 

Mrs.  Jane  (Reynolds)  Selway.  another  daughter  of  Owen  and  Margaret 
(Owens)  Reynolds,  died  July  7,  1890.  She  was  a  sincere  Christian  woman, 
greatly  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her.  and  nt  the  time  of  her  death  the  follow- 
ing memoir  appeared  in  the  Montana  "Christian  Advocate"  of  Jnlv  tCi.  1800. 

"Mrs.  Tane  fReynolds)  Selway  was  born  in  Wales.  Aug.  18.  1839.  and 
died  at  .\lhion,  Mich..  July  7,  1890.     She  was  brought  to  America  at  the  age 


ip8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

of  three  years  by  her  parents,  who  settled  in  Wisconsin,  Xov.  25,  1858.  She 
was  married  to  John  R.  Selway.  who  with  seven  children  mourn  the  loss  of 
a  faithful  wife  and  devoted  mother.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Selway  came  to  Montana 
in  1866,  and  settled  in  Beaver  Head  Valley,  near  the  present  site  of  Dillon. 
A  year  ago  she  went  to  Albion,  Mich.,  where  three  of  her  children  were  to 
attend  school.  Her  disease  was  cancer  of  the  stomach.  Her  husband,  who  was 
with  her  at  the  time  of  her  death,  brought  her  remains  to  Dillon  for  interment. 
Funeral  services  were  held  in  the  M.  E.  Church  of  which  she  was  an  active 
member  for  a  number  of  years.  The  church  was  beautifully  decorated  with 
flowers  placed  there  by  members  of  the  church  societies  to  which  she  belonged, 
Rev.  G.  D.  King,  of  Twin  Bridges,  Rev.  Pritchard  (Baptist),  of  Dillon,  and 
the  pastor  assisting  him  in  the  services.  Hers  was  an  unusually  varied  and  ac- 
tive life,  potent  in  its  results  and  influence  for  good.  'She  being  dead  yet  speak- 
eth.'  In  her  last  letter  she  wrote :  T  did  want  to  see  Montana  before  I  go,  but 
it  is  all  right.'  "Tis  Him  that  strengtheneth  me.  I  am  perfectly  surprised  to 
find  that  death  is  so  completely  robbed  of  all  stings  when  I  am  so  unworthy. 
No  plea  but  the  blood  of  Jesus — I  will  close,  still  waiting  and  trusting.' 

"Thanks  be  to  God  who  giveth  us  the  \'ictorv  through  our  Lord  J(;sus 
Christ." 

Richard  A.  Reynolds  was  one  of  the  sons  of  Owen  and  Margaret 
(Owens)  Reynolds.  He  went  to  Montana,  where  he  died  in  January,  1904. 
The  following  sketch  of  his  life,  taken  from  "Progressive  Men  of  Montana," 
appeared  in  the  Dillon  Montana  Tribune  of  Jan.  29,  1904. 

"One  of  the  sterling  pioneers  and  progressive  stock  growers  of  Montana 
is  Richard  A.  Reynolds,  whose  identification  with  the  great  Northewst  had  its 
inception  in  the  days  when  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  was  in  progress.  During 
that  memorable  period  he  rendered  valiant  service  as  a  soldier  in  this  section  of 
the  LInion,  whither  his  regiment  came  to  assist  in  quelling  the  insubordination 
of  the  Indians,  and  lived  up  to  the  full  tension  of  pioneer  life.  He  has  con- 
tributed his  quota  toward  the  development  of  ISIontana.  has  ever  been  loyal  to 
her  best  interests,  and  enjoys  the  consideration  and  confidence  of  the  citizens 
of  Beaverhead  county,  his  fine  home  ranch  property  being  located  two  miles 
south  of  the  attractive  little  city  of  Dillon,  his  post  office  address.  Though  of 
foreign  birth  Mr.  Reynolds  has  practically  passed  his  entire  life  in  the  L'nited 
States,  his  parents  having  become  residents  the  year  of  his  birth,  which  occur- 
red in  Montgomeryshire,  Wales,  May  13,  1842,  the  youngest  of  ten  children 
born  to  Owen  and  Margaret  (Owens)  Reynolds,  representatives  of  stanch  old 
Welsh  lineage.  On  arriving  in  America  in  1842  they  located  in  Utica,  N.  Y.. 
where  the  father  engaged  at  his  trade  of  blacksmith  for  a  period  of  two  years. 
In  1844  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Kenosha.  Wis.,  settling  in  Pleasant 
Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  where  he  purchased  a  farm  and  devoten 
his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death  in  1859.  his  wife  having 
passed  away  two  years  previously. 

"Richard  A.  Reynolds,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  re\iew.  early  began  to 
contribute  his  labor  toward  the  cultivation  of  the  farm,  l)Ut  securing  that  edu- 
cational discipline  afforded  in  the  public  schools,  which  he  attended  during  the 
M'inter  months.  He  was  but  fifteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  mother's 
death,  and  soon  afterward  assumed  the  personal  responsibilities  of  life,  leaving 


COMME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  109 

home  and  securing  work  un  farms  in  that  locahty.  In  1859  he  found  employ- 
ment in  the  great  himber  woods  of  Wisconsin,  and  was  thus  engaged  when  the 
integrity  of  the  Union  was  menaced  by  armed  rebeUion.  In  1861  he  vohtn- 
teered  for  service  in  the  Union  army,  but  was  rejected  and  continued  to  work 
in  the  lumbering  districts  until  1863,  when  the  Indian  uprisings  in  the  North- 
west resulted  in  a  call  for  volunteers  to  suppress  the  same.  Mr.  Reynolds  ac- 
cordingly enlisted  in  the  30th  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  becoming  a 
member  of  Company  I,  the  entire  regiment  being  made  up  of  lumber- 
men. Their  familiarity  with  Indian  character  and  methods  made  them  par- 
ticularly efficient  soldiers  for  service  against  the  Indians  and  the  regiment  was 
assigned  to  the  command  of  Gen.  Sully  and  came  to  Montana,  the  Sioux, 
Blackfeet  and  Assinniboines  being  quite  troublesome.  The  regiment  remained 
in  service  until  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  being  mustered  out  in 
Louisville,  Ky.,  in  1865,  having  participated  in  many  fierce  conflicts  with  the 
red  men. 

"After  his  discharge  Mr.  Reynolds  returned  to  northwestern  Wisconsin, 
where  he  remained  until  May,  1866,  when  he  secured  a  wagon  and  four  yoke 
of  oxen  and,  as  a  member  of  a  party  of  twelve,  again  set  forth  for  Montana. 
Leaving  Wisconsin  on  May  26,  1866,  they  arrived  in  the  Indian  countrv  and 
joined  a  freighting  outfit,  with  which  they  continued  the  journey.  In  the  Black 
Hills  the  company  was  corralled  by  Indians,  and  while  the  latter  were  making 
ready  to  engage  in  battle  with  the  emigrants  Mr.  Reynolds  recognized  the  chief 
as  one  who  had  been  accorded  government  protection,  through  the  interposi- 
tion of  his  old  regiment,  the  Thirtieth  Wisconsin.  He  motioned  to  the  chief 
to  come  out  for  a  talk,  and  after  a  short  conference  he  returned  to  his  band  and 
soon  withdrew  them  without  molesting  the  emigrants,  not  wishing  to  be  re- 
ported to  the  government  authorities.  After  presenting  the  Indians  tobacco, 
a  token  of  friendship,  the  train  moved  on.  While  en  route  they  passed  many 
points  showing  unmistakable  evidences  that  the  Indians  had  killerl  members 
of  preceding  trains  and  burned  their  wagons.  After  crossing  the  Big  Horn 
river  the  party  were  again  corralled  by  Indians,  but  after  exchanging  a  few 
shots  they  were  again  permitted  to  continue  their  journey,  making  the  trip  hy 
way  of  Lander's  Cutof¥. 

"Mr.  Reynolds  arrived  in  what  is  now  Beaverhead  county  on  Nov.  10, 
1866,  and  took  up  a  tract  of  land  on  Blacktail  Deer  Creek,  the  nucleus  of  his 
present  fine  ranch  property.  He  here  turned  his  attention  to  agriculture  but 
his  success  for  the  first  three  years  was  of  a  decidedly  negative  quality,  his  crops 
proving  a  failure  each  successive  year.  In  1866  he  paid  from  four  to  six  cents 
a  pound  in  gold  dust  for  seed,  but  the  entire  crop  was  destroyed  by  grasshop- 
pers. In  1868  he  gave  up  his  farming  operations  and  engaged  in  mining  until 
the  spring  of  the  following  year.  Early  that  spring  he  and  John  Bishop  went 
to  Oregon  and  brought  through  to  Montana  1,400  head  of  range  sheep  for 
breeding  purposes,  the  first  band  of  stock  sheep  introduced  into  Montana  for 
woolgrowing  purposes.  From  that  time  Mr.  Reynolds  has  been  prominently 
connected  with  the  sheep  industry  and  has  prospered  along  this  line.  ^Ir.  Rey- 
nolds now  controls  2,780  acres  of  fine  grazing  land  in  Beaverhead  county,  and 
in  addition  to  the  sheep  industry  he  gives  much  attention  to  the  raising  of  high 
grade  draft  and  driving  horses  and  shorthorn  cattle.  His  ranch  is  equipped 
with  the  best  modern  improvements,  including  a  commodious  and  attracti\-e 


no  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

residence.  He  is  knuwn  as  up.e  (jf  the  suLsUintial  an.l  enterprising  stoci^nicn 
of  the  State,  and  his  course  has  been  such  as  tu  wni  the  conhdence  and  estee.ii 
of  the  community  in  which  lie  has  made  his  home  since  tlie  early  pioneer  days — 
more  than  a  third  of  a  century. 

"His  pohtical  support  is  given  to  the  Republican  party,  but  he  has  never 
sought  nor  desired  the  honors  or  emoluments  of  public  office  other  than  serv- 
ing as  county  commissioner  and  local  offices  though  his  interest  in  all  that  per- 
tains to  the  welfare  of  the  county  and  State  is  definite  and  unflagging. 

"In  1871  was  solemnized  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Reynolds  to  Mrs.  Jennie 
Johnson,  a  sister  of  Philip  H.  Poindexter,  one  of  the  leading  farmers  and  stock- 
raisers  of  Beaverhead  county.  Mrs.  Reynolds'  death  occurred  in  1884,  and  on 
Jan.  26,  1887,  our  subject  consummated  a  second  marriage,  being  then  united 
to  Miss  Delia  Thompson,  who  was  born  in   Wisconsin." 

THOMAS  P.  GRIFFITHS,  a  prominent  business  man  of  Union  Grove, 
was  born  in  England,  near  Kington,  Herefordshire,  Jan.  2^.  1852,  son  of  John 
and  Harriet  (Price)  Griffiths. 

The  paternal  grandfather,  William  Griffiths,  was  a  native  of  Radnorshire, 
Wales,  and  was  a  stonemason  by  trade.  He  married  Aliss  Mary  Ann  Evans, 
had  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  and  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy-six.  The 
mother's  father  was  John  Price,  born  in  Shropshire,  England.  He  was  at  one 
time  an  innkeeper.    He  lived  to  middle  life  and  left  a  family  of  twelve  children. 

John  Griffiths  was  born  in  Radnorshire,  Wales,  about  1828.  He  married 
Miss  Harriet  Price,  an  English  girl,  and  spent  most  of  his  active  life  in  Eng- 
land. For  many  years  he  worked  as  a  stonemason  near  Kington,  and  later 
became  a  contractor.  At  present  he  resides  near  Leominster,  in  Herefordshire. 
He  and  his  wife  both  belonged  to  the  Congregational  Church.  Mrs.  Griffiths, 
wdio  passed  from  this  world  in  i8go,  aged  sixty-one,  was  the  mother  of  nine 
children,  namely :  Fannie  Jane,  wife  of  Isaiah  Watkins,  of  Nurton  Court, 
England ;  Thomas  P. ;  Mary,  unmarried,  of  Ravenswood.  111. ;  James,  of  King- 
ton, England;  Jesse,  of  Hereford,  England:  Minnie,  Mrs.  Lewis,  of  Caermar- 
thenshire.  Wales;  Matilda  H.,  widow  of  Thomas  Chandler,  of  Kington;  and 
one  daughter  and  one  son  that  died. 

Thomas  P.  Griffiths  lived  in  England  until  he  was  ten  years  old,  and  then 
spent  the  next  twenty  years  just  across  the  border  in  Radnorshire,  Wales.  He 
learned  the  trade  of  a  stonemason  from  his  father,  and  followed  it  there  until 
1882.  when  he  left  the  old  world  for  America.  He  stopped  first  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  until  the  following  spring,  and  then  went  farther  west  to  Wisconsin, 
where  he  settled  in  Union  Grove.  A\'hile  he  has  worked  three  seasons  at  Ra- 
cine, as  a  stone-cutter,  his  home  has  always  been  in  the  former  town.  He  has 
been  steadily  engaged  in  business  as  a  maker  of  marble,  granite  and  stone 
monuments,  rnd  has  been  very  successful  financially,  as  he  is  an  expert  in  his 
line.  Mr.  Griiifiths  has  a  good  reputation  as  a  citizen,  and  has  served  as  one  of 
the  village  trustees  of  L^nion  Grove.  His  views  are  those  of  the  Prohibition 
party.  Socially  he  belongs  to  I'uritv  Lodge,  No.  39.  I.  O.  O.  F.,  to  the  M.  W. 
A.,  and  is  also  a  Master  Mason. 

On  Oct.  2.  1873,  Mr.  Griffiths  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Fannie 
Bound,  and  thev  have  beconie  the  parents  of  five  chiUlren.  namely ;  Thomas 


CO^OIE^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  in 

Wilfred,  who  married  ^Nliss  Barbara  Bosnia,  and  is  in  his  father's  employ; 
Elizaljeth  Mary,  who  died  in  infancy;  Bernard  J.,  who  is  employed  by  his 
father;  Ernest  Cecil;  and  Ethel  Mary.  The  family  are  all  members  of  the 
Congregational  Church,  and  Mr.  Griffiths  is  a  clerk  of  the  Church.  He  has 
l)een  a  member  of  the  choir  for  sixteen  years,  and  his  son  Thomas  and  his  wife 
are  also  members  of  the  choir. 

Mrs.  Fannie  B.  Griffiths  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Martha  (Edwards) 
Bound,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Radnorshire  and  the  latter  in  Here- 
fordshire. The  father  was  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  died  in  1869,  aged 
fifty-six  years.  The  mother  passed  away  in  1872.  aged  sixty.  They  had  four 
children:  Mrs.  Griffiths;  Mrs.  Thomas  Davis,  of  Union  Grove;  John,  of 
Llandrindod  Wells;  and  Thomas,  of  Liverpool.  Mrs.  Griffiths'  maternal 
grandfather  was  Evan  Edwards,  of  England.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  builder 
as  was  also  one  of  his  sons,  and  he  lived  to  be  about  eighty  years  old. 

ELIAS  S.  \"OORHEES,  a  prominent  business  man  of  Burlington,  Wis., 
is  senior  member  of  the  iirni  of  Voorhees  &  Fiske,  who  conduct  a  sorghum 
works,  planing-mill,  sawmill,  etc.  He  was  born  Jan.  13,  1840,  in  New  Bruns- 
wick, N.  J.,  son  of  Garrett  L.  and  Harriet  Ann  (VanArsdale)  Voorhees,  na- 
tives of  New  Jersey.  The  mother  died  when  Elias  w'as  but  eighteen  months 
old,  and  the  father  going  to  California  a  year  or  two  later  Mr.  Voorhees  has 
never  seen  him  since.  Mr.  Voorhees  had  two  sisters :  Lucretia  Ann,  w^idow  of 
John  Sillsacks,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  and  Jane,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  years. 

Elias  S.  Voorhees,  after  the  death  of  his  mother,  lived  with  his  grand- 
mother Martin,  for  four  or  five  years,  and  grew  to  manhood  at  Elizabeth,  N. 
J.,  where  he  received  a  limited  education.  When  seventeen  years  of  age  he 
began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  has  followed  carpentering  and  build- 
ing ever  since.  He  came  to  Burlington  in  1863,  and  since  that  time  has  made 
his  home  here,  building  most  of  the  fine  residences  of  Burlington.  For  the  past 
thirty  years  he  has  been  in  the  sorghum  mill  business,  and  for  twenty-five  years 
has  operated  a  planing-mill  in  connection  with  his  carpentering  and  building. 
For  twenty-three  years  he  and  F.  H.  Nims  were  associated  together.  Mr. 
Ninis  lived  here  nearly  sixty  years,  coming  here  with  his  father  when  he  was 
ten  years  old,  and  died  here  in  January,  1905.  The  partnership  had  been  dis- 
solved ten  years  prior  to  this,  after  which  Mr.  Voorhees  ran  the  business  alone 
until  1 901,  when  he  became  associated  with  George  ^\^  Fiske,  under  the  firm 
style  of  Voorhees  &  Fiske. 

On  Oct.  23,  1862,  Mr.  Voorhees  married  Miss  Mary  A.  Faittoute,  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Henrietta  (Crane)  Faittoute,  and  two  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union :  Clarence  and  Jessie  May.  Clarence  is  weighmaster  in  a 
coal  mine,  in  Keota,  Mo.  Jessie  May  married  Morrel  D.  Cadwell,  and  they 
live  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  and  have  two  children,  Morrel  and  Lenore.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Voorhees  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Fraternally  he  is  con- 
nected with  Burlington  Lodge,  No.  11,  I.  O.  O.  F.  In  his  political  sympathies 
he  is  a  Proliibitionist.  He  was  superx'isor,  and  served  on  the  board  of  alder- 
men for  seven  years. 

James  and  Henrietta  Faittoute,  Mrs.  Voorhees'  parents,  were  natives  of 


112  CO:\niEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

New  Jersey.  They  had  two  children  :  Alary  Adelaide  and  James  Edward, 
both  now  residents  of  Burlington.  x\Ir.  and  Airs,  haittoute  came  to  Burling- 
ton with  the  Voorhees  family  in  1863,  and  here  spent  the  balance  of  their  lives. 
The  mother  died  here  in  Jfebruary,  1903,  aged  eighty-nine  years,  while  the 
father  survived  until  April,  1904,  and  was  ninety-three  years  old  at  the  time 
of  his  death.  By  trade  he  was  a  brick  and  stone  mason.  He  was  the  son  of 
Edward  Faittoute,  a  native  of  Union,  N.  J.,  who  died  there  aged  se\'enty-five 
years.  His  wife,  Abigail  Faittoute,  was  born  during  iier  parents"  hurried  flight 
from  the  English  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  they  being  in  a  sleigh  going 
from  Union  to  the  mountains.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Jilrs.  \'oorhees, 
Thomas  Crane,  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and 
followed  his  occupation  at  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  where  he  died  well  ad\anced  in 
years.     He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  181 2. 

PETER  BERING  NELSON,  mayor  of  Racine,  Wis.,  is  a  prominent  at- 
torney as  well  as  a  leading  citizen,  and  has  been  identified  with  the  interests 
of  Racine  since  reaching  his  maturity.  He  was  born  in  Schleswig,  Germany, 
April  16,  1869,  the  only  child  of  Hans  P.  and  Christina  (Jorgensen)  Nelson, 
natives  of  Denmark.  Hans  P.  Nelson  was  a  carpenter  in  his  young  manhood. 
Coming  to  the  United  States  in  1870,  he  located  first  in  Union  Grove.  Racine 
Co.,  Wis.,  whence  he  removed  in  1878  to  Racine.  He  was  elected  county  treas- 
urer in  1902,  an  office  he  still  holds,  and  also  served  for  a  time  as  alderman  of 
the  Fifth  ward. 

Peter  Bering  Nelson  has  been  a  resident  of  Racine  since  the  time  he  was 
one  year  old.  He  attended  the  public  schools,  and  graduated  from  the  high 
school  in  1887.  He  then  entered  the  law  school  of  the  University  at  Madison, 
from  which  he  was  duly  graduated,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1890,  at 
once  beginning  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Racine,  where  he  has  continued 
to  the  present  time.  In  1892  he  was  appointed  Danish  vice-consul  for  Wis- 
consin, was  elected  district  attorney  in  1894  and  re-elected  in  1896,  and  in 
1903  was  elected  mayor,  still  filling  that  highest  municipal  office.  In  1905  he 
was  elected  president  of  the  Wisconsin  League  of  Municipalities.  Politically 
he  is  a  Repul:)Iican. 

On  Aug.  26,  1 89 1,  Mr.  Nelson  married  Miss  Rose  O.  Johnson,  of  Ra- 
cine, daughter  of  Ole  P.  and  Lena  (Carlson)  Johnson, of  Denmark,  and  to  this 
union  has  been  born  one  daughter,  Constance  R.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  are 
members  of  the  Danish  Lutheran  Church.  Thev  reside  in  their  beautiful  home 
at  No.  1822  Washington  avenue,  which  Mr.  Nelson  built  in  1894.  He  belongs 
to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  92,  F.  &  A.  M.,  to  the  Dania  Society,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and  the  Danish  Brotherhood. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  president  of  the  Racine  Refrigerator  &  Fixture  Company, 
vice-president  of  the  Racine  Shoe  Manufacturing  Company,  director  of  the 
Racine  Commercial  &  Savings  Bank  and  the  Racine  Malleable  &  Wrought 
Iron  Company,  and  is  identified  with  other  business  interests  of  the  city.  He 
has  made  rapid  strides  as  a  public  man,  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  prom- 
inent and  able  lawyers  of  the  city,  the  style  of  the  firm  with  which  he  is  asso- 
ciated being  Cooper.  Simmons,  Nelson  &  Walker,  who  occupy  one  of  the  finest 
suites  of  law  offices  in  the  city  and  have  a  large  practice.     Mr.  Cooper,  of  the 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  113 

firm,  is  the  present  Congressman  representing  this  district,  while  ]\Iessrs. 
Simmons  and  Walker  are  prominent  lawyers  of  Racine.  Mayor  Nelson  has 
a  large  acquaintance  and  a  host  of  warm  friends,  as  his  large  and  rapidly 
increasing  business,  and  the  fact  of  his  being  elected  mayor,  attest. 

MATHIAS  HUCK.  While  Kenosha  has  many  old  settlers  still  resi- 
dent there  wdiose  arrival  antedates  that  of  ^Nlathias  Huck  by  several  years, 
at  least,  his  is  the  distinction  of  being  established  continuously  in  business 
longer  than  any  other  merchant  in  the  city,  as  the  boot  and  shoe  store  which 
he  is  still  conducting  was  opened  in  1858.  Mr.  Huck"s  time  of  residence, 
however,  dates  back  some  years  earlier,  and  he  has  witnessed  the  whole  de- 
velopment of  Kenosha,  from  a  little  village  to  its  present  flourishing  estate. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Huck  were  natives  of  Alsace-Lorraine,  near  Stras- 
burg,  of  German  descent.  Mathias  Huck,  the  father,  was  a  farmer  and  black- 
smith there.  His  father,  by  occupation  a  blacksmith,  lived  to  be  very  old,  as 
did  his  wife  also.  They  had  five  sons  and  four  daughters.  Mathias  the  elder 
was  twice  married,  his  wife  being  Miss  Barbara  Geyer,  who  died  in  1839, 
leaving  six  children.  Two  daughters  died,  and  the  four  sons  wdio  still  survive, 
are:  Philip,  of  Alsace;  Mathias  (2);  Xavier,  of  Racine;  and  Anthony,  of 
Alsace.  The  second  wife  was  Miss  Catherine  Zimmerman,  who  became  the 
mother  of  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  none  of  whom  came  to  America.  The 
father  passed  away  at  his  old  home  in  Alsace,  when  eighty-three  years  of  age. 

The  maternal  grandparents  of  ]Mathias  Huck  (2)  were  Xavier  and  Bar- 
bara (  Smith)  Geyer.  farming  people  of  Alsace,  where  the  former  died,  an  old 
man.  They  had  two  sons-  and  two  daughters  of  their  own,  and  also  brought 
up  their  grandson  Mathias,  whose  mother  died  when  he  was  eight  years  old. 

Born  March  4.  1831,  Mathias  Huck  remained  in  his  native  Alsace  with 
the  Geyers  until  he  was  eighteen,  attending  the  public  school,  where  he  learned 
both  French  and  German.  He  gave  the  most  attention,  however,  to  the  latter, 
as  was  natural  with  his  German  parentage.  The  country  then  was  under  the 
French  government  as  it  had  been  for  200  years,  but  it  has  now  passed  to  Ger- 
many. In  1849  the  youth  came  to  America,  and  located  first  in  Buffalo  and 
then  in  Batavia,  N.  Y.  He  learned  shoemaking  before  he  left  Alsace,  having 
begun  when  he  was  only  twelve  years  old,  and  this  was  his  occupation  in  Amer- 
ica also,  except  for  a  brief  period  spent  on  a  farm.  In  1852  he  went  by  canal  to 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  where  he  stayed  one  month  working  at  his  trade,  and  then  for  a 
like  period  he  was  in  Zanesville,  Ohio,  whence  by  way  of  the  lakes  he  went 
to  Kenosha,  and  for  six  years  after  his  arrival  worked  at  his  trade.  At  the  end 
of  that  time,  in  1858,  he  opened  his  own  boot  and  shoe  store,  and  has  con- 
ductefl  it  ever  since.  He  has  always  had  a  large  patronage,  and  has  accumu- 
lated a  large  property,  being  one  of  the  well-to-do  men  of  Kenosha. 

On  May  11,  1854,  Mr.  Huck  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Anna  Tetard, 
daughter  of  George  Tetard.  There  were  nine  children  born  to  this  union, 
viz.:  (i)  Josephine,  who  married  W'illiam  Hammond,  lives  in  Canon  City. 
Colo.,  and  has  three  children.  Albert,  Paul  and  Katie;  (2)  George  J.,  employed 
by  the  Simmons  ^lanufacturing  Company,  married  Miss  Maggie  Berry  and 
has  four  children,  Eugene,  Mabel.  A'iola  and  Alvina;  (3)  Mathias  P.  lives  in 
San  Francisco,  Cal. ;  (4)  Oscar  P..  a  manufacturer  of  show-cases  in  Ouincy. 
111.,   married    Miss   Edith    Bierga    and   has   five   children,    Richard    antl    Paul 


114  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

(twins),  Margaret,  Marsellis  and  Ralph;  (5)  Frances  married  M.  P.  Schmitz, 
a  clothing  merchant  of  Kenosha,  to  whom  she  has  borne  two  sons,  Arthur  and 
Earl;  (6)  Albert  married  Julia  Harrington  and  has  two  children,  Ethel  and 
Clarence;  (7)  Eugene  married  Miss  Maggie  Smith;  (8)  Ida  is  Mrs.  Charles 
Johnson,  of  Kenosha;  and  (9)  Laura  is  Mrs.  Walter  Johnson.  Mrs.  Mary  A. 
Huck  passed  away  Jan.  7,  1899,  aged  sixty-one,  a  Catholic,  as  is  also  her  hus- 
band. She  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  but  her  parents  were  natives  of  Alsace- 
Lorraine.  They  were  among  the  first  settlers  in  Kenosha,  where  the  father  fol- 
lowed his  trade  of  cabinetmaking.  There  were  six  children,  of  whom  tliose 
now  living  are:  George;  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  John  Piel;  and  Josephine,  Mrs. 
Anthony  Piel. 

Mathias  Huck  has  usually  been  identified  with  the  Democratic  party,  but 
in  local  issues  he  generallv  votes  for  the  Ijest  man.  He  has  been  somewhat 
prominent  in  municipal  politics  and  was  alderman  from  the  2d  ward,  which 
since  the  readjustment  of  the  city  has  lieen  the  7th  ward.  He  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  school  board.  In  church  affairs  he  is  actively  interested  still,  and  was 
formerly  president  of  St.  George's  Society,  and  for  ten  years  a  trustee  of  the 
church.  He  resides  in  his  old  home  at  No.  377  Orange  street,  which  he  built 
in  1856,  and  in  which  all  his  children  were  born. 

JOHN  F.  MOYLE  was  for  many  years  widely  known  through  Racine 
county  as  an  architect  and  builder,  but  since  1897  he  has  given  almost  his  en- 
tire attention  to  the  Yorkville  and  Mount  Pleasant  Farmers  Mutual  Insurance 
Company,  of  which  he  is  secretary.  He  is  of  Cornish  descent  on  both  sides,  was 
himself  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  June  23,  1841,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Susan  fFoxwell)   Movie. 

For  several  generations  the  male  members  of  the  INIovle  family  have  Ijeen 
veterinary  surgeons,  having  given  ten  to  that  profession.  The  paternal  grand- 
father, John  Moyle,  followed  that  occupation  all  his  life  in  Cornwall.  He  died 
there  when  seventy    years  of  age.  the  father  of  a  large  familv,  of  whom 

Thomas  Moyle,  father  of  John  F.,  adopted  his  father's  profession.  He 
emigrated  from  his  native  land  to  America,  landing  at  Southport  (now  Keno- 
sha), Wis.,  whither  he  had  come  by  way  of  the  Great  Lakes,  in  May,  1842. 
Proceeding  to  Yorkville  township,  he  settled  there  and  bought  three  acres  of 
land  where  the  village  of  Yorkville  now  stands,  and  put  up  the  first  frame  house 
in  that  section  of  the  country.  Later  he  bought  more  land,  until  he  owned  200 
acres  in  Yorkville  and  Raymond  townships.  His  children  were  all  brought  up 
to  a  thorough  knowledge  of  farming,  and  really  carried  on  the  work  of  the 
place,  though  the  father  supervised  everything  while  giving  his  main  attention 
to  his  profession.  In  those  early  days  a  physician  was  rarely  found  on  the  fron- 
tier, and  for  some  time  Mr.  Moyle  acted  also  as  a  family  doctor.  He  was  pub- 
lic-spirited and  a  man  of  good  education,  so  that  he  naturally  became  one  of  the 
leading  and  influential  men  of  the  region,  and  was  often  called  upon  to  admin- 
ister the  estates  of  deceased  friends.  He  also  held  various  public  offices,  such 
as  assessor,  clerk  and  treasurer,  doing  much  to  promote  the  best  interests  of 
the  township.  He  died  on  the  old  homestead  Nov.  23,  1868.  when  fifty-six 
years  old.  His  wife  was  Susan  Fnxwell,  who  survived  him  until  Jan.  10.  1876. 
when  she  passed  away  aged  sixty-nine  years.     Butli  were  Methodists  in  their 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  115 

religious  belief,  and  charter  members  of  the  church  at  Vorkville,  of  which  Mr. 
Moyle  was  for  years  a  lay-preacher.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  children, 
namely:  John  F. ;  Mary,  deceased  wife  of  Thomas  Price,  of  Chicago;  William, 
a  Methodist  minister  of  the  Wisconsin  Conference;  and  Thomas  F.,  a  veteri- 
nary surgeon  of  Waterford,  Wisconsin. 

Mrs.  Susan  (Foxwell)  Moyle,  wife  of  Thomas  Moyle,  was  the  daughter 
of  William  and  Ann  (Harris)  Foxwell.  The  father,  a  native  of  Cornwall,  was 
a  great  student  and  a  country  gentleman,  the  owner  of  quite  an  estate.  He 
died  at  about  the  age  of  si.xty,  and  his  widow  came  to  America,  where  she  died 
in  her  eightieth  year,  in  the  home  of  her  son-in-law,  Thomas  Moyle. 

John  F.  Moyle,  whose  sixty-five  years  have  been  passed  entirely  in  Ynrk- 
ville  save  the  earliest  period  in  his  childhood,  is  one  of  the  oldest  continuous 
residents  af  Racine  county.  He  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  also 
studied  music,  having  much  natural  talent  in  that  line.  For  a  number  of  years 
he  taught  singing  schools,  and  has  always  been  fond  of  music  in  any  form. 
Until  he  was  nineteen  he  worked  on  his  father's  farm,  and  then  decided  to  be- 
come a  carpenter  and  builder.  He  followed  that  trade  with  unusual  success 
for  thirty-seven  years,  but  for  the  last  nine  practically  his  whole  attention  has 
been  er  rossed  by  his  duties  in  township  offices,  and  as  secretary  of  the  York- 
ville  &  Mount  Pleasant  Farmers  Mutual  Insurance  Company,  of  which  Mr. 
Moyle  has  made  an  efficient  secretary. 

Mr.  Moyle  early  in  his  career  adopted  the  principles  of  the  Prohibition 
party.  He  has  always  been  rather  active  in  local  affairs,  as  he  is  both  inter- 
ested in  political  issues  and  an.xious  to  further  the  welfare  of  the  section  in 
which  he  lives.  Both  his  ability  and  integrity  of  purpose  are  appreciated  by  his 
fellowmen,  and  lie  has  held  various  offices  of  trust  and  responsibility  in  his 
township. 

On  June  23,  1864,  Mr.  Moyle  was  married  to  Susan  M.  Foxwell,  daughter 
of  John  and  Lucy  P.  Foxwell  and  to  them  were  born  ten  children,  two  of  whom 
died  in  their  infancy,  and  two  before  they  had  reached  maturity.  Of  the  re- 
maining six,  three  have  been  successful  school  teachers  and  well  known  in  edu- 
cational circles,  and  the  oldest  son,  Walter,  proprietor  of  the  Wisconsin  Nur- 
series, is  well  known  throughout  the  State  as  a  prominent  horticulturist.  Mrs. 
Moyle  died  on  April  13,  1904,  in  the  sixty-first  year  of  her  age. 

CHARLES  HENRY  LEE,  a  prominent  member  of  the  Racine  County 
Bar,  and  engaged  in  business  as  a  dealer  in  investment  securities  in  the  city  of 
Racine,  is  a  native  of  that  city,  born  Aug.  22,  1847.  He  is  the  only  living  child 
of  his  parents,  Alanson  Henry  and  Permelia  ( Gaylord )  Lee,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Connecticut  and  the  latter  of  New  York. 

Brewster  Lee.  the  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  was  de- 
scended, it  is  said,  from  a  family  of  Lees,  who  settled  in  New  Hampshire  m 
1670.  Brewster  Lee  died  aged  eighty  years.  He  was  a  farmer  in  young  man- 
hood, and  served  in  the  Connecticut  State  Militia.  He  and  his  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Downer,  had  five  children. 

Alanson  Henry  Lee  was  reared  in  Connecticut,  where  he  remained  until 
perhaps  twenty  years  of  age.  He  then  removed  to  New  York,  whence  he  came, 
in  1840  to  Racine,  Wis.,  being  the  pioneer  general  merchant  when  the  country 


ii6        comme:\iorative  biographical  record. 

trade  reached  over  a  radius  of  fifty  or  sixty  miles,  and  when  there  was  no  pier 
or  harbor  at  that  place.  He  died  m  1861,  aged  fifty-one  years.  His  first  wife 
passed  away  in  1853,  aged  thirty-six.  She  was  a  Methodist,  and  Wr.  Lee  at- 
tended the  same  church.  He  married  about  1856  his  first  wife's  sister,  Sarah 
M.  Gaylord,  an  Episcopalian  by  faith. 

Charles  Henry  Lee  was  reared  in  Racine,  where  he  attended  the  public 
and  high  schools.  After  graduating  from  the  latter  he  engaged  in  clerical 
work,  studied  law  in  Racine,  and  then  entered  the  Albany  Law  School,  Albany, 
N.  v..  being  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1869.  He  became  managing  clerk  for  Ful- 
ler &  Dwyer,  the  leading  law  firm  of  Racine,  remaining  with  them  two  years, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  he  formed  a  partnership  with  John  T.  Fish,  the  firm 
laeing  known  as  Fish  &  Lee,  which  connection  continued  until  abovit  1878.  Mr. 
Lee  then  engaged  with  J.  I.  Case  &  Co.,  afterward  incorporated  as  the  J.  I. 
Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  being  with  this  firm  until  1897,  part  of  the 
time  as  treasurer  and  all  of  the  time  as  attorney.  In  1897  he  went  to  Europe 
in  the  interests  of  this  company,  visiting  Belgium,  Austria,  Hungary,  Rou- 
mania  and  Russia,  where  the  company  had  previously  established  trade.  Since 
returning  from  this  trip  IMr.  Lee  has  lived  retired,  but  still  looks  after  trust- 
estates. 

Mr.  Lee  was  married,  Aug.  25,  1881,  to  Miss  Emily  A.  Kelley,  daughter 
of  James  H.  and  Emily  C.  Kelley.  Mrs.  Lee  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  which  her  husband  also  attends.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  dur- 
ing the  elections  of  1896  and  1900  he  cast  hjs  vote  for  President  McKinley. 
In  1873-74  Mr.  Lee  was  district  attorney  of  Racine  county,  and  at  present  is 
United  States  referee  in  bankruptcy  for  the  counties  of  Racine,  Kenosha  and 
Walworth.  Mr.  Lee's  fine  residence  is  situated  at  No.  1202  Main  street.  He 
is  treasurer  of  the  Taylor  Orphan  Asylum,  a  position  he  has  held,  as  well  as 
being  a  member  of  the  board,  for  twenty-one  years.  He  has  been  president  of 
the  Racine  Public  Library  since  its  organization  in  1896.  He  is  also  president 
of  the  Chicago  Rubber  Clothing'  Company,  and  was  for  some  years  a  director 
in  the  Manufacturers  National  Bank  of  Racine. 

HON.  WALTER  L.  DEXTER,  formerly  sheriff  of  Kenosha  county. 
Wis.,  is  a  highly  esteemed  citizen  and  extensive  farmer  of  Pleasant  Prairie 
township,  residing  in  Section  34,  and  has  2093/2  acres  of  well  improved  land. 
He  was  born  on  this  farm  Dec.  19,  1842,  a  son  of  John  Jackson  and  Sarah 
(Love joy)  Dexter. 

The  paternal  grandfather.  John  Dexter,  was  Ixirn  in  Connecticut  and 
moved  from  there  to  Herkimer  county,  N.  Y.,  then  to  Chautauqua  county, 
same  State,  and  from  tliere  in  1837  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  took  up  thirteen 
tracts  of  land  of  eighty  acres  each.  He  died  in  January,  1862,  in  the  house  in 
Pleasant  Prairie  township  where  Walter  L.  Dexter  now  lives,  aged  eighty 
years.  He  married  Sophia  Winsor,  who  lived  to  be  ninety  years  old.  He 
took  part  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  his  father  Samuel  Dexter,  who  was  born  in 
Connecticut  in  1758,  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier  in  the  4th  Connecticut  Regi- 
ment under  Col.  John  Durkin.  Samuel  Dexter  was  a  farmer  for  many  years 
in  Herkimer  county,  N.  Y.  He  married  Candace  Winsor,  and  died  in  1831, 
aged  seventy-three  years. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  117 

John  JacksDii  Dexter  was  born  in  1816  in  Chautauqua  county,  X.  \'.,  and 
his  wife  was  a  native  of  Fredonia,  N.  Y.  Her  father,  Abijah  Lovejoy,  was 
born  in  Vermont,  and  was  one  of  the  earhest  pioneers  of  Lake  county,  111. 
He  reared  four  sons  and  three  daughters.  John  J.  Dexter  owned  a  mill  prop- 
erty in  JamCyStown,  N.  Y.,  and  the  village  of  Dexterville,  near  there,  was 
named  in  his  honor.  He  came  to  \Visconsin  in  1837  and  with  his  father  was  an 
early  settler  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township.  He  died  here  Jan.  i,  1845,  ^t  the 
early  age  of  twenty-nine  years.  Walter  L.  was  his  only  child.  His  wife  sur- 
vived until  1877,  after  his  death  marrying  J.  C.  Dowse,  by  whom  she  had  one 
son,   Byron  C.   Dowse,  a  well-known  citizen. 

Walter  L.  Dexter  has  passed  all  his  life  on  his  present  farm  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  two  years  during  which  he  served  as  sherifif  of  Kenosha  county. 
His  education  was  obtained  in  the  district  schools  and  at  Kenosha.  At  the 
death  of  his  grandfather,  he  received  673^  acres  of  his  present  property,  and 
his  father  left  him  211  acres,  of  which  the  grandfather,  as  guardian,  sold  131 
acres.  Later  the  son  bought  eighty  acres  more  of  the  estate.  This  is  all  well- 
tilled,  valuable  land,  being  a  fine  property.  Although  public  responsibilities 
have  claimed  a  share  of  Mr.  Dexter's  attention,  his  main  interest  has  always 
been  in  the  line  of  agriculture.  The  fine  improvements  on  his  property  add 
to  its  value  as  well  as  to  its  attractiveness. 

Mr.  Dexter  was  married  June  15,  i860,  to  Catherine  Johnson,  daughter 
of  Charles  and  Bridget  (Skivinton)  Johnson,  and  they  had  six  children:  Will- 
iam Henry.  Charles  Jackson,  Jennie  S.,  Mary  L.,  Walter  S.  and  Flora  B. 
The  eldest  son  who  is  in  the  butter  and  cream  business  in  Chicago,  was  mar- 
ried to  Marianna  Whyte  Sept.  26,  1894,  and  they  have  three  sons:  Howard 
William,  born  July  26,  1895;  Walter  Earl,  born  Feb.  20,  1898,  and  Robert 
Whyte,  born  April  29.  1902.  Charles  J.  lives  at  home,  as  do  also  Jennie  S., 
Walter  S.,  and  Flora  B.  Mary  L.  married  E.  C.  Dewey,  of  Kenosha,  and  they 
have  two'  children,  Perdita  Irene  and  Persis  Vivian.  The  beloved  mother  of 
this  family  died  Oct.  2,  1899,  aged  fifty-seven  years.  She  was  a  devoted 
Christian. 

Mr.  Dexter  is  an  active  and  influential  meml^er  of  the  Democratic  party 
and  in  the  fall  of  1882  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Kenosha  county,  servhig  one 
term.  Prior  to  this,  in  1877,  he  was  elected  to  the  Wisconsin  State  Assembly, 
and  served  with  credit.  He  has  filled  many  of  the  local  offices,  serving  through 
several  terms  as  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  and  for  three  years  was 
town  treasurer.  In  all  these  public  positions  Mr.  Dexter  has  borne  himself 
well,  giving  his  attention  to  his  duties  with  a  fidelity  not  always  displayed.  He 
is  a  much  esteemed  citizen,  and  is  a  popular  member  of  Kenosha  Lodge.  No. 
47,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 

The  parents  of  the  late  Mrs.  Dexter  were  born  in  Ireland  and  came  to 
America  in  1847,  coming  to  Kenosha  county  and  settling  in  Pleasant  Prairie 
township.  The  father  died  in  1888,  when  about  eighty  years  of  age;  the  mother 
died  in  1892.  The  family  consisted  of  three  sons  and  four  daughters,  all  of 
whom  have  passed  away. 

H.  GENE  DARDIS.  a  prominent  and  influential  business  man  of  Bur- 
lington, Wis.,  is  president  of  the  Home  Lumber  Company.     Mr.  Dardis  was 


Ti8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

born  Jan.   i.   1855,  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and  he  is  a  son  of  James  and  Anna 
(Powderly)  Dardis,  natives  of  Dubhn,  Ireland. 

James  M.  Dardis.  the  paternal  grandfather,  a  linen  weaver,  died  in  Ire- 
land, aged  about  ninety  years.  He  had  seven  daughters  and  one  son.  Hugh 
Powderly,  our  subject's  maternal  grandfather,  was  also  a  native  of  Ireland, 
where  he  died,  ha\-ing  reached  the  remarkable  age  of  one  hundred  years.  His 
wife,  Ann  (Leonard)  Powderly,  bore  him  three  daughters  and  four  sons. 

James  Dardis  was  a  horse  jockey  in  his  native  country.  He  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1853,  locating  in  New  York,  and  in  the  following  year  settled  in  Keno- 
.sha.  Wis.  In  1855  he  purchased  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Dover,  Racine  county, 
where  he  remained  until  1866,  in  which  year  he  moved  back  to  Kenosha  coun- 
ty, settling  in  the  town  of  Brighton,  following  farming  in  that  township  for 
twenty-three  years.  From  there  he  removed  to  near  Delavan,  and  there  spent 
a  numiier  of  years.  His  death  occurred  while  he  was  living  with  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  Thayer,  at  Corliss,  in  January,  1905,  aged  eighty-four  years.  His  wife 
passed  away  in  January,  1882,  aged  about  fifty-eight  years.  Ten  children 
were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dardis :  Maria,  wife  of  J.  O.  Esmond,  of  Union 
Grove;  Anna,  wife  of  Isaac  Bowers  of  Delavan,  Wis.;  Eugene  and  James, 
twins,  the  latter  of  whom  resides  at  Corliss ;  Susie,  wife  of  George  Thayer,  of 
Corliss;  Henry,  who  died  Dec.  14,  1895;  William,  of  Clinton  Junction,  W^is. ; 
Miss  Ella,  of  Janesville;  Lydia,  the  wife  of  J.  E.  Hennessey  of  Janesville;  and 
Ben  L..  of  Rockford,  Illinois. 

H.  Gene  Dardis  was  reared  in  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  ten  years  spent  in  Antioch,  111.,  has  spent  his  whole  life  in  those 
counties.  He  attended  the  district  schools,  and  when  sixteen  years  of  age 
started  to  learn  the  carpenter  and  wheelwright's  trades,  which  he  continued 
to  follow  for  the  next  sixteen  years.  He  then  became  manager  of  the  Wilbur 
Lumber  Company,  at  Antioch,  111.,  and  was  with  this  company  six  years,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  they  sold  out.  Mr.  Dardis  then  located  in  Burlington, 
\V\s.,  and  managed  a  yard  there  for  five  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
embarked  in  a  business  of  his  own,  establishing  the  Home  Lumber  Company, 
of  which  he  is  president,  and  his  son,  Donald  W.,  is  treasurer. 

On  Feb.  14,  1879,  Mr.  Dardis  married  Miss  Anna  Smith,  daughter  of 
William  and  Marv  (Welch)  Smith,  and  four  children  were  born  to  this  union; 
Donald  W..  Elsie  C,  Mary  L.,  and  Howard,  the  last  named  dying  in  infancy. 
The  family  home  on  Chandlers  boulevard,  was  erected  by  Mr.  Dardis  in  189S. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dardis  are  members  of  the  Plymouth  Congregational  Church, 
of  which  he  is  a  trustee.  He  belongs  to  Burlington  Lodge,  No.  128,  F.  &  A. 
M..  and  to  the  Odd  Fellows  fraternity.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and 
while  at  Antioch  served  as  school  clerk  and  on  the  building  committee  which 
erected  a  new  school  house  there.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  school  board 
of  Burlington,  and  a  member  of  the  committee  which  erected  the  Burlington 
high  school  building. 

MORTIMER  EUGENE  W^\LKER,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  a  member  of  the 
well-known  law  firm  of  Simmons,  Nelson  &  W^alker,  was  torn  in  the  town  of 
Mt.  Pleasant,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  June  25.  T872.  son  of  Robert  TM.  and  Minerva 
(Secor)  Walker,  natives  of  Vermont  and  New  York,  respectively. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  119 

Nelson  A.  Walker,  the  grandfather  of  Mortimer  Eugene,  was  a  native 
of  Vermont,  and  was  an  early  settler  of  Racine  county,  having  made  the  jour- 
ney from  his  native  State  on  foot.  He  at  one  time  owned  a  farm  on  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Racine,  which  was  known  as  "Sagetown,"  and  there  he  lived  for 
many  years.  Two  or  three  years  prior  to  his  death  he  went  to  Chicago,  where 
he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife,  Lucinda  (Taggart)  Walker,  died  aged 
about  sixty-five  years,  leaving  four  children. 

Robert  M.  Walker  came  to  Wisconsin  with  his  parents  when  a  child,  and 
grew  to  manhood  in  the  vicinity  of  Racine,  remaining  at  home  until  after  his 
marriage.  Since  that  time  he  has  followed  farming  on  his  own  account,  own- 
ing an  excellent  farm  of  120  acres,  three-quarters  of  a  mile  west  of  the  city 
limits.  Mr.  Walker  served  in  the  Civil  war.  being  a  private  of  Company  K, 
8th  Wis.  V.  I.,  known  as  the  "Old  Abe"  regiment.  After  the  war  he  resumed 
farming,  and  held  various  township  offices.  He  married  Minerva  Secor, 
daughter  of  Gurdon  Secor,  a  native  of  New  York.  Gurdon  Secor"s  mother  was 
of  Holland-Dutch  and  his  father  of  French  descent.  Gurdon  Secor  was  a 
merchant  in  the  East  and  came  West  at  an  early  day.  settling  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  where  he  improved  a  farm  and  reared  his  family  of  eight  children. 
He  and  his  wife,  Jane  Stuart,  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Robert  M.  Walker  were  born  children  as  follows:  Nelson  A.,  of  I\It.  Pleasant 
township;  Mortimer  E.,  and  Mabel  E. 

Mortimer  E.  Walker  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Racine.  He  was  brought 
up  on  his  father's  farm,  and  received  his  education  in  the  district,  private  and 
Racine  College  grammar  schools.  He  then  entered  the  law  department  of  the 
University  of  Wisconsin,  at  Madison,  graduating  in  1895,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  Bar  in  the  same  year.  He  began  practice  in  Racine,  entering  the  offices 
of  Cooper  &  Nelson,  and  later  becoming  a  partner  of  the  firm  of  Cooper,  Sim- 
mons, Nelson  &  Walker,  one  of  the  leading  law  firms  of  Racine. 

Mr.  Walker  was  married  July  24,  1900,  to  Miss  Florence  Bull,  daughter 
of  Wakely  T.  and  Caroline  (Curtis)  Bull,  and  to  this  union  a  daughter,  Jane 
Stuart,  has  been  born.     Mrs.  Walker  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Fraternally  ^Ir.  Walker  is  connected  with  Racine  Lodge.  No.  18,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  No.  252.  B.  P.  O.  Elks,  Racine.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and 
was  elected  city  attorney  in  1902,  an  office  he  held  four  terms.  ^Ir.  Walker's 
residence  is  situated  at  No.  1228  Main  street. 

LOUIS  EDWARD  KALTENBACH,  D.  D.  S.,  is  the  son  of  the  late 
Celestine  Kaltenbach.  of  Grant  county.  Wis.,  who  was  a  pioneer  resident  and  a 
descendant  of  the  distinguished  Von  Kaltenbach  family  of  Baden-Baden. 

The  father  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch  settled  in  1833  in  Potosi,  Wis., 
where  he  engaged  in  the  general  merchandise  business.  He  was  appointed 
postmaster  under  the  ^'an  Buren  administration  and  served  continuously  until 
the  time  of  his  death,  with  the  exception  of  ten  years.  He  was,  when  he  passed 
away,  the  oldest  postmaster  in  time  of  service  in  the  history  of  the  L'nited 
States.  He  was  closely  identified  with  the  early  history  of  that  section  of  coun- 
try in  which  he  lived,  his  oldest  daughter  being  the  first  white  child  born  in 
Grant  county.  Dr.  Kaltenbach's  mother  was  educated  in  England  and  was  a 
near  relative  of  Anton  Seidl,  the  famous  musical  director  of  New  York. 


I20  CO^LMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Dr.  Kaltenhach  is  well  educated,  being  a  graduate  of  tlie  luwa  State  Uni- 
versity. He  applied  himself  earnestly  and  assiduously  to  the  acquisition  of  the 
knowledge  necessary  to  tit  himself  for  his  career  as  a  practitioner,  and  shortly 
after  his  advent  into  the  professional  ranks  became  generally  recognized  as  a 
leading  dentist,  which  position  he  has  easily  maintained  throughout  his  active 
career.  In  1891  he  opened  an  office  in  Kenosha,  where  his  large  acquaintance 
and  professional  skill  soon  won  for  him  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  He  is  a 
man  of  studious  habits,  of  great  mechanical  ability,  broad  culture  and  superior 
manipulative  skill,  all  of  which  combine  to  make  him  a  practitioner  of  pre- 
eminent ability. 

On  July  2,  1901,  he  married  !\Iiss  Burnet  Golden,  daughter  of  Mrs.  Car- 
rie Golden.  ]\Irs.  Kaltenbach's  parents  came  originally  from  Virginia  and  are 
closely  related  to  the  Paynes  and  Swansons  of  that  State.  They  moved  to  Mis- 
souri shortly  after  the  Civil  war. 

The  Doctor  is  a  member  of  the  State  Dental  Society,  of  the  Knights  of 
Columbus,  and  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  He  owns  a  fine  residence  at  Xo.  617  Prairie 
avenue. 

FRANK  WASHBURX  STARBUCK,  editor  of  the  Jonnial  and  presi- 
dent of  The  Journal  Printing  Company,  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Nov. 
8,  1845.  His  father,  Calvin  \\'.  Starbuck.  was  a  prominent  newspaper  man  in 
that  city  and  was  the  o\\;ner  of  the  Cincinnati  Times,  which  exercised  consid- 
erable influence  during  the  Civil  war. 

Coming  to  Racine  in  search  of  health,  in  the  year  1873.  Frank  W.  Star- 
buck  became  interested  in  the  Journal,  at  that  time  edited  and  owned  by  Col. 
\\''.  L.  Utley  and  his  son  Hamilton,  and  on  the  ist  of  January,  1874,  purchased 
a  half  interest  of  the  Colonel.  A  year  later  he  bought  the  other  half  from  Ham- 
ilton Utley,  who  remained  with  the  Journal  for  quite  a  period,  or  until  gold 
was  discovered  in  the  Black  Hills,  when  Mr.  Utley  with  a  number  of  associ- 
ates left  for  the  northern  fields.  After  the  departure  of  Hamilton  Utley  Mr. 
Starbuck  assumed  the  editorial  pen  and  has  wielded  it  ever  since,  with  but  an 
interregnum  of  a  few  months  in  the  year  1895. 

In  1875  Mr.  Starbuck  was  united  in  marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Mattie  Raxmrmd. 
daughter  of  Seneca  Raymond  and  a  native  of  Racine.  He  has  four  living  chil- 
dren, viz. :  Helen,  Marguerite,  Genevieve  and  Frank.  Helen,  the  eldest,  is  a 
daughter  by  his  former  marriage,  to  Miss  Carrie  Golden,  of  Cincinnati. 

The  Journal  has  continuously  been  Republican  in  politics,  but  has  ever 
retained  the  right  to  discuss  public  matters  of  interest  in  national.  State  or  mu- 
nicipal affairs,  from  an  unprejudiced  standpoint.  The  paper  has  been  very 
successful  and  influential  under  Mr.  Starbuck's  direction,  and  has  kept  pace 
with  the  growth  of  the  city,  from  the  first  installment  of  steam  power,  in  1874, 
to  the  present  time. 

The  Daily  Journal  made  its  first  appearance  on  Jan.  3,  1881,  a  modest 
four-page,  si.x-column  paper — its  headquarters  being  above  the  Manufacturers 
National  Bank.  The  Daily  was  a  success  from  the  start,  and  a  demand  for 
more  room  soon  made  necessary  a  removal  to  old  Belle  City  Hall :  again,  in 
1891,  the  present  building  at  No.  328  Main  street  was  purchased,  and  refitted 
for  a  modern  newspaper  printing  plant. 


^/^m^^vJ^C 


COMMEMORATIVE    J3IOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  121 

In  1894  the  daily  was  made  an  eight-page  paper,  and,  with  the  installa- 
tion of  a  perfecting  press,  linotype  machines  and  other  additions  to  the  ecjuip- 
ment,  with  continuous  expansion  of  the  editorial  department  (including  a  leased 
wire  and  Associated  Press  reports),  the  Journal  to-day  enjoys  the  distinction  of 
being  one  of  the  best  edited  and  printed  papers  in  Wisconsin.  Arrangements 
are  now  being  made  for  the  installation  of  a  new  double-deck  press,  capable  of 
printing  20,000  eight-page  or  10,000  sixteen-page  papers  per  hour.  In  the 
mechanical  departments  of  the  office  the  periods  of  lay  service  are  notable,  a 
number  having  been  employed  from  ten  to  fifteen  years.  The  job  department 
of  the  Journal  has  an  equipment  modern  in  every  respect. 

In  1886  the  Journal  was  incorporated,  its  present  officials  being:  E.  W. 
Starbuck,  president;  William  Horlick,  vice-president;  Frank  R.  Starbuck, 
secretary,  and  E.  A.  Tostevin,  treasurer.  Its  five  directors  are  the  four  named, 
with  the  addition  of  David  Griswold,  the  city  editor.  It  is  proper  to  say  here 
that  the  treasurer,  Mr.  Tostevin,  has  been  connected  with  the  Journal  continu- 
ously since  1887,  and  Mr.  Grisw'old,  since  December,  1880.  Eor  the  past  six 
years  Frank  R.  Starbuck  has  most  efficiently  served  as  its  managing  editor. 

GEORGE  F.  WALLMANN,  a  prominent  business  man  of  Waterford, 
Wis.,  was  born  in  that  village  Dec.  2,  i860,  son  of  Frederick  C.  and  Dorothea 
M.  (Koehnke)  Wallmann,  natives  of  Germany,  from  the  Province  of  Meck- 
lenburg. 

Frederick  C.  Wallmann  received  his  education  in  his  native  country,  and 
there  learned  cabinetmaking.  He  came  to  America  in  August,  1854,  and  located 
at  once  in  Waterford,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  was  one  of  the  first  mer- 
chants, and  where  he  followed  his  trade  at  the  same  time,  doing  carpentering 
and  undertaking,  and  manufacturing  furniture.  He  also  traveled  considerably, 
selling  his  goods  on  the  road.  But  he  gave  this  up  because  the  conduct  of  his 
business  requireil  his  constant  personal  supervision,  for  he  had  twelve  men  eui- 
ployed.  Thus  he  continued  until  January,  1884,  at  which  time  he  removed  to 
Clinton  Junction,  being  in  business  at  the  latter  place  for  two  years.  He  then 
removed  to  Mukwonago,  where  he  now  lives  retired.  When  Mr.  Wallmann 
arrived  in  Waterford  he  had  a  cash  capital  of  thirty-four  cents,  so  that  he 
could  hardly  be  accused  of  having  been  favored  by  fortune  in  his  early  life. 
He  and  his  w-ife  were  originally  Lutherans,  but  now  adhere  to  the  Methodist 
faith,  Mr.  Wallmann  being  the  prime  factor  in  establishing  the  German  Meth- 
odist Church  in  Wtiterford.  He  is  a  member  of  Masonic  Lodge  Xo.  96,  of 
Waterford. 

•Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederick  C.  W^allmann  were  married  in  Milwaukee,  .\pril 
5,  1857,  having  made  the  trip  to  that  then  villege  in  an  ox-cart,  the  journey 
taking  several  days  to  accomplish.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wallmann  had  four  chil- 
dren:  Augusta  A.,  who  died  when  two  years  old:  George  F. ;  Dora  E.,  the 
widow  of  N.  Lotz,  of  Mukw'onago,  Wis. ;  and  Karl  J.,  of  Milwaukee. 

George  F.  Wallmann  attended  the  public  schools  of  Waterford,  and  when 
fourteen  years  of  age  entered  his  father's  store.  On  Jan.  i,  1884,  he  became 
his  father's  successor  in  the  business,  and  he  has  continued  therein  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  having  been  eminently  successful.  He  carries  on  undertaking,  and 
has  a  large  stock  of  up-to-date  house  furnishings,  stoves  and  furnaces,  and  his 


122  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

reputation  for  business  honest)-  and  integrity  has  won  him  many  customers. 
He  has  been  intelligent  as  well  as  industrious  in  the  prosecution  of  liis  work,  and 
has  spared  no  pains  to  fit  himself  for  the  up-to-date  conduct  of  his  business. 
In  September,  1884.  he  graduated  from  Prof.  Clark's  School  of  Embalming, 
being  the  first  graduated  embalmer  in  Racine  county,  and  this  incident  is  typi- 
cal of  the  man  in  all  he  attempts.  For  four  and  a  half  years  he  carried  on  a 
furniture  and  undertaking  business  at  IMukwonago,  but  sold  it  on  Jan.  i,  1906. 
On  Sept.  II,  1883,  Mr.  Wallmann  married  Miss  Caroline  J-  Trost,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Marie  (Weidniann)  Trost,  and  two  daughters  have  been  b<:)rn 
to  this  union :  Esther  Augusta,  who  married  John  F.  Steinke,  and  Cora  Irene, 
who  is  attending  the  high  school.  ;\Ir.  and  ]\Irs.  Wallmann  are  members  of  the 
English  M.  E.  Church.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  Rochester  Lodge, 
No.  18,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  W'aterford  Camp.  Xo.  3112,  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America.    Politically  he  is  independent. 

Erdnian  Trost,  Mrs.  Wallmann's  grandfather,  was  born  in  1801  in  Noss- 
endorf,  bei  Gremmen,  Germany.  He  married  Dorathea  Segerd,  who  was  born 
in  1809  in  Langfeld,  bei  Gremmen.  and  they  had  four  children,  Mary,  Gustuf, 
Fredrick  and  John,  the  last  named  being  now  the  only  one  of  the  family  liv- 
ing. John  Trost  married  Marie  Weidniann,  daughter  of  John  and  Sophia 
(Glove)  Weidniann,  both  natives  of  Clabno,  bei  Gremmen,  Germany,  who  had 
four  children,  John,  Gustif,  ^larie  (^Irs.  Trost)  and  Karl.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Trost  had  children  as  follows:  Herman  W'.,  born  in  Kessgin  Feb.  24,  1864, 
who  now  lives  in  W^aterford;  Caroline  J.,  born  in  Grischow  Alay  26,  1866, 
now  Mrs.  W'allmann;  William  C,  born  in  Grischow  January  4,  1869.  a  mer- 
chant and  undertaker  of  Mukwonago,  Wis.;  Karl  L.,  born  in  Randow  Jan. 
7.  1872,  now  of  Milwaukee;  and  A.  Henry,  born  Jan.  12.  1874,  in  East  Troy, 
Wis.,  at  present  a  stenographer  in  Chicago. 

JAMES  MUTTER,  a  member  of  the  board  of  public  works  of  Racine, 
Wis.,  is  one  of  the  esteemed  residents  of  that  city.  He  was  born  in  the  County 
of  Huntingdon,  Canada,  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Franklin  (formerly  James- 
town), Nov.  21,  1841,  son  of  William  andMary  (Denham)  Mutter,  natives 
of  Perthshire,  Scotland. 

William  Mutter  died  in  1870.  aged  si.xty-seven  years,  while  his  wife  sur- 
vived until  1905,  being  then  near  her  i02d  birthday.  We  quote  from  an  arti- 
cle which  appeared  Oct.  3,  1904,  in  the  Racine  Daily  Journal,  in  regard  to  this 
remarkable  old  lady : 

"Mrs.  Mutter,  mother  of  James  T^Iutter,  of  the  board  of  public  works,  and 
widow  of  the  late  William  Mutter,  to-day  celebrated  her  loist  birthday,  at  her 
home.  1 410  Libertv  street,  in  a  very  quiet  manner,  .\lthough  having  reached 
that  remarkable  age,  Mrs.  Mutter  probablv  has  few  equals  in  the  State,  or  for 
that  matter  in  the  L'nited  States. 

"She  was  born  in  Scotland,  Oct.  3,  1803.  In  the  year  1837  she  removed 
to  Huntingdon  County,  Canada,  where  her  husband  cleared  away  timber  and 
cultivated  a  farm,  making  a  success  of  it  and  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  white 
man  who  ever  made  farming  pay  in  that  section.  It  was  in  the  year  1866  that 
she  and  her  husband  came  to  Racine  county  and  took  up  their  residence  in  the 
town  of  Yorkville.  where  the  husband  died  some  years  ago.     There  were  nine 


CO^I^IEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  123 

children,  of  whom  five  are  living.  Mrs.  Mutter  has  always  been  a  great  Bible 
student,  and  it  is  said  that  her  equal  does  not  live  in  Wisconsin  for  quotations 
from  that  Holy  Book.  As  a  Methodist  recently  said,  'She  knows  more  about 
the  Bible  than'any  minister  living."  She  can  tell  about  incidents  of  eighty  or 
ninety  years  ago,  and  tells  interesting  stories  about  the  battle  of  Waterloo. 

"Her  eyesight  has  been  failing  of  late  years  and  her  hearing  is  impaired 
but  her  memory  and  other  faculties  are  unimpaired.  There  are  no  indications 
of  childishness,  and  she  goes  to  and  from  the  table  and  can  converse  intelli- 
gentlv  upon  most  subjects.  She  is  tlie  grandmother  of  Sheriff  Robert  Mutter." 
On  Jan.  23,  1905,  a  few  months  after  the  above  was  written,  the  venerable 
lady  died.  The  five  children  of  William  and  Mary  Mutter  now  living  are : 
Annie,  wife  of  D.  W.  Davis,  of  Chateaugay,  N.  Y. ;  Margaret,  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Stuart,  of  Yorkville,  Racine  Co.,  Wis. ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Lang- 
ley,  of  Franksville,  Racine  county;  James;  and  Agnes,  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Graham,  of  Decorah,  Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mutter  were  both  Presbyterians. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  Canada  during  the  French  Rebellion,  and  served  three 
years,  but  did  no  fighting. 

James  Mutter  grew  to  manhood  in  Canada,  where  he  was  reared  on  his 
father's  farm.  He  attended  the  district  schools,  and  lived  at  home  with  his 
parents  until  past  fourteen  years  of  age,  when  he  started  to  work,  finding  em- 
ployment at  various  occupations  until  he  was  of  age.  In  1863  he  located  in 
Racine  and  ran  stationary  engines  for  a  number  of  years,  having  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  that  business  while  on  the  lakes  in  Canada.  He  then  for  a  time 
ran  a  planing-mill  in  Racine,  which  he  sold  out  to  go  to  California  in  1870, 
there  doing  carpenter  work.  The  same  fall  he  returned  to  Racine  and  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Yorkville,  which  he  worked  for  five  years.  He  then  returned 
to  Racine  and  worked  for  the  Winship  Manufacturing  Company  for  three 
years,  after  which  he  went  into  business  on  his  own  account,  manufacturing 
tanks  and  selling  windwills,  pumps,  etc.,  in  partnership  with  J.  H.  Hodges,  as 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Hodges  &  Mutter.  This  partnership  continued  for 
three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  Mr.  ISIutter  sold  his  interest  to  Mr. 
Hodges  and  went  to  work  for  the  Fish  Brothers  Wagon  Company,  being  in 
their  employ  ten  or  eleven  years.  In  1892  he  was  appointed  a  member  of  the 
board  of  public  works  and  served  four  years.  He  then  did  general  contract- 
ing for  a  period  of  six  years,  and  in  1902  was  again  appointed  a  member  of  the 
board,  an  office  he  still  holds. 

On  Nov.  3,  1864,  Mr.  Mutter  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Tostevin,.  daughter 
of  Matthew  Tostevin.  Mrs.  Mutter  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Mutter  is  connected  with  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. 
Politically  he  is  a  stanch  Republican.  He  owns  a  good  home  at  No.  1410  Lib- 
erty street,  which  he  built  in  1881. 

JAMES  H.  GR.\Y.  a  hardware  dealer  of  Bristol,  Kenosha  county,  is  one 
of  the  old  settlers,  as  he  has  li\'ed  in  the  conntv  since  he  was  three  years  old. 
He  was  born  at  Gilboa,  Schoharie  Co.,  N.  Y..  May  2.  1845,  ^  s^"  "'*'  ^^  iHiam 
and  Catherine  (Gray)  Gray. 

\A^illiam  Gray  was  a  native  of  Irelanrl  and  his  wife  of  Scotland.  After 
coming  to  America  he  lived  for  some  time  in  New  York  State,  but  in  1848  took 


124  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

his  family  West  to  Wisconsin  and  located  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county, 
where  he  hought  eighty  acres.  Pie  added  an  equal  amount  thereto  and  culti- 
vated the  whole  farm,  making  his  permanent  residence  thereon.  He  and  his 
wife  both  died  on  the  homestead,  he  in  November,  1883,  aged  sixty-five,  and 
she  in  1887,  aged  seventy-five.  In  religious  belief  he  was  an  Episcopalian,  and 
h:s  wife  was  a  Presbyterian.  They  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  Susan 
Gray  ( of  Bristol)  and  James  H.  being  the  only  ones  living. 

James  H.  Gray  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  and  received  his  education 
in  the  district  schools.  He  remained  at  home  until  during  the  Civil  war,  when 
he  enlisted.  Jan.  i,  1864,  in  Company  E,  ist  W.  V.  I.,  and  served  till  the  end  of 
the  war.  in  June,  1865.  He  was  in  the  battles  of  Resaca,  Kenesaw  Mountain  and 
Dallas,  and  also  took  part  in  numerous  skirmishes.  After  the  struggle  was 
over  he  went  home  and  began  farming  again.  He  bought  an  interest  in  his 
father's  place,  but  later  rented  it  to  the  latter  and  spent  four  years  in  North 
Dakota,  where  he  ran  a  livery  "stable  at  Lisbon,  the  county  seat  of  Ransom 
county.  After  his  father  died  Mr.  Gray  returned  to  Wisconsin,  bought  out  the 
other  heirs  of  the  old  homestead,  which  he  conducted  himself  till  1894,  when  he 
rented  it.  Five  years  later  he  sold  that  place,  but  he  still  owned  farm  property, 
as  he  has  160  acres  near  Grand  Rapids,  W'is.  When  Mr.  Gray  left  his  old 
home  in  1894  he  established  himself  in  the  village  of  Bristol  as  a  hardware 
dealer  and  is  still  engaged  in  the  successful  management  of  that  business. 

I\Ir.  Gray  was  married  in  October,  1896,  to  the  widow  of  iiis  brother  Alex- 
ander, whose  maiden  name  was  Maria  Nelson.  By  her  first  marriage  Mrs. 
Gray  had  four  children,  Herbert  C,  Elsie  M.,  Blanche  C.  and  Lois,  while  by 
her  second  union  there  have  been  three,  Edith,  Allen  and  Vernon.  Mrs.  Gray 
is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Her  husband  is  a  Mason,  belonging 
to  Washburn  Lodge,  No.  145,  F.  &  A.  M.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Mr. 
Gray  is  a  good  business  man  and  a  good  citizen,  standing  high  in  the  esteem 
of  his  fellows. 

DARIUS  J.  MOREY,  of  the  firm  of  D.  J.  Morey  &  Sons,  real  estate, 
loans  and  insurance,  at  Racine,  Wis.,  stands  very  high  in  the  business  world  of 
that  city.  He  is  a  native  of  New  York,  born  in  St.  LawTence  county,  at  Mor- 
ristown.  March  3,  1843,  son  of  John  T.  and  Catherine  (Styles)  Morey. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Morey,  for  whom  he  is  named,  was  Dar- 
ius J.  Morey,  a  native  of  Vermont.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  also, 
a  designer  or  architect.  In  1846  he  came  to  Wisconsin,  and  he  died  at  Racine 
in  1 85 1,  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812. 
He  married  Marian  Fowler,  a  relative  of  Dr.  Fowler,  the  great  phrenologist, 
and  she  died  aged  fifty-four  years,  the  mother  of  five  daughters  and  two  sons. 
Tracing  the  family  farther  back,  we  find  that  two  brothers  of  the  name  of 
Morey  came  from  England  in  1626  and  settled  in  Massachusetts,  where  the 
spelling  of  the  name  became  different  in  the  two  branches,  one  orthography 
being  Mowry  and  the  other  Morey. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Morey,  John  Styles,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land, was  a  sergeant  in  the  British  army,  and  fought  at  Waterloo.  After  com- 
ing to  America  he  continued  to  be  a  military  man  and  served  his  adopted  coun- 
try with  distinction  in  the  war  of  181 2.     Coming  to  Morristown,  N.  Y.,  by 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  125 

way  of  Montreal,  Canada,  he  died  in  Morristown.  at  the  unusal  age  of  105 
years.  By  trade  he  was  a  shoemaker.  He  married  Catherine  McDonald,  who 
lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-eight  years,  her  death  resulting  from  an  accident. 
They  had  ten  children. 

John  T.  Morey,  father  of  Darius  J.,  was  a  native  of  New  York,  married 
there  and  reared  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  the  two  survivors  of  this  fam- 
ily being  John  T.  and  Darius  J.,  both  of  Racine.  By  trade  John  T.  Morey  was  a 
carpenter  and  house-builder.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  the  spring  of  1846, 
lantling  first  at  Milwaukee,  but  soon  came  to  Racine,  where  he  followed  his 
trade  for  some  years  and  then  went  to  Southport,  where  he  lived  for  a  time, 
returning  subsequently  to  Racine.  From  there  he  removed  to  the  Indian  Land 
in  Waupaca  county,  with  the  intention  of  engaging  in  farming,  in  the  hope 
that  such  occupation  would  restore  him  to  health,  but  the  hopes  of  his  family 
were  not  realized,  and  he  died  in  December,  1856.  His  wife  survived  him  un- 
til August,  1862,  dying  aged  thirty-eight  years.  Both  were  Methodists  in  re- 
ligion. 

Darius  J.  Morey  was  three  years  old  when  he  came  to  Wisconsin  with  his 
parents  and  he  lived  at  Racine  until  1851,  when  he  accompanied  them  on  their 
removal  north.  His  school  advantages  were  limited,  as  his  opportunities  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  State  were  few  on  account  of  unsettled  conditions  and  the 
sickness  of  his  father.  He  was  fourteen  years  old  before  he  had  much  chance 
to  attend  even  the  winter  sessions,  and  the  summers  were  given  over  to  hard 
work  on  the  farm.  His  father  was  a  man  of  deep  religious  feelings  and  was 
careful  to  instruct  his  children  in  the  Bible. 

In  1861  Darius  J.  Morey  returned  to  Racine  and  took  one  winter's  in- 
stniction  in  the  high  school,  having  previously,  through  earnest  efforts  and 
self-denial,  secured  a  certificate  to  teach.  He  was  still  prevented,  however, 
from  entering  into  the  life  he  desired,  as  immediate  necessities  made  him  con- 
tinue at  the  carpenter's  bench  and  on  the  farm.  The  death  of  his  mother  threw 
the  whole  burden  of  the  support  of  the  family  on  him,  and  for  several  years 
his  responsibilities  were  heavy. 

On  Aug.  22,  1863,  Mr.  Morey  enlisted  in  the  Union  army,  becoming  a 
pri\ate  in  Company  C,  ist  Wisconsin  Heavy  Artillery,  in  which  he  served  with 
fidelity  until  the  close  of  the  war,  participating  in  many  of  its  most  serious 
battles,  including  Lookout  Mountain  and  Missionary  Ridge.  After  ,his  hon- 
oralile  discharge  he  returned  to  Racine,  and  in  order  to  fit  himself  for  a  com- 
mercial career  attended  a  business  college  and  became  an  accountant,  follow- 
ing this  line  for  a  space  of  twenty-three  years,  almost  all  of  the  time  with  the 
Fish  Brothers  Wagon  Company.  He  then  bought  an  interest  in  the  concern, 
but  lost  his  investment  through  a  decision  of  the  Supreme  court.  He  then  be- 
came a  salesman  for  the  Racine  Wagon  &  Carriage 'Company,  and  still  later 
for  the  Fish  Brothers  Wagon  Company,  and  a  second  time  bought  an  interest 
in  the  business,  which  was  operated  under  new  management. 

Mr.  Morey  was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace,  having  previously,  with  his 
other  studies,  gained  a  fair  knowledge  of  law,  and  he  served  in  that  office  for 
four  years,  in  the  meantime  perfecting  himself  in  real  estate,  loan,  investment 
and  insurance  law.  At  the  close  of  his  term  he  engaged  in  the  business  men- 
tioned.   In  1900  he  associated  his  son  Wallace  S.  with  him,  and  in  1903  he  ad- 


126  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

mitted  his  other  son,  F.  Arthur,  to  partnership,  the  firm  style  being  now  D.  J. 
Morey  &  Sons.  They  handle  a  large  share  of  that  kind  of  business  in  Racine, 
and  throughout  the  State,  Mr.  Morey  and  his  sons  being  thorough,  wide- 
awake, practical  men  of  business. 

On  Dec.  17,  1868,  Mr.  Morey  was  married  to  Miss  Viola  S.  Packard, 
daughter  of  Roswell  and  Susan  (Bird)  Packard,  and  they  have  three  children, 
viz. :  F.  Arthur,  Edith  V.  and  Wallace  S.  The  daughter  is  a  popular  Kinder- 
garten teacher.  The  eldest  son  married  Alice  E.  Stephens,  and  they  have  two 
children,  Marjorie  J.  and  Donald  J.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  valued  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Congregational  Church  of  Racine,  of  which  he  is  a  trustee. 
For  six  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  Racine  board  of  education,  and  for 
one  year  was  its  president. 

Mr.  Morey  is  a  member  of  Gov.  Harvey  Post,  G.  A.  R.  For  many  years 
he  has  been  connected  with  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  has  served  in  a  numljer 
of  the  higher  branches  of  the  order  in  otftcial  positions.  His  membership  is 
with  Belle  City  Lodge,  No.  92,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Orient  Chapter,  No.  12,  R.  A. 
M. ;  and  Racine  Commandery,  K.  T.,  No.  7.  He  was  master  of  the  blue  lodge 
five  years,  high  priest  of  the  chapter  three  years,  prelate  of  the  commandery  two 
years  and  generalissimo  one  year.  Politically  he  is  identified  with  the  Repub- 
hcan  party. 

Mr.  Morey  enjoys  the  solid  comforts  of  a  substantial  home  located  at  No. 
943  Superior  street,  Racine,  which  place  he  erected  in  1883.  He  is  liberal  and 
loves  his  friends,  but  is  strong  in  his  likes  and  dislikes.  He  is  very  temperate, 
using  neither  tobacco  nor  strong  drink.  In  a  marked  degree  Mr.  Morey  is 
one  of  the  self-made  men  of  our  day.  Considering  the  conditions,  obstacles, 
and  disadvantages  under  which  he  has  faced  the  battle  of  life — the  poverty  and 
privations  he  and  his  father's  family  endured  during  his  childhood  and  early 
manhood — with  the  most  meagre  facilities  for  acquiring  an  education,  bur- 
dened with  the  cares  and  responsibilities  of  maintaining  the  family  left  by  the 
death  of  his  father  and  mother — he  is  entitled  to  great  credit  for  his  courage 
and  faithfulness,  and  for  his  burning  desire  to  make  the  most  of  his  meager 
advantages. 

MICHAEL  NISEN,  a  successful  manufacturer  of  LTnion  Grove,  is  a 
native  of  Wisconsin,  but  of  German  ancestry  in  both  paternal  and  maternal 
lines.  He  was  born  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county.  Aug.  2,  1853,  son  of 
Herbert  and  Catherine  (Daubin)  Nisen,  both  natives  of  Germany. 

Herbert  Nisen  was  left  an  orphan  in  early  boyhood,  and  as  he  came  to 
America  before  he  was  grown,  all  trace  of  the  family  is  lost.  He  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade,  and  after  coming  to  America,  in  1845,  settled  in  Southport, 
now  Kenosha.  Wis.,  where  he  followed  his  trade  for  some  years  and  then  en- 
gaged in  business  until  he  moved  to  Brighton  township,  in  1864.  There  he  was 
occupied  in  farming,  owning  160  acres  of  land.  He  married  Miss  Catherine 
Daubin.  and  to  them  were  born  four  children,  viz. :  William ;  Margaret,  de- 
ceased wife  of  Michael  Daubin ;  Michael ;  and  Herbert,  of  Racine.  The  father 
died  in  1875.  but  the  mother  lived  till  Nov.  9.  1900.  when  she  passed  away, 
aged  seventy-seven  years.    Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Michael  Nisen  was  Tohn  Daubin,  who  came 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOC7RAPHICAL    RECORD.  12/ 

from  Germany  to  America  aljout  1846  and  settled  in  Southport  with  his  son 
Michael.  In  the  old  country  he  had  charge  of  a  vineyard  and  made  wine.  He 
Hved  to  an  advanced  age,  and  was  survived  by  his  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Michael  Nisen  was  reared  in  Kenosha  from  the  age  of  three  months  until 
he  was  nearly  eleven,  and  attended  the  public  schools  there.  After  the  family 
moved  to  Brighton  he  continued  in  school  till  he  was  seventeen,  ami  then 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  following  it  for  twenty-two  years.  In  1893  he 
gave  this  up  and  entered  upon  his  present  business,  the  manufacture  of  drain 
tile.  He  has  been  prosperous,  enlarging  his  plant  until  he  now  turns  out  three- 
quarters  of  a  million  tiles  a  year. 

Mr.  Nisen's  marriage  took  place  Oct.  13,  1881,  when  he  was  united  to 
Miss  Sarah  Barrows,  daughter  of  Alvin  and  Esther  (Bunce)  Barrows.  To  them 
three  children  have  been  born.  Earl  M.,  Roy  H.  and  Leo  F.  Mrs.  Nisen  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Michael  Nisen  are 
interested  in  fraternal  matters,  and  she  belongs  to  the  Royal  Neighbors,  while 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Politically  he  is  inde- 
pendent. They  own  a  beautiful  home,  erected  in  1894,  on  which  Mr.  Nisen 
himself  did  the  work  and  proved  himself  thereby  a  skilled  carpenter  as  well  as 
efficient  business  man. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Nisen,  Alvin  and  Esther  Barrows,  were  both  born  in 
New  York  State.  Of  their  eleven  children,  seven  are  now  living,  namely : 
Emma,  wife  of  Samuel  Bohanan,  of  Kenosha;  Ella,  Mrs.  James  Motley,  of 
Union  Grove;  Eva,  Mrs.  Alfred  Sumpter,  of  Dover  township;  Elmer,  of  York- 
ville  township;  Jennie,  Mrs.  Chester  Hulett,  of  Yorkville  township;  Sarah, 
Mrs.  Nisen ;  and  Alvin,  of  Kenosha.  Mr.  Barrows  was  a  carpenter  in  early 
life,  but  later  took  to  farming.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  while  quite  young,  grew 
up  there  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  and  after  his  marriage  moved  to  a  farm  in 
Yorkville  township.  In  1865  he  left  this  place  for  another  farm  in  the  village 
of  Union  Grove  and  there  reared  his  family.  He  was  twice  married.  Mrs. 
Esther  Barrows  died  at  the  age  of  forty-two,  and  some  time  after  he  took  for 
his  second  wife  a  widow,  Mrs.  Clara  (Moe)  Conner,  who  survives  him  and 
resides  in  Union  Grove. 

The  paternal  grandfather,  Lapreliett  Barrows,  was  also  twice  married 
and  was  the  father  of  a  large  family,  all  by  his  first  wife,  Mary  Jackson.  For 
his  second  wife  he  married  her  sister,  Eliza  Jackson.  He  was  an  early  settler 
in  Kenosha  county,  and  owned  three  farms  in  Somers  township.  He  lived  to  a 
good  old  age.  Mrs.  Nisen's  maternal  grandfather  was  Abraham  Bunce,  a  na- 
tive of  Pennsylvania,  of  German  descent.  He  came  West  in  the  early  days, 
and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Union  Grove,  where  he  died  when  about  eighty- 
seven  years  old.    He  and  his  wife  had  three  daughters  and  one  son. 

BERNARD  BREHM,  of  the  firm  of  B.  Brehm  &  Sons,  horse  dealers  of 
Burlington,  Wis.,  and  proprietors  of  the  largest  sales  stables  in  Racine  county, 
is  also  engaged  in  the  draying  and  coal  and  w-ood  business.  He  was  born  in 
Baden,  Germany,  May  9,  1845,  son  of  Frank  and  Agnes  (Ehenberg)  Brehm, 
natives  of  Germany. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Bernard  Brehm,  Jacob  Brehm,  a  wea\er. 
died  in  Germany,  as  did  also  his  wife.     On  the  maternal  side,  the  grandfather 


128  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPFIICAL    RECORD. 

was  Christian  Ehenberg,  who  was  a  baker  and  farmer.  He  died  in  Germany 
aged  eighty-five  years,  while  his  wife,  France  Sauer,  died  aged  seventy-five 
years.  Erank  Brehm  was  a  weaver  in  his  native  country,  and  came  to  America 
in  1854.  He  followed  various  occupations,  and  died  at  the  liome  of  his  son, 
Bernard,  in  1893,  aged  eighty-three  years,  his  wife  having  passed  away  eight 
years  previously,  aged  seventy-two.  Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  Air.  and  Mrs.  Frank  Brehm  had  three  children :  Jacob,  of  Burling- 
ton; Anna,  the  wife  of  M.  Beffel,  of  Racine;  and  Bernard,  of  Burlington. 

Bernard  Brehm  was  but  nine  years  old  when  he  came  to  America  with  his 
parents.  He  received  his  first  schooling  in  Germany  and  attended  the  public 
and  parochial  schools  of  Burlington.  When  thirteen  years  of  age.  he  began 
shoemaking.  working  at  that  occupation  about  ten  years,  when,  on  account  of 
failing  health,  he  was  obliged  to  give  it  up.  In  1S68  he  engaged  in  the  draying 
business,  in  which  he  has  continued  ever  since,  and  at  the  same  time  began  buy- 
ing and  selling  horses. 

On  Jan.  21,  1868,  Mr.  Brehm  married  Miss  Margaret  Griebel,  daughter 
of  Frank  N.  and  Theresa  (Bauman)  Griebel,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born 
twelve  children,  namely :  Anna^  married  Anton  Zwiebel  of  Burlington,  and 
has  seven  children — Rosella,  Herbert.  Arthur,  Albert,  Loraine,  Elmer  and 
Verona ;  William  F.,  who  is  in  partnership  with  his  father,  married  Emma 
Johnson,  and  they  have  four  children — George.  Frederick.  Florence  and  Helen; 
Albert,  who  is  also  in  partnership  with  his  father,  married  Catherine  Lehr- 
mann,  and  has  one  child.  Herald:  Emma;  Theresa;  Joseph;  Frank;  Laura; 
Lewis:  Eda,  was  drowned  aged  seven  years;  and  two  died  in  infancy. 

Air.  and  Mrs.  Brehm  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
He  belongs  to  the  St.  Eustacius  Society  and  was  one  of  the  original  members, 
holding  several  offices  in  the  same,  as  have  also  his  sons,  William  F.  and  Albert. 
He  also  belongs  to  the  Sacred  Heart  Society,  which  he  joined  Isefore  his 
marriage,  and  to  the  Teutonic  Society.  Politically  he  is  an  independent  Demo- 
crat, but  cast  his  vote  twice  for  AIcKinley,  and  also  for  Roosevelt.  He  and  his 
sons  are  agents  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  Mr.  Brehm  having  served  as 
such  for  the  past  twenty  years.  He  is  a  stockholder  and  vice  president  of  the 
Burlington  Blanket  Company,  and  has  many  other  business  interests  in  the  city. 

JOHN  P.  PEARCE  (deceased)  was  for  twenty-five  years  curator  of 
Racine  College,  and  its  stanch  and  invaluable  supporter  and  advocate  when  its 
future  was  insecure,  as  well  as  during  its  later  period  of  prosperity.  He  was 
born  in  Hounslow,  County  of  Middlesex,  England,  Nov.  19,  1846,  son  of  John 
Pearce,  also  a  native  of  that  country.  The  father  learned  the  manufacture  of 
gunpowder  in  all  its  branches,  and  after  emigrating  to  America  acted  for  sev- 
eral years  as  superintendent  of  the  Hazzard  Powder  Company,  at  Canton, 
Conn.,  having  some  interest  in  the  company.  There,  in  1858.  he  was  killed 
by  an  explosion,  his  wife  having  died  three  years  before.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  four  children  (all  deceased),  and  were  memliers  of  the  Episcopal 
Church. 

John  P.  Pearce  was  but  an  infant  when  his  parents  Iirought  him  to  Amer- 
ica, and  after  his  father's  death  be  located  at  Enfield,  Conn.,  where  he  attenclefl 
the  public  schools,  and  later  the  Suffield  Literary  Institute.     He  was  then  a 


-^-O'-r'X.^CJ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  129 

pupil  at  tlie  W'esleyan  Academy,  spent  a  year  in  Eastman's  Business  College, 
and  pursued  the  regular  course  at  the  Cheshire  Military  School,  preparing  for 
Trinity  College  at  Hartford,  Conn.  After  leaving  the  military  school  he 
learned  the  duties  of  the  different  junction  and  station  agents  of  the  then 
Hartford,  Providence  &  Fishkill  (now  the  New  York  &  New  England)  rail- 
road. He  became  chief  clerk  and  afterward  was  promoted  to  the  position  of 
paymaster  of  the  entire  system,  which  he  held  until  he  became  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  St.  Paul  (Minn.)  Lumber  Company.  He  relinquished  that 
position  in  1875,  ^""J-  selling  out  his  interests,  joined'  with  certain  New  York 
and  Maine  parties,  and  through  the  counsel  of  Benjamin  Butler  gained  the 
right  of  sluicing  logs  over  the  Holyoke  dam,  to  their  great  manufacturing  plant 
at  Hartford,  where  they  supplied  spruce  lumber  for  wholesale  dealers.  A  few 
years  later  Mr.  Pearce  severed  his  connection  with  the  firm,  and  in  1880  located 
in  Racine.  Wis.,  becoming  curator  of  Racine  College,  an  office  which  he  filled 
until  his  resignation  shortly  before  his  death,  on  Oct.  3,  1905. 

Mr.  Pearce  had  resigned  his  position  because  of  needed  rest,  as  he  had 
not  enjoyed  a  vacation  for  many  years,  and  was  considering  the  feasibility  of 
entering  again  into  business.  At  the  time  of  his  death  his  wife  was  in  Ta- 
coma.  Wash.,  visiting  her  sister,  and  Mr.  Pearce  was  stopping  at  the  "Hotel 
Racine."  He  was  found  dead,  and  partly  dressed,  on  the  floor  of  his  room, 
on  the  morning  of  the  date  named,  valvular  heart  disease  being  pronounced  the 
cause  of  his  death. 

As  stated,  Mr.  Pearce  had  been  curator  of  Racine  College  since  1880;  he 
was  also  secretary  of  its  board  of  trustees  for  five  years,  and  altogether  the 
value  of  his  labors  in  behalf  of  the  institution  cannot  be  overestimated.  He 
lived  to  be  of  material  assistance  in  bringing  the  college  through  several  crit- 
ical periods  to  such  a  substantial  condition  that  it  had  an  attendance  of  about 
170  pupils,  with  large,  finely  equipped  buildings.  Personally  he  owned  valu- 
able mining  interests  in  the  Black  Hills,  British  Columbia  (Lardeau  Valley) 
and  San  Juan,  and  was  president  of  the  Dunton  Gold  JMining  Syndicate  which 
had  been  organized  with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  He  also  owned  considerable 
business  and  residence  property  in  Racine. 

In  1874  John  P.  Pearce  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Hart  Ely,  daughter  of 
Alfred  and  Mary  (Bull)  Ely,  the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the  latter 
of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pearce  were  the  parents  of  one  daughter, 
Elizabeth  Brewster,  the  wife  of  First  Lieutenant  Edwin  Bruce  Flovd,  now  re- 
siding in  Dixon,  Illinois. 

Notwithstanding  his  energy,  pertinacity  and  executive  ability  ]Mr.  Pearce 
was  a  quiet  man,  of  pleasing  and  naturally  retiring  manners.  He  was  a  strong 
member  and  active  worker  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  ideal  in  his  domestic  re- 
lations and  absolutely  honorable  in  all  his  dealings.  His  death  was  a  heavy 
blow  both  to  the  college  and  the  city. 

WILLIAM  J.  HARVEY,  president  of  the  Harvey  Spring  Company,  No. 
1700  Phillips  avenue,  Racine,  Wis.,  is  one  of  that  city's  progressive  and  enter- 
prising business  men.  Mr.  Harvey's  birth  occurred  June  11,  1846,  in  Leeds, 
Yorkshire,  England,  son  of  Thomas  and  Jane  (Payne)  Harvey,  the  former  a 
native  of  Guernsey,  and  the  latter  of  Jersey. 


I30        com:\iemorative  biographical  record. 

John  Harvey,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of 
England,  having  been  born  in  Cornwah,  where  he  hved  until  a  few  years  after 
his  marriage,  when  he  removed  to  Guernsey,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of 
forty-five  years.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  (Guille)  Harvey,  lived  to  the  remarkable 
age  of  ninety-nine  years,  five  months;  she  came  of  a  family  whose  memt)ers 
were  noted  for  their  longevity,  one  daughter  reaching  the  extreme  age  of  one 
hundred  and  eleven  years,  dying  April  4,  1903,  while  another  passed  away  at 
the  age  of  ninety  years,  and  still  another  was  eighty-nine  at  the  time  of  her 
death.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  Francis  Payne,  a  native  of  Jersey.  A 
justice  of  the  peace,  he  .was  known  as  Judge  Payne,  and  he  died  in  Jersey  at  an 
old  age.  He  and  his  wife,  who  was  a  Miss  Journeaux  were  the  parents  of 
thirteen  children. 

Thomas  Harvey  was  a  merchant  of  Leeds,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1849,  locating  in  Racine,  where  he  engaged  in  the  planing-mill  business  for 
some  years.  Some  years  prior  to  his  death  he  retired  from  active  work,  and 
lived  so  until  his  death  in  1876,  in  his  seventy-third  year,  his  wife  having  passed 
away  in  i860  aged  fifty-one  years.  Both  were  members  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. He  was  a  member  of  the  Guernsey  militia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harvey  had 
four  children:  Elizabeth,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  James  Bennett,  of 
Portland,  Ore.:  Thomas  F.,  deceased:  Edward  G.,  of  Reiniblic,  ^^'ash. :  and 
William  J.,  of  Racine. 

William  J.  Harvey  was  but  three  years  old  when  brought  to  America  by 
his  parents,  who  made  the  trip  on  the  sailing  vessel  "The  New  World,"  the 
trip  taking  six  weeks  to  accomplish.  Mr.  Harvey  has  been  a  resident  of  Ra- 
cine Co.,  Wis.,  ever  since.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  the  village  of  Thompson- 
ville,  where  he  attended  the  public  schools,  and  later  Racine  College.  He 
started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account  by  keeping  a  general  store  at  Thompson- 
ville,  where  he  remained  in  business  twelve  years.  The  next  twelve  years  were 
spent  in  farming,  and  he  then  started  to  manufacture  bolster  springs  for 
wagons,  which  business  has  since  developed  into  the  manufacture  of  all  kinds 
of  high-grade  vehicle  springs.  A  large  factory  is  situated  at  No.  1700  Phillips 
avenue,  where  forty  persons  are  employed,  and  the  business,  which  was  started 
by  Mr.  Harvey  doing  all  the  work  himself,  is  constantly  increasing. 

In  1 87 1  Mr.  Harvey  and  Miss  Catherine  Schickel  were  united  in  mar- 
riage, she  being  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Schickel,  and  to  this  union  have  been 
born  eight  children :  Jane,  who  died  aged  about  three  years :  William,  who 
has  an  interest  in  his  father's  business  and  is  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  who 
married  Jane  Briggs;  Richard,  a  lawyer  of  Racine;  Edward,  superintendent 
of  the  spring  manufactory;  Miss  Harriet,  a  teacher;  Elizabeth;  Harold:  and 
Ruth.  William,  Richard,  Edward,  Harriet  and  Elizabeth  are  graduates  of  the 
Lfniversity  of  Wisconsin. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harvey  are  members  of  the  First  M.  E.  Church  of  Racine; 
politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  educa- 
tion for  twelve  years,  and  while  in  the  country  was  clerk  of  the  school  board. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank.  ^Ir.  Harvey  makes  his  home  at 
No.  1806  Washington  avenue,  where  he  has  built  a  fine  home,  and  he  also  owns 
other  property  in  Racine. 

A  few  facts  concerning  Mrs.  Margaret  Ann  Neve,  the  aunt  of  our  sub- 
ject, will  no  doubt  be  of  general  interest  to  the  public  and  to  her  descendants 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  131 

and  relatives  in  particnlar.  She  was  born  in  Guernsey  Island,  England,  May 
18,  1792,  and  died  on  Saturday,  April  4,  1903,  lacking  only  forty-three  days 
of  being  one  hundred  and  eleven  years  old.  She  had  enjoyed  the  remarkable 
experience  of  living  in  three  centuries.  When  Mrs.  Neve  was  born  Turner 
had  not  begun  to  paint,  nor  Walter  Scott  to  write.  Since  then  what  generations 
of  poets,  painters,  musicians,  statesmen,  scientists  have  been  born  and  died! 
With  the  advent  of  science  the  world  has  altered.  Steam  and  electricity  have 
spread  a  network  over  the  earth  and  knit  its  uttermost  parts  together.'  Mrs. 
Neve's  father  and  motlier  were  married  at  the  early  age  of  nineteen  years,  on 
Dec.  20,  1790.  They  resided  at  LePollet,  Guernsey,  where  Margaret  Ann 
their  eldest  daughter  was  born  and  passed  the  morning  of  her  life.  Her  father 
died  Dec.  4,  1820,  and  she  continued  to  reside  with  her  widowed  mother  until 
Jan.  18,  1823,  when  she  was  married  at  the  Town  Church  by  the  Rev.  F.  D. 
Durand,  from  Rouge  Huis,  to  Mr.  John  Neve,  of  Tenterden,  County  Kent. 
After  a  quarter  of  a  century  of  married  life,  Mrs.  Neve,  in  1849,  became  a 
widow,  and  returned  to  Rouge  Huis  to  reside  with  her  mother  and  sister. 

JAMES  G.  BALDWIN,  who  died  March  13,  1906,  was  a  resident  of 
Racine  for  fifty-seven  years,  and  was  well  known  there.  He  was  born  May  26. 
1830,  in  the  town  of  North  East,  fifteen  miles  from  Erie,  Pa.,  a  son  ©f  Mark 
and  Sophronia   (Waugh)    Baldwin. 

Mr.  Baldwin's  paternal  grandfather  died  before  James  G.  Baldwin  was 
born,  and  nothing  is  now  known  of  his  history.  He  had  three  sons,  two  of 
whom  were  seafaring  men  who  commanded  vessels  sailing  between  Liverpool, 
London,  Glasgow  and  New  York.  The  third  son,  Mark  Baldwin,  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  spent  most  of  his  active  business  life  in  North  East,  Pa.,  where 
he  conducted  a  mercantile  concern.  He  held  the  office  of  county' judge  there 
for  thirty  years,  and  also  served  as  justice  of  the  peace.  Late  in  life  he  moved 
to  White  Plains,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  in  1856,  at  the  age  of  sixty  years.  He 
married  Miss  Sophronia  Waugh,  who  was  also  born  in  Connecticut,  in  the  year 
1800.  Her  father  was  a  life-long  farmer  there,  but  during  the  Revolution  left 
his  home  to  fight  for  the  Colonies,  being  with  Gen.  Washington  all  through  the 
war.  He  was  the  father  of  four  daughters  and  one  son,  all  now  deceased. 
Mrs.  Baldwin  passed  her  last  years  in  Racine  and  died  there  in  1900,  being 
interred  in  the  cemetery  of  that  city.  Both  she  and  her  husband  were  Presby- 
terians in  their  religious  faith,  and  were  active  workers  in  the  Church,  Mr. 
Baldwin  serving  as  deacon  for  many  years.  To  Mark  and  Sophronia  Baldwin 
were  born  five  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  James  G.  was  the  last  sur- 
vivor. 

James  G.  Baldwin  spent  his  boyhood  in  Erie  county,  Pa.,  living  most  of 
the  time  in  the  town  of  North  East,  where  he  attended  the  public  schools. 
From  there  he  was  sent  to  college  in  Covington,  Ky.,  and  then  began  to  make 
his  own  way  in  the  world.  He  tried  various  occupations  before  .going  West  in 
1847.  He  located  in  Racine  and  remained  there  to  the  close  of  his  life,  a  per- 
iod of  fifty-nine  years.  After  two  or  three  years  spent  in  other  work  lie  took 
a  position  on  the  Racine,  Mississippi  &  Western  LTnion  Railroad,  now  the  St. 
Paul  line.  Beginning  as  switchman,  he  worked  up  to  the  place  of  station 
agent,  and  held  that  office  for  a  long  time,  with  intervals  when  he  was  ordered 


132  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

out  as  a  special  conductor.  Aljout  1867  he  left  the  railroad,  and  took  a  place 
as  shipping  clerk  in  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Works,  remaining  in  that  capacity 
with  the  company  until  he  retired  from  active  work. 

On  Sept.  22,  1853,  occurred  the  marriage  of  James  G.  Baldwin  and  ISIiss 
Sarah  E.  Gidney,  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Sarah  (Purdy)  Gidney.  Four  chil- 
dren were  bom  to  them,  Sarah,  James,  Cora  and  Carrie,  the  last  two  being 
twins.  None  are  now  liv.ing.  Cora  married  William  C.  Dow,  of  Racine,  to 
whom  she  bore  one  son,  DeWilton  B.  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Baldwin  resides  in  Ra- 
cine. Her  parents  were  natives  of  Orange  county,  N.  Y.  She  was  one  of  a 
family  of  seven  children,  of  whom  the  following  are  living  besides  herself : 
Mary,  widow  of  Richard  Downing,  of  Yonkers,  X.  Y. ;  Jacob  Gidney,  of  Xew- 
burgh,  N.  Y. ;  Fannie,  Mrs.  Robert  Snyder,  of  St.  Andrew,  Orange  Co.,  N.  Y. ; 
Lovina,  widow  of  Abraham  Snyder,  of  St.  Andrew ;  and  Phoebe,  Mrs.  ^Miller, 
of  Orange  county.  New  York. 

James  G.  Baldwin  had  always  been  a  patriotic  and  public-spirited  citizen, 
and  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  one  term.  For  many  years  a  strong  Re- 
publican, he  was  of  late  independent,  voting  for  the  best  man  in  every  case. 
He  was  a  member  of  no  church,  but  attended  the  Presbyterian,  to  which  his 
wife  belongs.  Throughout  his  long  residence  in  Racine  he  gained  for  himself 
a  secure  place  in  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  community. 

CAPT.  THEODORE  LANE,  a  retired  lake  captain,  now  makes  his  resi- 
dence in  Racine.  Wis.,  living  at  1239  North  Michigan  street.  Captain  Lane  is 
the  third  earliest  settler  of  this  city  now  living,  and  was  born  in  Dearlxirn- 
ville,  Mich.,  Sept.  3,  1835,  son  of  Samuel  and  Julia  Ann  (Piatt)  Lane,  natives 
of  New  York  State. 

Hankinson  Lane,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  also  a  native  of  New 
York  State,  of  Mohawk-Dutch  descent.  He  followed  farming  and  inn-keep- 
ing, and  at  one  time  was  a  slave  owner,  but  freed  his  slaves  before  his  death. 
He  had  a  family  of  eighteen  children,  twelve  boys  and  six  girls. 

Samuel  Lane  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  and  went  to  Michigan  in  1833. 
where  he  pre-empted  400  acres  of  land  near  Dearbornville,  upon  which  he  lived 
two  years.  He  left  this  land  at  this  time  on  account  of  the  climate  not  agree- 
ing with  his  health,  and  driving  around  Lake  Michigan,  came  to  Racine,  Wis., 
where  he  lived  until  1862,  when  he  returned  to  Michigan,  settling  in  South 
Haven,  where  his  son  Samuel  was  located.  There  he  died  in  1865,  aged  sixty- 
seven  years,  his  wife  having  passed  away  in  1850,  aged  thirty-nine  years.  She 
was  an  ardent  Methodist,  while  he  was  inclined  to  the  Universalist  faith.  Mrs. 
Lane's  father  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  of  Scotch  descent,  and  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade.  From  his  nati\e  State  he  removed  to  New  York,  where  he 
died  at  an  advanced  age.  Samuel  Lane  carried  the  stakes  at  the  time  DeWitt 
Clinton  surveyed  the  Erie  Canal.  Of  his  ten  children  but  two  are  now  living : 
Capt.  Theodore;  and  Samuel,  of  Lake  Harbor,  Michigan. 

Captain  Theodore  Lane  was  only  nine  months  old  when  his  parents 
brought  him  to  Racine,  and  there  are  only  two  other  persons  now  living  in  the 
city  who  were  earlier  residents  there  than  he,  they  being  Stephen  Sage  and  I\Irs. 
Hulett.  When  a  boy  he  attended  the  schools  and  helped  his  father  at  shoe- 
making.     He  began  sailing  the  lakes  when  fourteen  years  old,  and.  with  the 


CO:\IMEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  133 

exception  of  the  time  lie  spent  in  the  army,  followed  the  lakes  continually  until 
1894.  His  first  trip  was  made  in  1849,  o''^  f^^  schooner  "Pilot,"  from  Mani- 
towoc to  Racine,  Captain  William  Hoag  being  his  captain.  He  continued  sail- 
ing' until  1855,  and  in  August  of  that  year  was  given  command  of  the  schooner 
"Pacific,"  owned  by  Thomas  Richmond.  The  vessel  carried  5,500  bushels  of 
grain,  and  Captain  Lane  was  the  youngest  captain  to  have  taken  a  load  of 
grain  from  Chicago  to  Buffalo,  being  less  than  twenty  years  old  at  the  time. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  22d  Wis.  V.  1., 
Col.  Utley,  and  served  from  August.  1862,  until  May,  1864,  when  he  was 
seriouslv  wounded,  at  the  battle  of  Resaca,  losing  his  left  eye.  He  has  the 
bullet,  which  was  taken  out  in  nine  pieces.  A  comrade,  Frank  Underbill, 
picked  up  the  Captain's  eye,  and  threw  it  at  a  Confederate  soldier.  Capt.  Lane 
was  mustered  out  in  1864,  being  honorably  discharged  at  Jefferson  Barracks, 
Mo.  Among  the  important  battles  in  which  Captain  Lane  participated  were: 
Lookout  Mountain,  Chickamauga,  Stone  River  and  Buzzard's  Roost.  He 
served  under  Generals  Hooker  and  Butterfield,  the  latter  being  his  division 
commander.  The  last  person  to  whom  he  spoke  before  he  was  wounded  was 
Colonel  John  Coburn,  who  was  commanding  the  brigade  at  the  time,  whose 
home  is  now  in  Indianapolis,  and  wdio  afterward  was  brevetted  brigadier  gen- 
eral. During  one  engagement  he  was  captured  and  suffered  confinement  in 
Libby  Prison.  After  returning  from  the  war.  Captain  Lane  took  up  sailing, 
and  continued,  as  before  stated,  until  1894. 

Captain  Lane  was  married  Jan.  9,  1854,  to  Miss  Caroline  ]\Ielissa  Blish. 
daughter  of  Harvey  and  Phoebe  (Worden)  Blish,  and  six  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union  :  One  daughter  who  died  in  infancy ;  Ella  Celia,  who  married 
Charles  Colviji,  has  three  children,  Theodore,  Bryon.  and  Leafy,  and  lives  in 
Wonewoc,  Wis. ;  Edwin  Curtis,  a  resident  of  Racine,  who  was  at  one  time  a 
vessel  captain,  but  is  now  teaming,  and  who  married  Sarah  Roberts,  by  whom 
he  has  had  six  children,  Edwin.  Harry  Oliver,  Sadie,  Franklin,  Ella  and  Clar- 
ence :  Theodore  ^larcus,  foreman  of  the  Stowell  Manufacturing  Company,  of 
South  Milwaukee,  who  married  Ella  Lonsford,  and  has  two  children,  Caroline 
Margaret  and  Vernon ;  Samuel  Oliver,  deceased,  who  married  Geneva  Rosen- 
baum,  and  had  one  daughter,  Celia  Eliza;  and  Julia,  who  died  aged  nine 
months. 

Mrs.  Lane  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  16,  1837.  and  mar- 
ried the  Captain  when  not  quite  seventeen  years  of  age.  She  and  her  hus- 
band have  lived  together  for  over  fifty  years,  and  they  are  among  Racine's  most 
highly  esteemed  citizens.  Mrs.  Lane's  father,  Harvey  Blish,  was  born  in  Ver- 
mont, and  his  wife  in  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  N.  Y.  They  had  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dren, and  of  these  Harvey,  of  Racine,  and  Mrs.  Lane  are  the  only  ones  living. 
In  young  manhood  Harvey  Blish  worked  in  a  paper  mill,  but  after  his  marriage 
went  to  farming.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1842,  and  located  in  Racine,  later 
removing  to  Wonewoc,  Juneau  county,  where  he  died  in  1861,  aged  over  sixty- 
three  years.  His  wife  survived  him  until  1896,  when  she  died  at  the  ripe  old 
age  of  ninety-four.  In  their  religious  faith  they  were  Presbyterians.  Airs. 
Lane's  grandfather  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812. 

Captain  and  Mrs.  Lane  are  Methodists.  Politically  the  Captain  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  he  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  John  C.  Fremont,  and  the 


134  COMAIEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

next  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  since  which  time  he  has  voted  the  Repubhcan  ticket. 
He  belongs  to  Governor  Harvey  Post,  Xo.  17,  G.  A.  R.,  and  his  reminiscences 
of  army  days  are  interesting  and  instructive. 

HIRAM  JOSEPH  SMITH,  postmaster  of  Racine.  Wis.,  and  one  of  that 
city's  successful  business  men,  is  engaged  extensively  in  the  jewelry  and  music 
business.  He  was  born  Feb.  6,  1846,  in  Boonville,  X.  Y.,  son  of  Paxson  and 
Mabel  (Peacock)  Smith,  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Xew  York  respectively. 

Jonas  Smith,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  of  Quaker  stock.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and 
came  West  to  Sheboygan  county.  Wis.,  in  1846,  where  he  followed  farming. 
His  wife.  Deborah  ( Smith)  Smith,  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  and  at  her  death 
left  a  large  family  of  children.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Hiram  J.  Smith, 
Joseph  Peacock,  was  a  native  of  England,  and  settled  at  Lowville.  X\  Y..  about 
1800.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  died  in  middle  life,  leaving  thirteen 
children. 

Paxson  Smith  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods  in  Low- 
ville. and  came  west  in  1848.  locating  in  Sheboygan  county.  Wis.,  where  he 
followed  fanning.  From  there  he  remo\ed  to  Fond  du  Lac,  where  he  again 
engaged  in  the  woolen  business,  and  continued  therein  until  1861.  In  October 
of  that  year  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  i8th  Wis.  Y.  I.,  and  died  June  18.  1862, 
at  Corinth.  Miss.,  of  disease  contracted  during  service.  He  participated  in  all 
of  the  battles  of  his  regiment  up  to  that  time,  including  Shiloh.  At  the  time 
of  his  death  Mr.  Smith  was  fort3'-seven  years  old.  His  widow  survived  him 
until  February.  1899,  being  seventy-nine  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death. 
Both  she  and  her  husband  were  Quakers.  They  had  these  children :  William 
Edgar,  who  died  at  Xorway.  ^lich. ;  Hiram  J. :  Abi,  the  wife  of  E.  D.  Coxe, 
of  Chicago;  Albert  Eugene,  of  ^Milwaukee;  Judson  H..  of  Minneapolis.  Minn. ; 
and  Charles  Henry,  who  died  at  Sterling.  111.,  aged  twenty-one  years. 

Hiram  Joseph  Smith  was  but  a  boy  when  his  parents  moved  to  Fond  du 
Lac.  where  he  was  reared  and  where  he  attended  the  public  schools.  He  learned 
the  printer's  trade  which  he  followed  for  three  years,  worked  on  the  Fond  du 
Lac  CoiiimonzLcaltli  for  two  years,  and  then  on  the  Milwaukee  Sentinel  for 
nearly  a  year.  In  May.  1864.  he  enlisted  in  Company  I.  39th  Wis.  V.  L,  and 
served  the  term  of  his  enlistment,  being  discharged  in  September.  1864.  His 
regiment  was  one  of  those  that  resisted  Forrest's  raid  on  ■Memphis.  Tenn.  After 
his  discharge  he  again  engaged  in  work  on  the  Fond  du  Lac  Conunonwcalih, 
until  March.  1865.  when  he  came  to  Racine  as  as  employe  of  the  American 
Express  Company,  remaining  with  that  company  until  1872.  when,  with  John 
Elkins.  he  engaged  in  the  jewelni-  and  music  business,  in  which  he  still  con- 
tinues. 

On  Dec.  28.  1870.  Mr.  Smith  married  Miss  Xancy  Maria  Elkins.  daughter 
of  John  and  Maria  (Putnam)  Elkins.  early  settlers  of  Wisconsin,  who  located 
in  Kenosha  in  1842  or  1843.  Mrs.  Smith  died  Feb.  2.  1901.  in  the  faith  of  the 
Episcopal  Church.  On  Oct.  6.  1904.  Mr.  Smith  married  (second)  Flora 
Buchan  Packard,  daughter  of  Edwin  and  Mary  (Rennie)  Buchan,  of  Union 
Grove,  Wis.  Mr.  Smith  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge.  Xo.  18.  A.  F.  &-  A.  M..  and 
Racine  Lodge,  X'o.  32.  Knights  of  Pythias;  he  also  belongs  to  Governor  Har- 


COM^IEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  135 

vey  Post  Xo.  17,  G.  A.  R.  He  has  been  treasurer  of  the  Business  ]\Ien's  Asso- 
ciation since  its  organization,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Heyer  Whist  Club.  Mr. 
Smith  has  a  number  of  business  interests  and  is  a  director  of  the  Commercial 
Bank. 

Politically.  Mr.  Smith  is  a  Republican,  and  served  as  postmaster  under 
President  Harrison,  and  was  again  appointed  by  President  Roosevelt.  In  the 
Racine  postofhce  there  are  twenty-four  carriers  and  twenty-six  clerks.  Mr. 
Smith  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  some  time,  and  has  been  its 
president.  His  residence  is  located  at  No.  610  Main  street.  Mr.  Smith  was 
at  one  time  a  member  of  the  Republican  State  Central  Committee  and  has  been 
a  delegate  to  a  number  of  State  and  Congressional  Conventions.  He  has  been 
prominent  in  Grand  Army  circles  since  the  war,  and  a  delegate  to  State  and 
National  Encampments.  He  was  Senior  Vice  Commander  of  the  Department 
of  Wisconsin,  and  a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  National  Coun- 
cil of  Administration  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Mr.  Smith  has  been  greatly  interested  in  the  improvement  of  Racine,  and 
was  one  of  the  principal  promoters  of  the  building  of  the  hotel  "Racine,"  of 
which  he  is  one  of  the  owners.  He  has  always  been  active  in  promoting  busi- 
ness, educational  and  religious  interests  in  his  home  city,  and  is  justly  con- 
sidered one  of  Wisconsin's  representative  men. 

EDWARD  DE^^■ITT  PERKINS,  a  prominent  man  of  Burlington,  was 
born  in  that  city  Feb.  5,  1853.  son  of  Pliny  yi.  and  Ellen  A.  (Conkey)  Perkins. 

Ephraim  Perkins,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  born  July  5,  1773.  at 
Becket,  Mass.,  and  Lucy  (Merrick)  Perkins,  his  wife,  was  born  at  Windham, 
Mass.,  April  6,  1774.  Their  children  were:  Origin,  born  Feb.  25,  1801 ; 
Edwin,  born  April  6.  1803:  Lucy,  born  at  Mansfield,  Mass.,  May  3.  1805; 
Mary,  born  at  Trenton.  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y..  Sept.  27.  1806;  Emily,  born  at 
Trenton,  Sept.  7,  1808:  Ephraim,  born  at  Trenton,  May  5,  1810:  and  Pliny 
M.  (father  of  our  subject),  born  at  Trenton,  Jan.  21,  18 12.  Ephraim  Per- 
kins, the  father  of  this  family,  came  to  Burlington,  Wis.,  in  1840,  and  pur- 
chased government  land,  upon  which  he  engaged  in  farming  and  milling,  there 
.spending  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  died  in  Burlington  in  1851,  aged 
seventy-eight  years.  His  wife  survived  him  six  months,  and  was  seventy- 
seven  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  The  Perkins  family  dates  its  history 
in  this' country  back  to  the  days  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  in  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, and  the  coat  of  arms  is  still  in  the  family. 

Pliny  M.  Perkins  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Burlington,  where  he 
owned  considerable  property — twelve  hundred  acres  or  more.  He  also  owned, 
at  one  time,  the  flour  and  woolen  mills  here,  and  here  he  died  April  21,  1881. 
aged  sixty-nine  years.  His  wife  passed  away  in  Colorado  Springs,  when 
seventy-three  years  old.  He  was  a  Unitarian,  while  she  was  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  Church.  Mr.  Perkins  was  president  of  the  first  bank  of  Burl- 
ington, called  the  State  Bank  of  Burlington,  and  was  really  the  founder  of 
the  town.  He  came  here  first  in  1837.  made  his  claim  here  in  1838.  and  in  1839 
built  a  dam  across  the  White  river,  using  the  power  there  for  running  his 
mills.  He  first  built  an  oil-mill  and  then  a  saw-mill,  from  which  came  the  lum- 
ber to  erect  his  residence.     While  the  sawmill  was  in  course  of  construction  he 


136  CO^niElMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

also  erected  a  tlnur  and  grist  mill,  the  first  Iniilt  in  Racine  county,  and  the  first 
cargo  of  flour  shipped  from  Wisconsin  was  sent  from  Southport  (now  Keno- 
sha) to  Buffalo. 

Pliny  ^[.  Perkins  married  Ellen  A.  Conkey,  like  himself  a  native  of 
Oneida  county,  X.  Y..  and  they  had  a  family  of  ten  children,  namely:  Emily 
Hollister,  wife  of  Andrew  Lawton,  of  Colorado  Springs,  Colo. ;  James  Pliny, 
deceased;  Edward  DeWitt;  Origin  Lucius,  deceased;  Mary  Chaplin,  deceased, 
who  was  married  to  Fred.  Wells ;  Elmer  Ellsworth,  deceased ;  Frank  Augus- 
tus, of  Colorado  Springs,  Colo. ;  Lucius  Conkey,  also  of  Colorado  Springs, 
Colo. :  and  Orin  Ephraim  and  Charles  Townsend,  both  deceased. 

Lucius  McConkey,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Edward  D.  Perkins,  was 
born  in  Sudbury.  \'t.,  March  17,  1795.  He  was  an  early  settler  in  Burlington, 
Wis.,  and  died  here  in  1866.  aged  seventy-one  years.  His  wife,  Phoebe  Town- 
send,  who  was  born  in  Herford,  W'ashington  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  26,  1799,  was 
married  to  him  Dec.  19,  1819.  The  "Mc"  was  left  off  the  name  by  grand- 
father McConkey,  since  which  time  the  line  has  been  known  as  Conkey.  He  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  While  in  the  East  he  followed  farming,  but  on 
coming  West  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  retired.  He  and  his  wife  had  six  chil- 
dren :  James,  of  Minneapolis,  Minn. ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Ephraim  Perkins, 
of  Sheldon,  Iowa :  DeW' itt.  of  ]\Iinneapolis ;  Ellen  A.,  deceased,  mother  of  our 
subject;  Clara  L.,  wife  of  J.  L.  W^ebb.  of  Burlington;  and  Miss  Martha,  of 
Burlington. 

Edward  DeWitt  Perkins  attended  the  public  schools  and  later  Beloit 
College,  spending  two  years  at  the  latter  institution,  after  which  he  went  to 
Ripon  College,  fmm  which  he  was  sent  home  when  taken  sick  with  typhoid 
fever,  an  attack  which  lasted  four  months.  After  his  recovery  Mr.  Perkins 
w'orked  for  his  father  in  the  mills  for  ten  years,  and  then  went  out  on  the  road 
as  a  commercial  traveler,  continuing  at  that  twelve  years.  Since  that  time  he 
has  had  his  home  in  Burlington,  looking  after  his  property  interests.  He  owns 
a  farm  of  forty-three  acres  at  the  edge  of  the  town,  other  farm  land,  and  a  fine 
home  in  Burlington.  However,  he  spends  most  of  his  time  in  the  Colorado 
gold  fields,  looking  after  his  mining  interests. 

On  March  5,  1875,  Air.  Perkins  married  Miss  Caroline  M.  Benson,  the 
estimable  daughter  of  Elliott  C.  and  Elizabeth  (Baggs)  Benson,  who  are  fully 
mentioned  elsewhere.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  Lucile, 
Edna,  Bessie  and  Mary.  Lucile  married  Edwin  Caldwell,  of  Burlington ;  Edna 
married  John  McCarthy,  of  Burlington,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Kathryn ; 
Miss  Bessie  is  a  graduate  of  the  high  school,  class  of  1905;  and  Miss  Mary  is 
attending  high  school.  Mrs.  Perkins  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  where  Mr.  Perkins  also  attends.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

MICHAEL  HIGGINS,  Jr.,  a  manufacturer  of  wagon  and  carriage 
springs  and  axles,  and  largely  interested  in  other  important  industries  of  Ra- 
cine, is  a  prominent,  progressive  and  public-spirited  resident  who  has  advanced 
to  the  front  by  sheer  force  of  personal  determination  and  ability.  He  was  born 
in  Oswego,  X.  Y.,  June  28.  1855,  son  of  Michael  and  Bridget  (Malone)  Hig- 
gins,  natives  of  Ireland,  the  former  of  Cork  and  the  latter  of  County  Limerick. 
The  paternal  great-grandfather,  Patrick  Higgins,  remained  in  his  native  land. 


f  r 


(^nojif  (jV/^j^cMyi  //^ 


C0M]\IE:\I0RATI\'E    biographical    record.  137 

but  the  grandfather — also  named  Patrick — emigrated  to  America  in  1S40 
and  settled  at  Little  Falls,  Herkimer  Co.,  N.  Y.  Two  years  later  he  was  killed 
by  being  struck  by  the  falling  branch  of  a  tree.  His  wife,  formerly  Nancy 
Condon,  survived  him  until  1866,  when  she  died  at  an  advanced  age,  the 
mother  of  the  following  children :  James ;  Patrick ;  Joanna,  who  married 
Michael  Lannan ;  Michael ;  Mary,  who  died  in  infancy ;  and  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Martin  Geany,  who  resides  in  Ireland. 

Michael  Higgins,  the  father,  was  born  in  Young  Grove,  County  Cork, 
Ireland,  in  February,  1834,  and  was  brought  to  America  by  his  parents  when 
six  years  of  age.  Fie  remained  with  the  family  at  Little  Falls,  N.  Y.,  for  about 
two  years,  and  resided  in  the  State  of  New  York  for  a  period  of  twenty-one 
years.  In  1856  he  located  in  Chicago,  but  he  returned  to  the  East  in  1857 
and  about  six  years  later  became  a  resident  of  Canada,  where  he  remained  for 
thirteen  years.  Afterward  he  removed  to  Missouri,  and  engaged  in  farming 
until  1889.  that  year  marking  the  date  of  his  settlement  in  Racine. 

Michael  Higgins,  Sr.,  married  Bridget  Malone,  who  died  Dec.  7,  1897, 
aged  sixty-three  years.  She  was  a  davighter  of  Cornelius  and  Nancy  (Cliffe) 
Malone,  who  emigrated  to  America  many  years  ago,  settling  near  Kingston, 
Ontario,  wdiere  Mr.  Malone  died  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife  lived  to  be 
upward  of  ninety  years  old.  Mrs.  Higgins  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  to  which  her  husband  also  belongs.  They  had  these  children  :  Michael, 
Jr. ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Judge  Daniel  Murphy,  of  Mexico,  Mo. ;  John,  of  Manila, 
Philippine  Islands,  in  the  United  States  government  employ;  Elizabeth,  the 
wife  of  Timothy  Connolly,  of  Racine;  and  Agnes,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife 
of  James  Welsh. 

Michael  Higgins,  Jr.,  was  five  or  six  years  old  when  his  parents  removed 
to  Gananoque,  Canada,  near  Kingston,  and  at  that  place  he  grew  to  manhood, 
attending  the  common  schools  there.  For  several  years  he  was  employed  on 
the  steamers  running  on  the  St.  Lawrence  river  and  the  Great  Lakes,  and  then 
was  employed  at  a  spring  factory  in  Gananoque.  From  there  he  removed  to 
Kalamazoo.  Mich.,  where  for  five  years  he  was  employed  in  spring  factories, 
and  then  went  to  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  where  he  followed  the  same  occupation 
for  four  years.  In  1885  he  came  to  Racine  and  engaged  in  spring  manufactur- 
ing on  his  own  account,  in  a  small  way.  His  business  has  grown  so  that  he 
now  employs  150  men,  and  the  factory  is  320x180  feet  in  dimensions.  Mr. 
Higgins  is  vice-president  of  the  Commercial  Savings  Bank;  vice-president  of 
the  Racine  Malleable  &  Wrought  Iron  Company,  which  employs  between  four 
hundred  and  five  hundred  men;  president  of  the  Racine  General  Manufacturing 
Company,  jobbers,  and  a  director  of  the  Racine  Shoe  Company. 

Mr.  Higgins  was  married  Jan.  5.  1879,  in  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  to  Miss 
Mary  Fitzgibbon.  daughter  of  David  and  Catherine  (Sullivan)  Fitzgibbon. 
natives  of  Ireland,  the  former  of  Limerick  and  the  latter  of  County  Cork. 
David  Fitzgibbon  was  a  railroad  man.  and.  on  coming  to  America,  met,  in 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Miss  Sullivan,  and  there  they  were  married.  For  some  time 
they  were  located  at  various  points  in  Michigan,  and  lived  for  some  time  in 
Kalamazoo.  He  died  in  1895,  aged  seventy-six  years,  and  his  wife  in  March. 
1904,  in  her  eightv-second  year.  They  had  three  children :  David,  of  Grand 
Rapids,  Mich. ;  John ;  and  l^Iary,  Mrs.  Higgins. 


138  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Six  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ^^lichael  Higgiiis,  Jr., 
namely:  James,  George,  Agnes,  Joseph,  Frank,  and  Leo  (who  died  Nov.  24, 
1904).  Of  this  family,  James  is  superintendent  of  his  father's  plant;  George 
is  employed  in  the  axle  plant.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Higgins  are  members  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church,  belonging  to  the  St.  Rose  congregation.  He  is  fraternally  con- 
nected with  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  the  Elks,  the  Catholic  Order  of  For- 
esters and  the  Royal  League.  Mr.  Higgins  has  been  very  prominent  in  political 
matters.  He  was  the  Democratic  alderman  from  the  Sixth  ward  in  1889, 
serving  two  years;  in  1899  was  elected  mayor,  and  was  re-elected  in  1901, 
serving  altogether  four  years;  and  was  president  of  the  park  board  in  1905-05. 
Mr.  Higgins's  home,  at  No.  1900  Washington  avenue,  was  erected  by  him  in 
1893.    His  father  resides  at  No.  1229  Eleventh  street. 

JOSHUA  PIERCE  (deceased),  who  for  many  years  was  one  of  the 
most  highly  esteemed  citizens  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  was 
born  in  Steuben  county,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  15,  1814,  son  of  Seth  and  Anna 
(Cushion)  Pierce,  natives  of  Massachusetts.  He  had  two  brothers  and  two 
sisters:  Nathaniel,  William,  Alice  and  Anna.  Seth  Pierce  removed  into  New 
York  State  and  settled  in  Steuben  county  at  an  early  date,  and  there  died  well 
advanced  in  years.  He  was  land  agent  for  the  Government,  and  sold  nearly 
all  the  land  around  Woodhull  and  at  Painted  Post. 

Joshua  Pierce  came  to  Racine,  Wis.,  in  1840,  and  purchased  160  acres 
of  land,  after  which  he  returned  to  New  York,  where  he  was  married,  again 
coming  to  Racine  county  in  1841.  The  land  was  purchased  for  him  by  Daniel 
Slosson.  who  made  the  trip  to  Milwaukee,  paying  $200  for  the  tract.  This 
land  Mr.  Pierce  improved,  added  eighty  acres  thereto,  and  in  1860-1861  built 
thereon  a  large  and  beautiful  home,  which  is  still  in  a  good  state  of  preserva- 
tion. Later  he  sold  some  of  the  land,  at  the  time  of  his  death  owning  but  184 
acres.  He  was  married  April  15,  1841,  to  Miss  Catherine  Hadden,  whose 
mother,  a  Bedoe,  was  three  times  married;  first  to  Mr.  Hadden.  second  to  Mr. 
Sarles  and  third  to  Mr.  Lonsberry.  By  Mr.  Hadden  she  had  two  sons  and 
three  daughters,  viz.:  Catherine  (Mrs.  Pierce),  Elizabeth,  Abigal,  Gilbert 
and  John.  By  Mr.  Sarles  there  was  one  daughter.  Mary  Ann.  Eight  child- 
ren were  born  to  the  union  of  Joshua  and  Catherine  (Hadden)  Pierce,  namely  : 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Josiah  Coyell,  of  Branchport,  N.  Y. ;  Phoebe,  who  died 
Sept.  29,  1890,  aged  about  forty-four  years;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Charles  Selden, 
of  Aurora,  111.;  Joshua,  who  died  aged  about  thirty-three  years;  William,  who 
lives  on  the  old  home  place;  Fannie,  the  wife  of  Aaron  Wood,  of  Galesburg. 
111. ;  Lafayette,  of  Bethany,  near  Linculn,  Xeb. ;  and  Rose,  the  wife  of  Robert 
Briggs,  of  Monroe,  Michigan. 

Joshua  Pierce  was  a  thrifty  farmer,  and  had  one  of  the  finest  residences 
and  farms  in  Racine  county.  At  an  early  day  he  helped  to  lay  out  nearly  all  of 
the  roads  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  and  was  road  commissioner  for  many  years. 
He  died  on  the  farm  on  which  he  had  settled  Dec.  20.  1904,  aged  ninety  years, 
three  months,  five  days.  His  wife  passed  away  Feb.  27,  1884,  in  her  sixty- 
fourth  year.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Old  Settlers"  Society  and  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  at  the  time  of  her  death,  though  she  was  formerly  connected 
with   the  Congregational  Church,  and   was  a  good   Christian  wnmaji.   whose 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  T39 

exemplary  life  was  well  worthy  of  emulation.  She  had  been  a  resident  of  the 
county  for  forty-three  years,  and  saw  the  unsettled  wild  lands  of  Wisconsin 
developed  to  civilized  conditions.  Mr.  Rierce  was  also  a  member  of  the  old 
Settlers'  Society,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  had  been  a  resident  of  the  county 
for  sixty-four  years.  He  was  one  of  the  best  known  men  among  the  pio- 
neers and  early  settlers  of  the  county.  Politically  he  was  a  Republican,  and 
held  various  minor  offices,  but  he  would  not  permit  politics  to  disturb  his  busi- 
ness. He  w^as  of  a  retiring  disposition  and  not  disposed  to  push  himself  for- 
ward, was  honorable  and  upright  in  all  of  his  dealings,  and  was  highly  re- 
garded for  his  integrity  of  character. 

At  his  death  Mr.  Pierce  left  a  family  of  six  children.  The  son  William 
owns  eighty  acres  of  the  old  home  farm  and  the  residence,  and  has  the  settling 
of  the  estate.  The  children  have  all  been  well  provided  for,  their  father  having 
thoughtfully  and  w  isely  made  his  arrangements  before  his  death  for  the  settling 
of  the  estate  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 

ELMER  E.  GITTINS,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Gittins  &  Burgess, 
attorneys-at-law  of  Racine,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Racine  county,  where  he  was 
born  Aug.  31,  1869,  son  of  Ellis  .  and  Jane  (Gittins)  Gittins,  natives  of 
Wales. 

Ellis  Gittins  came  to  America  some  time  in  the  early  forties,  locating  in 
Utica,  N.  v.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for  some  years  and  then  came 
to  Racine  county,  purchasing  a  farm  of  140  acres  in  Caledonia  township, 
where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent.  He  died  aged  sixty-three  years, 
while  his  widow  still  survives  him  and  resides  in  Racine.  She  is  a  Methodist 
in  religious  faith,  to  which  church  Mr.  Gittins  also  belonged.  They  had 
these  children :  Nellie,  the  wife  of  Richard  Williams,  of  Chicago ;  John  and 
Miss  Sarah,  of  Racine;  William,  of  Chicago,  and  Ellis  J.  and  Elmer  E.,  of 
Racine. 

Elmer  E.  Gittins  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Caledonia  township, 
and  first  attended  the  district  schools,  and  graduated  from  the  Racine  High 
school  in  1889.  He  then  entered  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  at  Madison, 
graduating  in  1895,  after  which  he  entered  the  law  school  of  the  university, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1897,  being  aflmitted  to  the  Bar  the  same 
year.  He  began  practice  in  Racine,  where  he  has  since  continued.  In  1898 
Mr.  Gittins  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  E.  R.  Burgess,  the  firm  being 
known  as  Gittins  &  Burgess.  In  1902  Mr.  Gittins  was  elected  district  attor- 
ney, the  duties  of  which  office  lie  took  up  in  January,  1903.  Politically  Mr. 
Gittins  is  a  Republican.  Fraternally  he  l)elongs  to  Lodge  No.  18,  F.  &  A. 
M..  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Kymric  Club  and  the  Racine  Business  ]\Ien's 
Club.     Mr.  Gittins  resides  at  No.   1405  College  avenue,  with  his  mother. 

JOHN  RAMSDEN  is  one  of  the  old-established  fanners  of  Brighton 
township.  Kenosha  county,  where  he  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  fellows, 
among  whom  he  has  lived  and  worked  for  so  many  vears.  He  was  born  in 
Yorkshire.  England,  about  sixty  miles  from  Liverpool,  May  19,  1834,  a  son 
of  Simeon  and  Abigail  Ramsden.  The  Ramsdens  are  an  old  Yorkshire 
faniilv  and  there  the  grandfather,  Jonathan,  and  his  wife  both  died,  when 


140  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

advanced  in  years,  the  former  reaching  the  age  of  eighty-three.  Their  family 
consisted  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  maternal  grandfather  also 
Hved  in  Yorkshire,  but  beyond  the  fact  that  he  died  in  his  nati\e  land  nothing 
is  now  known  of  his  history. 

Simeon  Ramsden  was  born  in  Yorkshire  in  1795.  He  was  a  hand  weaver 
in  England,  but  after  coming  to  America  followed  various  callings,  eventually 
settling  down  to  farming.  He  arrived  in  Racine  May  25,  1842,  and  two  years 
later  bought  property  in  Dover  township — forty  acres  of  government  land. 
He  brought  up  his  family  there,  but  later  in  life  sold  that  place  and  bought 
eighty  acres  in  Brighton  township.  After  three  years  he  sold  the  second 
farm  also,  and  moving  into  Union  Grove  bought  a  lot  on  which  he  built  a 
home  and  lived  for  many  years.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  March  20,  1876,  he 
was  at  the  home  of  his  son  John,  in  Brighton  township.  Mr.  Ramsden  was 
within  twenty  days  of  his  eighty-first  birthday  when  his  demise  occurred. 

Simeon  Ramsden  w-as  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Mary  Fernley, 
by  wdiom  he  had  a  son  Jonathan,  now  living  in  the  village  of  Trempealeau, 
Wis.,  over  eighty-three  years  of  age.  For  his  second  wife  he  married  Mrs. 
Abigail  Smith,  a  widow  with  one  daughter,  Elizabeth.  This  daughter  came 
to  America  from  England  and  died  in  Racine;  she  was  the  wife  of  William 
Drinkwater.  To  the  union  of  Simeon  and  Abigail  Ramsden  came  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  tW'O  are  now  living,  John  and  Ella,  Mrs.  L.  A.  Brush,  residing 
near  Albany,  Oregon.     The  parents  w-ere  Methodists  in  their  religions  belief. 

John  Ramsden  was  eight  years  old  w-hen  he  came  with  his  father  and 
mother  to  America,  and  he  grew  ta  manhood  in  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties. 
He  was  early  accustomed  to  farm  work,  and  for  a  while  w'orked  out  by  the 
month,  but  later  took  up  carpentering,  and  in  time  had  a  gang  of  seven  or 
eight  men  under  him.  He  liought  the  farm  where  he  now  lives  Dec.  17,  1870, 
and  moved  on  to  it  in  1872.  It  consists  of  160  acres  and  has  been  finely 
improved. 

On  Oct.  II.  186.S,  Mr.  Ramsden  married  Miss  Frances  Mary  Murdock, 
daughter  of  Archibald  and  Frances  (McKlasky)  Murdock.  They  have  two 
children,  Edward  S.  and  Sarah  M.,  both  at  home.  Both  parents  belong  to 
the  Union  Grove  Congregational  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Ramsden  is  a  life- 
long Republican  and  for  twenty-nine  vears  was  treasurer  of  the  joint  school 
district  No.  9,  resigning  in  fa\-or  of  his  son,  who  now  holds  the  office. 

CHARLES  G.  FOLTZ,  one  of  the  most  substantial  citizens  and  success- 
ful business  men  of  Burlington,  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  C.  G.  Foltz  &  Son, 
dealers  in  dry  goods,  clothing,  carpets,  etc.  He  was  born  in  West  Winfield, 
Herkimer  Co.,  N.  Y..  Sept.  9,  1837.  son  of  Rev.  Benjamin  and  Jane  (Har- 
wood)  Foltz,  natives  of  New-  York,  and  is  of  German  descent  on  his  father's 
side  and  American  on  his  mother's. 

Re\'.  Benjamin  Foltz  came  West  in  1849.  ^^^l  settled  in  Emerald  Grove, 
Rock  Co.,  Wis.,  for  a  time,  later  removing  to  Allen's  Grove,  Walworth  county, 
and  from  there  to  Burlington,  Racine  county,  in  1854.  In  1858  he  removed  to 
Rockford,  111.,  where  he  died  Sept.  i.S.  1886.  aged  seventy-two  years.  His 
first  wife,  the  mother  of  Charles  G.  Foltz,  died  Oct.  9.  1851.  aged  about  thirty- 
eight  years,  and  he  married  (second)  Louise  J.  Judson.  wdio  still  survives  him. 


<^^-^v^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRArillCAL    RECORD.  141 

and  makes  her  home  in  Ruckford,  111.  His  chiklren  Ijv  his  first  marriage  were: 
Charles  G. ;  Benjamin  H.,  deceased;  William  \V.,  retired,  of  Chicago.  Ilk; 
Miss  Asenath  E.,  of  Chicago,  111. ;  Miss  Mary  S.,  of  Rockford,  111. ;  and  Harriet 
T.,  deceased,  who  married  Orlando  Maklem.  To  the  second  marriage  were 
born :  Judson  J.,  in  the  real  estate  and  mining  business  in  Tacoma,  Wash. : 
Edward  E.,  a  shoe  merchant  at  Delavan,  Wis. ;  Irving  E.,  formerly  teller  of 
the  People's  Bank,  at  Rockford,  Ilk,  now  retired;  and  Louise  L.,  Airs.  Lester 
Halstead,  of  Rockford,  Illinois. 

Charles  G.  Foltz  was  reared  in  New  York  State.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Racine  county,  and  is  the  oldest  surviving  dry  goods  merchant  in 
the  county,  having  carried  on  the  merchandise  business  in  Burlington  since 
November,  1857.  On  Nov.  6,  1861,  he  married  Miss  Mary  A.  Chandler, 
daughter  of  Joshua  and  Louise  (Durgin)  Chandler,  and  three  children  were 
born  to  this  union:  Charles  Oliver,  Alice  B.  and  Ernest  H.  (i)  Charles  Oliver 
Foltz,  who  resides  in  Chicago,  is  interested  in  copper  mines  in  Arizona.  He 
married  Miss  Mary  Reedy,  and  they  had  three  children,  Alice,  Helen  and  Cath- 
erine. The  wife  and  two  eldest  children  lost  their  lives  in  the  Iroquois  Theatre 
holocaust.  (2)  Alice  B.  Foltz  married  Dr.  George  Y.  Wilson,  a  dentist,  and 
they  live  in  Colorado  Springs,  Colo.  (3)  Ernest  H.  Foltz  married  Miss  Kath- 
erine  Ransom.  He  was  reared  in  Burlington,  where  he  has  spent  his  entire 
life,  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1888,  and  then  became  associated  with 
his  father  as  clerk  in  the  dry  goods  and  clothing  business,  which  he  continued 
until  189^,  when  he  became  associated  as  a  partner,  the  firm  name  becoming 
C.  G.  Foftz  &  Son. 

The  business  now  conducted  by  C.  G.  Foltz  &  Son  was  established  in  1857 
and  is  one  of  the  leading  industrial  establishments  of  Burlington.  It  is  the 
oldest  business  house  there,  and  the  straightforward  way  in  which  the  father 
and  son  do  business  has  won  the  confidence  of  the  public.  They  occupy  a  com- 
modious two-story  and  basement  building  on  Chestnut  street,  39x100  feet  in 
dimensions ;  the  building  is  lighted  throughout  by  electricity,  is  heated  bv  steam, 
and  provided  with  all  modern  conveniences. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  G.  Foltz  and  family  are  members  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  of  which  Mr.  Foltz  is  a  charter  member  and  deacon,  and  at 
present  the  oldest  living  member.  He  has  also  been  church  clerk  for  more  than 
forty  years.  For  many  years  he  gave  efficient  service  on  the  school  board,  as 
trustee,  and  during  the  building  of  the  high  school  edifice  served  as  treasurer. 

HENRY  F.  JORDAN,  who  is  engaged  in  the  real-estate  and  insurance 
business  in  Kenosha,  has  been  a  resident  of  that  city  since  1896,  previous  to 
which  he  was  engaged  in  farming  in  the  town  of  Somers,  this  county.  Practi- 
cally all  his  life  has  been  passed  in  Kenosha  county,  as  he  was  only  in  his  sixth 
year  when  brought  hither  by  his  parents,  and  he  not  only  ranks  among  the 
oldest,  but  also  among  the  most  intelligent  and  progressive,  citizens  of  this 
section. 

Mr.  Jordan  is  a  native  of  England,  born  Sept.  7,  1836,  in  Rochdale,  Lan- 
cashire. His  grandparents,  Henry  and  Ann  (Potts)  Jordan,  were  both  na- 
tives of  England  and  passed  their  entire  lives  in  that  country.  He  died  in  mid- 
dle life,  from  injuries  received  while  trying  to  stop  a  runaw^ay  horse,  and  she 


142  COMMEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

lived  til  be  over  eighty-seven  years  old.     Henry  Jordan  was  an  excise  officer 
in  the  employ  of  the  British  government. 

Thomas  Jordan,  the  only  child  of  Henry  and  Ann  (  Potts)  Jordan,  was 
born  and  reared  in  England.  He  became  a  first-class  cabinetmaker,  and  had 
an  establishment  in  Rochdale  for  some  time  before  coming  to  America,  in 
1842.  Continuing  westward,  he  arrived  in  Southpoit  (as  Kenosha  was  then 
known).  Wis.,  May  29th  of  that  year,  and  purchasing  a  farm  of  ninety  acres  in 
what  was  then  the  town  of  Pike,  Racine  county  (now  the  town  of  Somers, 
Kenosha  county),  made  his  home  thereon  for  over  thirty  years.  In  1879  he 
moved  into  Kenosha,  where  he  passed  the  rest  of  his  days  in  retirement,  dying 
there  in  Mav.  1893.  in  his  eighty-third  year.  Mr.  Jordan  was  an  active  man 
and  awake  to  the  needs  of  the  community  in  which  he  had  settled,  and  he  served 
faithfully  in  positions  of  public  trust,  acting  as  supervisor  of  the  town  of 
Somers.  and  for  twenty-five  years  as  school  district  treasurer. 

Thomas  Jordan  married  Mary  Schofield,  like  himself  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, and  a  daughter  of  John  Schofield,  who  was  born  in  England  and  passed 
all  his  life  there,  dying  at  the  age  of  forty-six  years.  Mr.  Schofield  was  a  busy 
man,  owning  a  mill,  and  also  acting  as  excise  officer  and  surveyor.  His  wife's 
maiden  name  w'as  Whitehead,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  one  son  and  four 
daughters,  all  now  deceased.  Mrs.  Jordan  did  not  long  survive  her  husband, 
dying  in  November,  1893,  in  her  eighty-fourth  year,  as  the  result  of  a  fall  she 
sustained  while  visiting  the  \\'orld's  Fair,  in  Chicago.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jordan 
were  Methodists  in  religious  belief.  They  had  seven  children,  five  sons  and  two 
daughters,  namely :  Henry  F.,  of  Kenosha :  Ann  J.,  wife  of  Edward  Cheetham, 
of  Chicago;  Miss  Maria  J.;  John  S.,  of  Seattle,  Wash.;  Thomas  W.,  of  Sioux 
City,  Iowa;  George  P.,  who  now  owns  and  resides  upon  the  old  homestead 
farm  in  the  town  of  Somers ;  and  Frank  L.,  who  was  drowned  at  Racine  in 
1872,  in  his  twenty-first  year. 

Henry  F.  Jordan  was  in  his  sixth  vear  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to 
America.  He  distinctly  remembers  landing  at  Southport.  as  there  was  no  har- 
bor there  at  the  time,  and  the  passengers  were  transferred  from  the  vessel  to 
a  lighter,  from  which  they  walked  to  shore  on  a  plank  bridge.  Southport  then 
contained  only  ten  or  fifteen  houses,  and  gave  little  promise  of  becoming  the 
important  lake  port  it  now  is.  Mr.  Jordan  grew  to  manhood  in  the  town  of 
Somers,  which  was  then  the  town  of  Pike,  Racine  county,  the  county  being  sub- 
sequently divided  and  Kenosha  (formerly  Southport)  becoming  the  seat  of 
Kenosha  county.  He  received  his  education  in  the  old-fashioned  subscription 
schools  and  the  district  schools  in  vogue  in  his  boyhood,  and  was  thoroughly 
trained  to  agricultural  work  under  the  tuition  of  his  father,  remaining  at  home 
until  he  reached  maturity.  \\'hen  ready  to  commence  farming  on  his  own 
account  he  purchased  a  place  of  106  acres  adjoining  his  father's  farm,  and  sub- 
sequently added  forty  acres  thereto.  He  lived  on  this  farm,  carrying  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits  very  successfully,  until  the  year  1896,  when  he  rented  it  and 
moved  into  Kenosha,  taking  up  his  residence  in  the  beautiful  home  which  he 
had  built  that  year,  at  Xo.  425  Fremont  avenue,  and  which  he  still  owns  and 
occupies.  Mr.  Jordan  has  been  in  the  real-estate  and  insurance  business  for 
about  thirty  years  all  told,  having  taken  it  up  long-  before  he  gave  up  agricul- 
ture, and  since  locating  in  Kenosha  he  has  devoted  all  his  time  to  that  line. 

The  excellent  judgment  and  executive  ability  which  Mr.  Jordan  displayed 


COMMEMORATI\-E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  143 

in  the  management  uf  his  own  affairs,  and  his  unquestionetl  puljhc  spirit,  made 
liim  tlie  choice  of  his  fellow  citizens  for  various  offices,  the  duties  of  which 
he  has  discharged  with  the  fidelity  for  which  lie  is  noted.  He  was  treasurer  of 
the  town  of  Somers  for  one  year,  was  district  clerk  and  district  treasurer  of  the 
town  for  a  number  of  years,  and  has  given  seven  years'  service  as  super\isor, 
part  of  the  time  in  the  town  of  Somers  and  the  rest  in  the  Third  ward  of  Keno- 
sha. He  has  been  chairman  of  the  county  board  of  supervisors  for  the  past 
three  years.  Mr.  Jordan  has  been  as  much  of  a  success  in  public  aft'airs  as  in 
his  personal  undertakings,  and  he  is  regarded  as  a  useful  citizen  in  both  com- 
munities with  which  he  has  been  identified.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 

Mr.  Jordan  was  united  in  marriage,  May  29,  1869,  to  Miss  Lavinia  Golds- 
worthy,  daughter  of  Stephen  S.  and  Lavinia  (Eustis)  Goldsworthy,  and  they 
have  had  one  daughter,  Edith  E.,  who  lives  with  her  parents.  Mrs.  Jordan's 
parents  were  natives  of  England,  born  in  Cornwall,  and  coming  to  America 
settled  on  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Paris,  Kenosha  county,  where  they  lived  until 
about  1889.  They  then  moved  into  L'nion  Grove  to  spend  their  declining  years, 
Mr.  Goldsworthy  dying  there  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven,  and  Mrs.  Golds- 
worthy  ,  who  survived  him  three  years,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six.  Their  fam- 
ily consisted  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  John  E.  died  some  years 
ago.  The  others  all  survive,  namely :  Lavinia,  Mrs.  Jordan :  Stephen,  of  Sev- 
ery,  Kans. ;  William,  of  Monroe,  Wis.;  Hilary,  of  Laiion  Grove:  and  Henry, 
who  lives  in  Racine. 

HEXRY  LYTLE,  of  the  firm  of  Henry  Lytle  &  Sons,  dealers  in  hard- 
ware, agricultural  implements,  hard  and  soft  coal,  flour  and  feed,  at  Somers 
Station,  Somers  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  was  born  June  5,  1S44,  at 
Spring  Prairie,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis.,  son  of  Adams  and  Maria  (Carswell) 
Lytle.' 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Henry  Lytle,  was  Andrew  Lytle,  who  was 
l:orn  in  Ireland  and  came  to  America  in  youth,  settling  first  in  Pennsylvania, 
hut  later  moving  to  New  York.  He  came  West  with  the  early  pioneers  into 
Yorkville  township,  Racine  county,  and  died  at  Ives  Grove  at  the  age  of 
ninety-two  years.  He  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  but  turned  his  sword  into 
a  pruning  hook  and  became  a  farmer.  His  wife  1)ore  the  name  of  Eliza  and 
they  both  lived  to  old  age,  rearing  a  large  family  of  children. 

Adams  Lytle,  the  father  of  Henry,  was  born  Dec.  10.  1792,  in  New 
York,  where  his  wife  was  born  April  19,  1802.  They  were  married  Nov.  21, 
1822,  and  they  had  ten  children,  as  follows:  Jane,  deceased,  wife  of  W.  P. 
Goff,  died  in  Kansas:  John  went  to  California  in  1850,  but  has  been  lost 
sight  nf  by  the  family:  Margaret.  deceased,  was  the  wife  of 
Daniel  Bull,  brother  of  Stephen  Bull,  of  Racine:  Mary,  widow  of  Daniel 
Clark,  is  a  resident  of  New  York:  Eliza  died  in  infancy:  Andrew  is  in  Eldo- 
rado, Kan. :  Nathaniel  died  at  Somers  Station :  Lydia  is  the  widow  of  David 
Secnr.  of  near  Waterford,  Racine  county:  Adams.  Jr..  who  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Civil  war.  a  member  of  Company  H.  22nd  Wis.  \'.  I.,  died  in  the  service; 
and  Henry. 

Adams  Lytle  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1838  and  always  followed  farming. 
With  his  wife  he  settled  in  Spring  Prairie  township,  \\'alworth  county,  but  a 


144  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

few  years  later  moved  to  Racine  county,  where  he  bought  a  farm  of  eighty 
acres  in  Yorkville  township.  Prior  to  his  decease  he  moved  to  2\It.  Pleasant 
township  and  died  there  in  i860,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  His  widow  sur- 
vived until  1888,  dying  aged  eighty-six  years.  She  was  a  consistent  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Adams  Lytle  was  a  survivor  of  the  Mexican 
war  and  he  was  a  man  of  prominence  in  Yorkville  township,  of  which  he 
was  treasurer  at  one  time. 

Henry  Lytle  was  reared  a  farmer  boy  and  obtained  his  education  in  the 
district  schools.  When  seventeen  years  old  he  went  to  Racine  and  worked 
in  the  butcher  shop  of  Daniel  Bull  until  Aug.  11,  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in 
Company  H,  22nd  Wis.  V.  I.  He  was  mustered  out  as  a  corporal,  his  pro- 
motions being  the  reward  of  personal  bravery.  He  served  with  fidelity 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  suffering  from  but  one  wound  which  he  received 
at  Dallas  Woods,  although  he  participated  in  the  following  battles  and  cam- 
paigns :  Resaca :  Peach  Tree  Creek ;  Dallas  Woods ;  Golgotha ;  New  Hope 
Church ;  Kenesaw  Mountain ;  all  the  Atlanta  campaign,  which  included  the 
siege  and  taking  of  Atlanta ;  then  on  to  Washington,  where  his  regiment 
made  a  good  showing  at  the  grand  review  which  was  witnessed  by  thousands 
of  admiring  citizens. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Lytle  returned  home  and  farmed  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
township  until  1886,  and  then  moved  into  Somers  township,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  farm  for  the  next  five  years.  In  1891  he  quit  the  farm  and  bought 
out  the  general  business  of  Allen  Williams  at  Somers  Station,  which  he  still 
conducts,  having  associated  with  him  in  the  business,  his  sons,  George  H. 
and  Adams  L.,  both  capable  young  business  men. 

On  Tan.  10,  1867,  Mr.  Lytle  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Amanda 
Ann  McHuron,  daughter  of  David  L.  and  Catherine  McHuron,  early  settlers 
in  Paris  township,  and  afterward  residents  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  Racine 
county.  The  father  died  there  aged  eighty-two  years,  but  the  mother  still 
survives.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lytle  have  had  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four 
daughters,  the  first-born  dying  in  infancy,  the  others  being:  George  H..  of 
Green  Bay.  Wis.,  where  he  is  superintendent  of  the  electric  light  plant,  mar- 
ried Annie  Johnson  and  they  have  two  children,  Berenice  and  George  W. 
Catherine  married  John  Haigh.  and  they  live  in  Somers  township,  and  have 
two  daughters,  Mildred  L.  and  Edith.  Edith  A.  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years.  William  N.  is  of  Gallatin  county,  Mont.  Clarence  A.,  Adams  L., 
and  Mary  J.  live  at  home. 

Mrs.  Lytle  is  a  Baptist  in  religious  belief,  but  as  there  is  no  Baptist 
Church  at  this  place,  she  and  her  husband  attend  and  liberally  contribute  to 
the  support  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican  and 
he  has  been  elected  by  his  party  as  town  treasurer  both  of  Yorkville  and 
]Mount  Pleasant  townships  in  times  past.  He  belongs  to  Harvey  Post.  G.  A. 
R.,  at  Racine,  and  is  prominent  in  the  Order  of  Woodmen  of  America.  He 
fills  the  office  of  president  of  the  Woodmen  Hall  Association,  and  for  sev- 
eral years  was  consul  of  the  camp. 

CLARENCE  E.  REMER.  The  malting  industry  is  one  that  of  late 
years  has  assumed  large  proportions  and  has  meant  wealth  for  numbers  of 
men.     One  of  those  who  have  been  conspicuously  successful  in  the  business  is 


^■'--'^'^^;-^C^,^^^.C./_^'^r— 


C0MME:.I0RATIVE    biographical    record.  145 

Clarence  E.  Reiner,  president  and  treasurer  of  the  AI.  H.  Pettit  ^Malting  Com- 
pany, of  Kenosha.  He  is  a  native  of  New  York  State,  born  in  Cayuga  county 
Jan.  26,  1850,  son  of  Stephen  Henry  and  Adehne  (Tibbies)  Remer. 

The  Remer  family  is  of  French  descent,  and  was  founded  in  America  in 
an  early  day,  the  first  ancestor  in  this  country  coming  from  the  river  Rhine. 
Mr.  Remer's  grandfather,  Abram  Remer,  was  a  native  of  Carlisle,  Pa.,  born 
June  7,  1783,  and  was  a  shoe  manufacturer.  He  served  as  a  musician  in  the 
war  of  1812.  He  died  March  6,  1866.  He  married  Hannah  Riggs  Whitney, 
who  was  a  native  of  Derby,  Conn.,  born  June  20,  1785,  niece  of  Stephen  Whit- 
ney, of  New  York.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Remer  both  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  They 
had  a  large  family,  four  sons  and  five  daughters. 

Stephen  Henry  Remer,  father  of  Clarence  E.,  was  born  in  Connecticut  in 
1817.  He  was  engaged  in  business  as  a  grocer  most  of  his  life,  and  after  1854 
was  located  in  Elkhorn,  Wis.,  where  he  was  living  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
Dec.  16,  i860.  He  married  Miss  Adeline  Tibbies,  who  was  born  in  New  York 
in  1826,  daughter  of  Solomon  and  Malinda  (Bennedict)  Tibbies.  Mr.  Tibbies 
died  in  Montezuma,  N.  Y.,  in  1840,  and  the  mother  afterward  settled  in  Janes- 
ville.  Wis.,  where  she  died  Sept.  4,  1867,  aged  sixty-nine  years;  she  was  the 
mother  of  a  large  family.  Only  two  children  were  born  to  Stephen  H.  Remer 
and  his  wife,  viz.:  Isabella  (deceased  wife  of  John  C.  M.  Kehlor)  and  Clar- 
ence E.  Mrs.  Remer  survived  her  husband  till  1893,  dying  in  Kenosha.  Both 
belonged  to  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Clarence  E.  Remer  was  brought  up  in  Elkhorn,  residing  there  from  1854 
till  1880.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  town  and 
then  went  to  work  for  Mr.  John  C.  M.  Kehlor,  in  the  grain  business.  In  1871 
he  bought  Mr.  Kehlor  out  and  conducted  affairs  himself  until  1880.  He  then 
rented  his  elevator  and  went  to  Chicago,  with  the  purpose  of  looking  up  a 
wholesale  flour  business,  but  about  that  time  a  flattering  offer  was  made  him 
by  M.  H.  Pettit  &  Company  and  he  went  to  Kenosha  to  take  a  position  with 
that  firm.  Five  years  later  the  concern  was  reorganized  as  a  stock  company, 
under  the  style  of  the  M.  H.  Pettit  Malting  Company,  and  Mr.  Remer  was 
made  secretary  and  treasurer.  He  discharged  the  duties  of  that  position  with 
great  efficiency  till  Sept.  15.  1902,  when  he  was  elected  president  and  treasurer, 
and  is  still  filling  those  combined  offices.  The  company  employs  about  twenty- 
five  persons  and  ships  its  products  to  the  EaSt,  West  and  South,  doing  a  speci- 
allv  large  business  in  Mexico.  The  malt  is  favorably  known  all  through  those 
sections,  having  a  good  reputation  for  its  quality,  and  some  half  million  bush- 
els are  sold  per  annum. 

On  April  25,  1883,  Mv.  Remer  was  united  in  matrimony  to  Miss  Jessie 
E.  Large,  of  Kenosha,  and  they  make  their  home  at  No.  463  South  Congress 
street.  Thev  are  both  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Remer  is  a 
member  of  the  Societv  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution  by  virtue  of 
his  descent  from  Lieut.  Joseph  Riggs,  of  the  Connecticut  troops.  He  is  a 
thirtv-second-degree  Mason,  and  a  charter  member  of  Kenosha  Lodge,  No. 
750.  B.  P.  O.  Elks.  On  political  issues  Mr.  Remer  is  a  stanch  Republican.  He 
is  aman  of  honorable  standing  and  influence  in  the  circles  in  which  he  moves, 
his  integrity  and  reliability  being  unquestioned. 


146        co:mmemorative  biographical  record. 

lOHX  A.  KILLEEX,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Kenosha  Union, 
Avas  born  in  Quebec,  Canada,  Jan.  22,  1845.  He  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and 
jMary  (Ball)  Killeen.  who  emigrated  to  Canada  in  the  thirties.  At  the  age 
•of  fifteen  years  the  subject  of  this  sketch  entered  the  office  of  the  Picton  (On- 
tario) Times,  where  he  remained  for  six  years.  The  next  four  years  were 
spent  in  the  government  printing  service,  between  Quebec  and  Ottawa.  In 
1869  he  came  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  New  York  City,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1875,  ■when  he  came  to  Kenosha  and  purchased  the  Kenosha 
Union,  which  had  been  established  in  1866  by  I.  W.  Webster  and  George 
Hutchinson.  Since  purchased  by  Mr.  Killeen  the  size  of  the  sheet  has  been 
twice  enlarged,  and  in  1877  he  put  in  a  fine  steam  press,  the  first  in  Kenosha. 

I\Ir.  Killeen  was  married  in  Ottawa,  Canada,  April  6,  1869,  to  Aliss 
Sarah  Cullen,  native  of  that  country. 

WILTSIE  STEWART  HAVEN  is  one  of  the  wealthy  farmers  ot 
Brighton  township,  Kenosha  county,  where  he  has  resided  for  over  twenty 
years.  The  earlier  part  of  his  life  was  passed  in  Oswego  county,  N.  Y., 
where  he  was  born  Nov.  2.  1856,  a  son  of  Myron  and  Caroline  (W'iltsie) 
Haven. 

The  branch  of  the  Haven  family  to  which  Wiltsie  S.  Haven  belongs 
was  founded  in  America  by  Richard  Haven,  an  Englishman  by  birth,  who 
settled  in  Connecticut  some  time  in  the  seventeenth  century.  Mr.  Haven's 
grandfather,  Zenas,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  but  moved  to  Oswego  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  there  died  at  the  age  of  sixty.  He  married  Amanda  Lewis,  who 
reached  the  unusual  age  of  ninety-two  years,  and  they  had  three  sons  and  two 
daughters. 

Myron  Haven  was  born  after  his  father  settled  in  New  York  and  became 
in  his  turn  a  farmer  in  Oswego  county,  although  he  had  earlier  learned  the 
trade  of  a  cooper.  He  and  his  wife  still  live  at  their  old  home  there,  the  for- 
mer now  over  seventy-five  years  of  age.  He  has  been  quite  a  prominent  man 
locally  and  has  held  various  town  offices,  while  religiously  he  is  a  Baptist, 
like  his  wife.  They  had  children  as  follows :  \'ictor.  now  of  Granada. 
Colo.;  Coley,  of  Chicago;  Wiltsie  S. ;  and  Elma.  Airs.  W.  H.  Polland,  of 
Oswego  Falls  Station,  New  York. 

The  maternal  grandparents  of  W'iltsie  S.  Haven  were  Martin  and  Phal- 
lic (Coley)  W'iltsie.  The  former  was  born  near  Sclienectady,  and  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation.  He  and  his  wife  had  a  large  family  and  lived  to  a 
good  old  age. 

W'iltsie  S.  Haven  lived  on  a  farm  in  Oswego  county  till  he  was  eleven 
years  old,  but  after  that  was  in  Fulton,  N.  Y.,  where  he  attended  the  public 
•schools.  After  finishing  his  studies  he  learned  the  cooper's  trade  and  worked 
at  it  for  some  years,  after  which  he  tried  boating  on  the  Erie  canal.  He 
spent  several  years  thus  and  next  took  up  farming,  at  first  in  the  East,  but 
after  1883  in  Wisconsin,  where  he  settled  on  the  farm  in  Section  14,  Brighton 
township,  on  which  he  still  lives.  It  is  a  fine  tract  of  200  acres,  which  in  1890 
became  Mr.  Haven's  own  property,  inherited  from  an  aunt,  Mrs.  Ann  W. 
Evans.  Mrs.  Evans  was  a  daughter  of  Martin  W'iltsie  and  the  widow  of 
John  W.  Evans.     She  had  come  to  Wisconsin  from  New  York  in   1844.  and 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  147 

settled  on  the  farm  which  was  her  himie  fur  the  rest  of  her  Hfe.  Eor  many 
years  she  was  the  postmistress  for  Brighton,  having  the  office  in  her  home. 
Besides  his  farming  interests  Mr.  Haven  is  a  business  man,  and  for  five  years 
was  connected  with  the  Brighton  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company,  one  year 
as  its  treasurer  and  for  the  rest  of  the  time  as  president. 

Mr.  Haven  was  united  in  marriage,  Oct.  20,  1880,  to  Cora,  daughter  of 
James  and  Nancy  (Brownell)  Baker,  but  their  married  life  was  brief,  as  Mrs. 
Haven  died  Aug.  12,  1882,  aged  twenty-one.  She  left  one  son,  Louis,  now  a 
resident  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  On  Dec.  31,  1884,  occurred  Mr.  Haven's  second 
union,  when  Miss  Maria  Harry  became  his  wife.  To  them  have  been  born 
three  sons,  John,  Ross  and  Stewart.  Mr.  Haven  and  his  wife  v.re  both  mem- 
bers of  the  Eastern  Star  Lodge  in  Union  Grove,  while  he  belongs  also 
to  the  M.  W.  A. ;  the  R.  A.  M.,  Kenosha  Chapter  No.  3,  and  Union  Grove 
Lodge  No.  288,  F.  and  A.  M.  Politically  a  Democrat,  he  is. active  in  local 
afifairs,  was  chairman  of  the  town  board  one  term,  and  is  now  serving  his 
tenth  year  as  clerk  of  school  district  No.  3. 

Mrs.  Maria  (Harry)  Haven,  daughter  of  James  and  Susan  (Staff) 
Harry,  is  of  English  descent  on  both  sides.  Her  paternal  grandparents  were 
James  and  Tomizene  Harry,  the  former  born  in  England.  z\fter  he  came  to 
America  he  lived  for  about  three  years  in  Southport  (nowr  Kenosha)  and 
then  moved  into  Brighton  township,  where  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  on  a 
farm,  dying  at  the  age  of  sixty.  His  wife  lived  to  be  eighty-nine.  She  bore 
him  three  children,  while  by  a  previous  marriage,  to  Thomas  Dale,  she  had  had 
two.  The  maternal  grandparents,  William  Staff  and  his  wife,  were  also  very 
long-lived.  They  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  William  Staff,  who  was 
a  toll-gate  keeper,  was  born  in  Lincolnshire  and  died  there. 

James  Harry,  father  of  Mrs.  Haven,  was  born  in  Cornwall  in  1834.  He 
came  to  Southport  with  a  colony  when  he  was  a  boy  of  some  ten  or  eleven 
years,  and  as  he  grew  older  became  a  sailor  on  the  lakes,  following  that  call- 
ing for  thirty-five  years.  He  died  in  June,  1904,  and  his  wife  in  1872,  aged 
forty.     They  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

F.  H.  NIMS  (deceased)  was  born  near  Erie,  Pa.,  Aug.  29,  1829.  In 
1833  his  parents  removed  to  Michigan,  and  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year 
went  to  Chicago,  where  only  a  few  log  cabins  marked  the  site  of  the  present 
populous  city.  They  afterward  removed  to  Kenosha,  W'is.,  where  the  father 
purchased  a  claim  of  eighty  acres,  between  the  city  and  the  Northwestern 
depot,  afterward  selling  it  for  a  span  of  horses. 

On  Jan.  10,  1837,  the  Nims  family  located  on  the  present  site  of  Bur- 
lington, Wis.,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Fox  river.  The  ground  was  covered 
with  two  feet  of  snow,  and  the  only  house  in  the  locality  was  a  log  cabin, 
12x14,  with  a  mud  and  stick  chimney  and  a  shock  roof,  and  as  the  latter  did 
not  completely  cover  the  building  an  Indian  blanket  was  thrown  over  the 
aperture.  The  floor  was  of  dirt,  except  a  small  portion  which  had  been  cov- 
ered w'ith  shocks.  Mr.  Nims's  father  passed  away  in  1882.  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-eight  years,  and  his  mother  in  1878.  aged  seventy-five. 

F.  H.  Nims  experienced  all  the  hardships  and  privations  of  pioneer  life. 
His  education  was  necessarily  limited,  but  he  was  ambitious  to  learn,  and  be- 


148  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

came  a  teacher  at  fourteen  years  of  age.  Shortly  afterward  he  went  to 
Waterford,  and  worked  in  the  woolen  mdls  there  for  a  few  months,  return- 
ing to  Burlington  at  the  end  of  this  time  to  work  in  tne  woolen  mills  here. 
He  remained  m  the  mills  until  twenty-four  years  old,  and  then  spent  one  year 
in  New  York,  as  a  contractor  in  a  woolen  mill,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-five 
years  began  to  learn  the  trade  of  carpenter  and  joiner,  which  he  followed  con- 
tinuously until  a  few  years  before  his  deatli.  He  was  associated  m  business 
with  E.  S.  Voorhees  for  twenty-three  years. 

On  Oct.  6,  1855,  Mr.  Nims  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 
Meadows,  and  to  this  union  four  children  were  born,  three  of  whom  are  still 
living,  viz.:  Eugene  L.,  of  Chicago;  Mrs.  George  K.  Dean,  of  Milwaukee; 
and  Mrs.  F.  H.  McAdow,  of  Chicago.  Mrs.  Nims  died  in  1876,  and  on 
March  28,  1878,  Mr.  Nims  married  (second)  Mrs.  Julia  L.  (Spoor)  Thomp- 
son, who  died  Sept.  4,  1891. 

Mr.  Nims  served  as  one  of  the  delegates  to  Madison,  and  aided  in  the 
organization  of  the  Republican  party  in  Wisconsin.  He  was  a  deacon  of 
Plymouth  Congregational  Church  in  Burlington,  having  been  a  charter  mem- 
ber when  the  society  was  founded,  in  1858,  and  always  one  of  its  faithful 
members.  For  sixty-seven  years  Mr.  Nims  was  identified  with  the  progress 
and  growth  of  Burlington.  He  had  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  who 
knew  him,  and  was  a  good  citizen  in  every  way.  He  died  on  Tuesday,  Jan. 
10,  1905.  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  George  K.  Dean,  No.  3210  Chest- 
nut street.  Milwaukee,  with  whom  he  had  made  his  home  the  last  year  of  his 
life.  The  remains  were  brought  to  Burlington  and  buried  in  the  town  ceme- 
tery. 

JAMES  C.  DOWSE,  who  is  ne.xt  to  the  oldest  settler  in  Kenosha 
county.  Wis.,  now  living,  and  a  highly  respected  resident  of  Section  34, 
Pleasant  Prairie  township,  was  born  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  Oct.  26,  1815. 
His  parents  were  James  and  Martha  (Pinder)  Dowse. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Dowse,  like  their  ancestors,  were  natives  of  England. 
They  had  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  all  of  whom  have  passed  away  with  the 
exception  of  our  veneral^le  subject.  His  father  was  a  butcher  and  cattle 
dealer,  and  owned  a  small  farm  in  Lincolnshire,  where  he  died  aged  seventy 
years.    His  wife  passed  away  at  about  the  same  age. 

James  C.  Dowse  was  reared  in  England,  where  he  lived  until  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  and  then  emigrated  to  America.  He  arrived  in  New  York 
in  1837,  and  walked  all  the  distance  to  Wisconsin.  He  became  acquainted 
with  rivermen  and  worked  on  a  flat-boat  on  the  Mississippi  river  and  also 
on  a  canal  near  Yazoo,  but  in  1838  he  went  back  to  England  and  was  present 
at  the  great  spectacle  of  the  coronation  of  the  late  beloved  Queen  Victoria. 
In  the  same  year  he  returned  to  America  with  his  brother  John,  and  came 
again  to  Wisconsin.  They  bouglit  a  farm  of  240  acres,  in  Pleasant  Prairie 
township,  of  which  James  C.  Dowse  owns  180  acres  at  present,  upon  wdiich 
he  resides.  His  brother  John  died  soon  after  settling  in  Kenosha  county. 
Our  venerable  subject  has  lived  here  for  the  past  sixty-eight  years  and.  with 
one  exception,  is  the  oldest  continuous  resident  of  Kenosha  county. 

Mr.  Dowse  was  married  (first)  at  Gurnee,  111.,  to  Miss  Abigail  Lovejoy, 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  149 

and  they  had  diree  sons  and  one  daughter:  WiUiam  C,  of  Pleasant  Prairie 
township;  James  E.,  who  died  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  war; 
Ernest  P.  of  Chicago;  and  Mary,  who  died  in  early  childhood.  William  C. 
married  Mary  Ann  Oliver,  and  they  had  ten  children,  those  living  being: 
James  C,  Abigail  (wife  of  William  Dowse),  Alice,  Clara  and  Daisy.  Ern- 
est P.  married  Julia  Lovejoy  and  their  surviving  children  are  Byron  C, 
Ralph,  Clarence  and  Paul. 

Mr.  Dowse  was  married  (second)  in  1848,  to  Mrs.  Sarah  Dexter, 
widow  of  Jackson  Dexter,  and  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  There  was  one  son 
born  to  this  union,  Byron  C.  Mrs.  Dowse  died  Dec.  23.  1877,  aged  about 
sixty-one  years.  She  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr. 
Dowse  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  His  parents  and  his  grand- 
parents, John  and  Alice  (Doubleday)  Dowse,  all  belonged  to  the  Church  of 
England.  In  his  political  sentiment  Mr.  Dowse  is  a  Republican,  and  he  has 
served  a  number  of  terms  as  township  supervisor. 

Byron  C.  Dowse  was  born  and  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and 
he  is  the  oldest  continuous  resident  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township  who  has 
lived  where  he  was  born,  his  birth  having  taken  place  Jan.  16,  1849.  He 
was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  grew  up  to  be  a  practical  farmer. 
After  his  father  retired  he  took  possession  of  the  home  place  and  has  another 
farm  of  eighty  acres  in  the  township,  the  total  aggregate  being  260  acres. 
It  is  all  valuable  land,  and  under  Mr.  Dowse's  capable  management  is  one 
of  the  most  productive  properties  in  the  county. 

Byron  C.  Dowse  was  married  March  11,  1873,  to  Miss  IsaWla  B. 
Stewart,  daughter  of  John  and  Jeannette  (Ogston)  Stewart,  and  six  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them:  Ernest  R.,  John  C,  Carlton  A.,  Walter  S.,  Milton 
and  Richard.  The  only  one  yet  married  was  Ernest  R.,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-six  years,  leaving  a  widow,  formerly  Miss  Sarah  Lovejoy. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Byron  C.  Dowse  were  born  in  Scotland.  They 
came  to  America  in  1842  and  settled  in  Benton  township,  Lake  Co..  111., 
where  the  father  followed  farming  during  his  active  life,  and  died  on  his 
property  when  over  eighty  years  old.  His  wife  had  died  some  years  previ- 
ously. They  were  highly  respected  residents  of  the  community  in  which  they 
lived. 

Like  his  aged  father,  Mr.  Dowse  is  identified  with  the  Republican  party, 
and  he  has  served  in  township  offices,  having  been  on  numerous  occasions 
elected  supervisor  and  served  as  chairman  of  the  board.  Both  he  and  his 
father  have  seen  wonderful  changes  in  this  section  of  fair  Wisconsin  during 
their  residence  here,  and  both  have  done  their  full  share  in  the  educational 
and  material  development  of  this  part  of  Kenosha  county. 

FRED  PFISTER,  chief  of  police  of  Racine,  Wis.,  is  one  of  the  most 
popular  and  respected  citizens  of  that  city,  where  he  has  resided  since  1889. 
He  was  born  in  the  sister  State  of  Illinois,  in  the  city  of  Chicago.  April  27, 
1861,  one  of  the  most  memorable  years  in  our  country's  history.  His  parents, 
Philip  and  Emma  E.  Pfister,  were  born  in  Germany,  and  both  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  \outh  and  were  reared  to  maturity  in  Chicago,  where  they  were  mar- 
ried.    I'or  some  years  the  father  kept  a  boarding-house  in  Chicago.     He  died 


ISO  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

in  1865,  when  his  son  I'"red  was  small,  and  Airs.  Pfister  subseqnently  mar- 
ried (second)  Herman  Rudolph.  They  continued  to  live  in  Chicago  for 
some  years  and  then  removed  to  Germany,  accompanied  by  one  child,  Emma. 
Since  that  time  our  subject  has  lost  trace  of  his  mother  and  sister. 

Until  he  was  fourteen  years  old  Fred  Pfister  li\ed  in  Chicago,  obtain- 
ing an  excellent  education  in  the  public  schools.  In  1875  he  came  to  Wis- 
consin and  went  to  work  on  a  farm  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county,  mak- 
ing arrangements  by  which  he  could  work  by  the  month  and  also  attend 
school  during  the  winter  seasons.  On  the  farm  he  learned  to  make  butter 
and  cheese,  and  later  he  followed  that  business  for  three  years,  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  worked  Avith  a  threshing  machine  through  the  fall.  In  1889 
Mr.  Pfister  came  to  Racine  and  entered  into  the  employ  of  the  J.  I.  Case 
Threshing  Machine  Company,  remaining  there  two  years  and  then  accepting 
a  position  with  the  Badger  Electric  Light  Company,  when  they  were  putting 
the  new  line  in  Racine.  Later  he  worked  as  a  steam-fitter  for  a  New  York 
firm  and  assisted  in  putting  in  some  of  the  largest  plants  in  the  city. 

In  1892  Mr.  Pfister  was  appointed  a  special  policeman,  served  a  year, 
and  was  then  admitted  to  the  regular  force.  Then  he  resumed  work  as  a 
steamfitter  until  1895,  when  he  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff  under  Sheriff' 
Pugh,  serving  also  under  Sheriff'  Wagner.  He  then  to<3k  the  civil  service 
examination  and  w-as  again  appointed  on  the  police  force.  When  the  Span- 
ish-American war  broke  out  he  enlisted,  entering  Company  F,  ist  Wis.  V.  I., 
and  accompanied  his  regiment  to  Florida,  where  the  7th  Army  Corps  was 
stationed  at  that  time.  There  the  ist  Regiment  was  held  ready  for  em- 
barkation but  their  services  were  not  required,  peace  having  been  declared 
before  they  were  called  on  to  prove  their  gallantry. 

After  his  return  to  Racine,  Mr.  Pfister  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  soda  waer  until  1900,  when  he  was  appointed  chief  of  police,  succeeding  to 
the  position  over  twenty-eight  competitors.  Politically  Chief  Pfister  is  a 
Republican,  but  in  his  official  life  he  knows  no  party  distinction.  He  is  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  of  the  Uniform  Rank,  and  his 
Comrades  in  the  order,  in  recognition  of  the  personal  esteem  which  they  hold 
for  him  and  also  for  the  confidence  they  repose  in  his  fidelity  as  an  official, 
have  presented  him  a  beautiful  gold  badge  embossed  with  the  coat  of 
arms  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  which  he  is  proud  to  wear.  He  belongs  also 
to  the  Masons,  being  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  18.  Racine,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ; 
has  membership  in  Lodge  No.  252,  B.  P.  O.  Elks;  is  a  member  of  the 
Deutschen  Maennerverein  of  Racine  and  of  the  Bancroft  Spanish-American 
Post  of  Volunteers  of  Racine.  He  belongs  to  the  International  Association  of 
Chiefs  of  Police,  a  notable  organization. 

Chief  Pfister  has  l^een  a  resident  of  Kenosha  and  Racine  counties  for 
the  past  thirty  years  and  is  well  known  over  their  whole  extent.  He  stands 
very  high  in  public  esteem,  both  as  a  man  and  as  an  official. 

GOUTY  GUNDERSOX,  at  the  time  of  his  death.  March  16,  190.^. 
had  been  a  continuous  resident  of  Racine  county  for  sixty-three  years,  and 
was  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers  and  esteemed  citizens  of  Norway 
township,  owning  a  fine  homestead  of  220  acres,  in  Section  29.     He  was  a  na- 


C0MME:^I0RATIVE    biographical    record.  151 

tive  of  Xorway.  where  he  was  born  May  17,  1833,  a  son  of  Gmuler  Goute- 
son  and  Carohne  (Knutson)  Gouteson.  Their  three  children  who  reached 
maturity  were:  Gouty;  Swain,  who  Hves  in  Mihvaukee;  and  Margaret,  who 
is  the  wife  of  Christian  Benzene,  of  Norway  township. 

The  father,  who  was  a  farmer,  came  to  America  in  1837,  settled  for  a 
short  time  in  Illinois,  and  in  1842  purchased  about  two  hundred  acres  in 
Norway  township,  Racine  county,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
He  improved  the  land,  erected  buildings,  and  fashioned  the  entire  tract  into 
a  comfortable  homestead,  upon  which  he  reared  his  children  in  the  old-fash- 
ioned ways  of  industry,  economy  and  general  thrift.  At  one  time  he  was 
assessor  of  Norway  township.  He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  Iiis 
wife  passing  away  some  eight  years  before. 

Gouty  Gunderson  was  four  years  of  age  when  his  parents  brought  him 
to  America,  and  nine  years  old  when  the  family  settled  in  Racine  county. 
From  tliat  time  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  nearly  seventy-two  years,  Nor- 
way township  was  his  home.  As  a  farmer's  boy  he  lived  at  home  until  he 
had  reached  early  manhood,  wdien  his  father  presented  him  ninety  acres  of 
good  land  as  a  basis  for  an  independent  livelihood.  He  not  only  cultivated 
this  with  profitable  results,  but  added  to  it,  until  he  had  accumulated  and  im- 
proved 220  acres,  making  him  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  prosperous  land- 
owners in  the  township. 

On  May  26,  1855,  Mr.  Gunderson  married  :\Iiss  Betsy  ^^lathias,  daugh- 
ter of  Mathias  Knutson  and  Ellen  (Oleson)  Knutson.  Nine  children  were 
born  to  this  union.  Carrie.  Ellen,  Martin,  Mary  Ann.  Helena.  Edmund,  ^Mag- 
gie.  Oscar  and  Linnie.  Carrie,  who  is  unmarried,  lives  at  home.  Ellen  is 
the  wife  of  Bartholomew  Thronson,  of  Racine,  and  the  mother  of  Edjia  and 
Clarence.  Mary  Ann  married  .\lbert  Larson,  and  both  are  deceased.  Hel- 
ena, the  wife  of  Edward  Rolfson,  lives  near  Astoria.  S.  Dak.,  and  their  six 
children  are  Irene.  Mollie,  Lulu,  Roy,  Myrtle  and  Chester.  Edmund,  un- 
married, is  a  farmer  in  Norway  township,  and  his  sister  Maggie  is  his  house- 
keeper; the  latter  is  the  widow  of  Johnnie  Johnson,  and  has  one  child.  Hazel. 
Oscar  and  Linnie  remain  on  the  family  homestead. 

The  death  of  Gouty  Gunderson  occurred  March  16.  1905,  so  that  he  was 
within  two  months  of  being  seventy-two  years  of  age.  His  widow,  who  sur- 
vives, was  born  in  Norway  Oct.  2.  1835.  came  to  America  about  1846.  and 
was  married  in  Norway  township  in  1855.  She  is  a  Lutheran,  as  was  her 
husband,  and  proved  a  faithful  helpmate  to  her  prosperous  domestic  partner. 
Mr.  Gunderson  was  not  only  successful  financially,  but  served  as  supervisor 
and  treasurer  of  the  town  of  Norway,  and  was  honored  with  other  marks 
of  public  confidence  and  esteem. 

^Irs.  Gunderson's  parents  were  alsi^  nati\-es  of  Norway,  in  1846  coming 
to  America  with  their  children,  and  :\Ir.  Knutson's  father  and  mother,  and 
settling  in  Norway  township.  There  Mr.  Knutson  located  on  a  farm  of  120 
acres,  upon  which  he  passed  the  balance  of  his  life,  dying  about  1885.  His 
wife  survived  until  jSIay  29.  1904.  or  until  she  had  nearly  reached  the  ven- 
erable age  of  ninetv-three  years.  They  were  the  pareuts  of  six  children,  as 
follows:"  Betsy,  wife  of  Gouty  Gunderson;  Kate.  IMrs.  Hans  Elderson,  of 
Norway  township :  Maggie,  deceased,  wdio  was  the  wife  of  Jacob  Anderson ; 


152  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Kiiut  Mathias,  deceased ;  Annie,  who  married  Reuljen  Wait,  and  who  resides 
near  W'oonsocket,   S.   Dak.,  and  John,  deceased. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Gunderson  was  Knut  Bendick,  who 
in  1846  came  to  America  with  his  wife,  Maggie,  settHng  in  Norway  town- 
ship: there  he  died,  his  wife  passing  her  last  days  in  Portage  county,  Wis., 
and  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  She  was  the  mother  of  three  children. 
Ole  Oleson.  the  maternal  grandfather,  and  his  wife  Betsy,  died  in  Norway, 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  three  children. 

THOMAS  JEFFERSON  EMERSON,  one  of  Racine's  highly  esteemed 
retired  citizens,  who  makes  his  home  at  No.  842  Main  street,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  this  city  for  many  years,  during  which  time  he  has  championed  every 
movement  designed  to  promote  the  general  welfare,  has  supported  every  enter- 
prise for  the  public  good,  and  has  materially  aided  in  the  advancement  of  all 
social,  educational  and  moral  interests.  He  was  born  in  Booth  Bay, 
Maine,  Feb.  20,  1815.  son  of  William  and  Rhoda  (Brown)  Emerson,  the 
former  a  native  of  Salem,  Mass.,  and  the  latter  of  Booth  Bay,  Maine. 

The  founder  of  the  family  in  this  country  was  Thoams  Emerson  of  Ips- 
wich, Mass.,  who  came  to  this  country  from  England  in  1636.  The  Emer- 
sons  in  America  of  this  branch  were  scholars,  and  many  of  them  noted  for 
their  learning. 

Edward  Emerson,  the  grandfather  of  Thomas  Jefferson  Emerson,  was 
a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  a  brother  of  the  grandfather  of  Ralph  Waldo' 
Emerson.  Another  brother,  Joseph,  was  a  minister,  and  one  of  the  early  grad- 
uates of  Harvard  University.  Edward  Emerson  was  a  Revolutionary  sol- 
dier and  colonel  of  a  regiment  which  he  helped  to  raise.  After  the  Revolu- 
tion he  removed  to  Maine,  where  he  accumulated  considerable  property,  and 
at  his  death  left  several  good  farms  to  his  children.  He  died  when  upwards  of 
sixty  years  of  age,  and  was  buried  in  Booth  Bay,  Maine.  His  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Thompson,  was  of  Scotch  descent,  and  lived  to  be  upwards 
of  ninety  years  of  age. 

\\'illiam  Emerson  was  an  elder  in  the  Baptist  Church,  and  was  twice  elect- 
ed to  the  Legislature  of  Maine.  At  one  time  he  was  proposed  as  a  candidate 
for  the  United  States  Senate.  In  his  later  years  he  removed  to  Newcastle, 
Maine,  where  he  died  in  1850,  aged  seventy-three  years.  His  wife  survived 
him  one  year,  and  was  seventy-five  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  The 
boys  of  this  family  took  to  the  sea,  making  many  long  voyages,  and  Samuel 
traveled  to  the  West  Indies,  and  was  afterwards  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812. 
Of  the  ten  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Emerson,  our  subject  is  the  only  living 
child.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  John  Brown,  was  a  sea- 
captain,  who  married  in  the  West  Indies,  and  died  in  middle  life. 

Thomas  Jefiferson  Emerson  was  reared  in  Booth  Bay,  Maine,  and  re- 
mained on  the  farm  until  eighteen  or  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  then  starteid 
to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade  and  architecture.  Longing  for  a  1:)etter  educa- 
tion, as  soon  as  he  had  served  his  apprenticeship,  he  attended  a  seminary  for 
two  years,  and  then  entered  Bowdoin  College.  One  year  later  he  took  up  the 
study  of  law  with  John  S.  Abbott,  of  Puritan  stock,  and  regarded  as  one  of  the 
foremost  lawyers  of  Maine,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  under  Superior  Judge 


COAIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  153 

\\'estnn  in  1840.  He  then  gratified  a  desire  to  visit  the  West.  He  subsequently 
went  to  Chicago,  111.,  whence  he  traveled  down  the  Mississippi,  and  met 
Stephen  A.  Douglas  and  a  Mr.  Parker  near  Peoria,  but  did  not  find  an  agree- 
able place  to  locate.  Douglas  advised  to  him  to  go  to  Springfield,  but  as 
business  was  still  unsettled  from  the  panic  of  1837.  things  did  not  suit  Mr. 
Emerson  there,  and  he  was  consequently  advised  to  locate  in  Wisconsin.  He 
visited  ^Mineral  Point,  but  a  lawyer  by  the  name  of  Dunn  advised  him  to  go 
to  a  place  called  Snake  Hollow.  This  Mr.  Emerson  did,  and  there  opened  an 
office.  The  village  was  soon  afterward  organized,  and  the  name  changed  to 
Potosi  by  Mr.  Emerson.  He  was  elected  president  of  the  village  board,  and 
was  largely  instrumental  in  starting  various  business  enterprises  in  the  town. 
There  he  remained  three  years,  and  during  his  residence  there  was  married. 
His  wife,  however,  did  not  like  the  village,  and  Mr.  Emerson  consequentlv  vis- 
ited Milwaukee  and  Racine,  finally  concluding  to  locate  in  the  latter  place.  Here 
he  was  cordially  received  by  a  lawyer  named  Marshal  Strong,  to  whom  Mr. 
Emerson  had  letters.  His  first  client  in  Racine  was  a  man  from  the  East.' 
whom  he  met  at  the  hotel  at  which  he  was  stopping.  After  opening  his  office 
Mr.  Emerson  was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He  practiced  law  for  twelve 
years,  becoming  very  successful. 

By  this  time  Mr.  Emerson  had  accumulated  $30,000,  and  he  purchased 
7,000  acres  of  land,  just  above  Green  Bay,  before  it  had  been  surveved.  For 
this  land  Mr.  Emerson  paid  $2.50  per  acre,  and  he  later  sold  it  at  enough  of 
an  advance  to  cover  its  cost  and  the  amount  of  the  taxes  and  improvements.  On 
account  of  this  purchase  Mr.  Emerson  had  discontinued  the  practice  of  law, 
and  was  appointed  Internal  Revenue  Collector,  a  position  he  held  four  years, 
this  being  during  Lincoln's  administration.  He  later  erected  an  oil  mill  and 
built  up  a  large  business.  Since  that  time  ;\Ir.  Emerson  has  lived  retired  and 
looked  after  his  property  interests  here. 

On  May  20,  1843,  Mr.  Emerson  married  Miss  Eliza  Woodman,  daughter 
of  Joshua  and  Sallie  (Smith)  Woodman,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born 
these  children:  (i)  Helen  Edith  died  aged  twenty-six.  (2)  William  T..  born 
July  23.  1848,  died  Aug.  29,  1897.  He  had  grown  to  manhood  in  Racme,  had 
attended  the  public  schools  and  had  finished  the  freshman  year  at  the  Racine 
College  in  1867,  at  which  time  he  entered  the  sophomore  class  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Michigan,  taking  the  literary  and  scientific  course,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  1870.  Having  shown  great  proficiency  in  engineering,  he  was 
selected  by  the  Government  to  assist  in  the  coast  survey  of  the  Great  Lakes, 
and  such  was  his  success,  that  the  department  made  strong  efiforts  to  retain  hi's 
services.  He  declined,  however,  to  remain  in  the  Government's  employ,  but 
determined  to  follow  a  professioon,  and  consequently,  in  1871,  took  up  the 
study  of  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1873.  The  active  practice  of  law 
not  proving  quite  to  his  taste,  he  was  persuaded  by  his  father  to  assist  him  in 
the  management  of  the  Emerson  Linseed  Oil  Company.  This  position  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  until  his  death.  As  a  man  of  unquestionable  probity  and  sound 
judgment,  he  ranked  high,  and  success  in  those  enterprises  to  which  he  gave 
his  thought  and  personal  attention  seemed  assured  from  the  start.  (3)  Charles 
\\  .,  lives  at  home,  and  during  the  life  of  his  father's  oil  business  was  made 


154  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

treasurer,  a  position  he  held  for  twenty-five  years.  He  married  INIiss  Lucy 
Knight. 

The  founder  of  the  Woodman  family  in  America  came  from  England  in 
1632,  settling  in  New  Hampshire.  Mrs.  Emerson's  grandfather,  on  the  pa- 
ternal side,  was  Joshua  Woodman,  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  a  large 
farmer  of  that  State.  During  the  Revolution  he  was  captain  of  a  company 
which  he  had  raised.  He  married  Lois  Woodman,  and  died  aged  about  eighty 
years.  Joshua  Woodman,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Emerson,  was  also  a  farmer  of 
New  Hampshire,  and  he  and  his  wife  had  these  children:  Daniel  S.,  a  physi-, 
cian ;  Joshua,  a  merchant ;  Dana,  a  farmer  and  business  man ;  Sarah  and 
Lois,  both  deceased;  Susan,  also  deceased  (Mrs.  Nath.  Hart)  ;  and  Mrs.  Emer- 
son. Mrs.  Emerson  was  born-  Eeb.  14,  1810,  and  is  now  past  her  ninety-fifth 
year.  Although  having  attained  this  great  age  Mrs.  Emerson  attends  to  her 
needlework  and  other  household  duties  as  one  many  years  younger.  She  is  a 
lady  of  brilliant  attainments,  is  highly  educated  and  is  a  Latin,  Greek,  Italian, 
French  and  Spanish  scholar.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the  New  Hampton  Semi- 
nary, and  at  one  time  conducted  a  seminary  at  Parson  Field,  where  she  had 
classes  in  Spanish,  Italian  and  French. 

Mrs.  Emerson  is  a  Daughter  of  the  American  Revolution.  Mr.  Emerson 
has  always  been  a  constant  attendant  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  was  a 
trustee  for  forty  years.  He  is  a  man  of  estimable  character  and  pleasing  per- 
sonalitv,  and  has  many  friends  thniughout  the  county. 

HIRAM  NEWMAN,  a  very  highly  esteemed  citizen  of  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  Racine  county,  is  now  engaged  in  cultivating  the  soil  in  Section  12. 
He  was  born  in  Greene  county,  N.  Y.,  near  Coxsackie,  Sept.  9,  1831,  son  of 
Shubel  and  Affa  (Losie)  Newman,  natives  of  that  county,  and  is  the  only 
one  living  of  their  three  children. 

The  Newmans  were  originally  of  Connecticut  stock.  The  paternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  Aaron  Newman,  was  a  native  of  Greene  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  lived  in  the  village  of  Greenville,  where  he  followed  farming,  and 
died  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Thorn,  bore) 
him  a  large  family. 

On  the  maternal  side  our  subject  is  a  grandson  of  Hiram  Losie,  also  a 
farmer  of  Greene  county.  N.  Y.  He  died  in  middle  age,  while  his  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Affa  Deo,  and  was  of  French  descent,  lived  some 
years  after.     They  also  had  a  large  family. 

Shubel  Newman  followed  farming  in  New  York  State  nearlv  all  of  his 
life.  He  came  West  and  located  in  Chicago,  living  with  a  daughter  there 
initil  his  death,  in  1876,  wdien  sixty-eight  years  of  age:  his  first  wife  passed 
away  in  1840,  when  thirty  years  old.  Both  were  Baptists.  His  second  wife 
was  Ann  Losie,  sister  of  his  first,  and  of  the  three  children  born  to  the  second 
union  only  one  is  now  living,  Fidelia,  the  wife  of  Wallice  Jennings,  who 
makes  her  residence  in  Brooklyn,  New  York. 

Hiram  Newman  was  reared  in  Greene  county  on  his  father's  farm,  and 
attended  the  district  schools  and  Green's  Academy.  He  then  taught  school 
for  six  or  seven  years,  spending  four  years  thus  in  Nev.-  York,  one  year  in 
Ohio,  and  three  terms  in  Wisconsin.     He  came  to  the  latter  State  in   iS^v 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  155 

settling  in  the  western  part  of  Alt.  Pleasant  township,  taught  school  for  two 
winters,  and  then  went  to  farming,  purchasing  a  tract  of  forty  acres,  upon 
which  he  operated  for  six  years.  This  land  he  then  sold  and  purchased  160 
acres,  the  farm  upon  which  he  now  resides,  having  continued  to  live  on  this 
place  for  about  forty-five  years.  It  is  located  about  four  miles  from  the  post 
office  and  is  one  of  the  fine  farms  of  the  township,  being  well  improved  with 
substantial,  modern  farm  buildings,  and  well  supplied  with  modern  ma- 
chinery. 

In  March,  1857,  ^^^'-  Newman  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Gordon,  daugh- 
ter of  Roswell  and  Katie  (Stuart)  Gordon,  and  three  children  were  born  to 
this  union:  Ella  married  Robert  E.  Jones,  and  now  resides  in  Milwaukee; 
Miss  Emma,  who  lives  at  home,  has  followed  teaching  for  several  years ; 
Herbert,  who  is  now  deceased,  married  Mary  Perkins,  a  teacher,  of  Bur- 
lington, Wis. ;  Herbert  Newman  also  taught  for  some  years.  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
(Gordon)  Newman  died  in  1863,  aged  thirty-six  years.  She  was  a  Baptist. 
Mr.  Newman  was  married  (second)  in  January,  1864,  to  Miss  Hattie 
Ouackenbush,  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Nancy  (Dorn)  Quackenbush,  the 
former  of  whom  came  from  New  York  State  while  Wisconsin  was  a  terri- 
tory and  Southport  (now  Kenosha)  a  small  village.  There  were  no  rail- 
roads, the  trip  being  made  by  canal  and  the  Great  Lakes,  and  the  Ouacken- 
bushes  settled  in  Kenosha  county.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  QuackenbusJi  died 
when  comparatively  young,  he  when  fifty-one  and  she  when  forty-three. 
leaving  four  small  children.  Hattie,  who  was  the  oldest  daughter,  taught 
school  for  a  number  of  years  before  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Newman.  One 
daughter  was  born  to  this  marriage,  Marie,  who  married  Rev.  Clyde  Magee, 
a  Congregational  minister,  and  lives  at  Clinton  Junction.  She  is  a  graduate 
of  Racine  High  School  and  also  of  the  Northwestern  School  of  Oratory, 
and  Rev.  Mr.  Magee  is  a  graduate  of  Ann  Arbor  University  and  of  Chicago 
University. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newman  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  in  whicli 
he  is  serving  as  deacon.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  for  two  years 
was  chairman  of  the  town  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  also  serving  a  number  of  years  as 
supervisor.     In  the  early  days  he  served  the  town  as  superintendent. 

THOMAS  HAY,  a  prominent  contractor  and  builder  of  Racine.  Wis., 
residing  at  No.  13 14  Thurston  avenue,  was  born  in  Raymond  township.  Ra- 
cine county.  May  3.  1864.  son  of  John  and  Hannah  Bottomley  Brown 
Hay.  natives  of  England. 

Andrew  Hay.  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Alnwick. 
Northumberland,  England,  where  he  died.  The  maternal  grandfather  was 
Edwin  Bottomley,  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  who  came  from  that 
country  to  America  in  1842,  and  settled  in  the  town  of  Rochester.  Racine 
Co.,  Wis.,  engaging  in  farming.  He  died  there  Nov.  17.  1850.  aged  forty- 
one  years.  His  wife  was  Martha  (Jessup)  Bottomley.  and  they  had  a  fam- 
ily of  .seven  children,  as  follows:  Thomas.  Cecelia.  Ruth,  Selina,  Arminal, 
Mary  and  Hannah. 

John  Hay.  father  of  Thomas,  came  to  America  in  1843,  when  a  ynung 
man.  and  settled  in  the  town  of  RaynKmd.  where  he  purchased  a  farm  of  163 


156  'COMMEMORATR^E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

acres,  which  he  improved.  His  children  were  all  born  and  reared  there.  He 
died  Aug.  31.  1870.  on  tliis  farm,  aged  forty-six  years  and  five  months, 
while  his  wife  passed  away  Oct.  4.  1893.  aged  sixty-five  years.  Both  were 
originally  Bible  Christians,  and  later  Alethodists.  Of  their  ten  children,  six 
are  now  living :  Martha,  the  wife  of  William  Gooder,  of  Pleasant  Green, 
Kans. :  Jane,  the  wife  of  George  Ball,  of  Yorkville  township;  Margaret,  the 
wife  of  Mark  Foxwell,  of  Racine;  Thomas,  our  subject;  Henry  D.,  of  York- 
ville township ;  and  Alfred  E.,  of  St.  Ignace,  Mich.  Of  the  others,  Andrew 
died  May  i.  1894,  and  Edwin  in  October,  1899.  The  mother  of  this  family 
was  twice  married,  her  first  husband,  Mr.  Brown,  dying  of  typhoid  fever 
shortly  after  their  marriage. 

Thomas  Hay  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Raymond  township, 
and  lived  at  home  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  learn  the 
carpenter's  trade,  which  he  has  followed  ever  since.  For  the  past  fourteen 
years  he  has  done  contracting  and  building,  and  has  been  very  successful  in 
his  chosen  work.  He  came  to  Racine  in  1887.  and  here  he  has  since  resided. 
On  Dec.  25,  1889,  Mr.  Hay  was  married  to  Miss  Edith  G.  Skewes,  daughter 
of  Hannibal  and  Eliza  (Phillips)  Skewes,  and  four  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union :  Warren  Skewes,  Harrold  Phillips,  Cyril  Bottomley  and 
Thomas  Tamblyn.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hay  are  members  of  the  First  M.  E. 
Church,  of  which  he  is  a  steward.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Hay  were  natives  of  England,  and,  on  coming  to 
America  at  an  early  day,  settled  in  Yorkville,  Racine  Co..  \\'is.,  where  Mr. 
Skewes  engaged  in  farming  and  school  teaching.  He  still  lives  in  that  town- 
ship, while  his  wife  died  in  1903,  aged  sixty-three  years.  He  was  town  chair- 
man for  many  years.  Both  he  and  his  wife  joined  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  he  was  a  local  preacher.  They  had  two  daughters  and  three  sons : 
Edith  G..  the  wife  of  our  subject,  Edward,  Manly  T.,  Clinton  H.  and  Lil- 
lian A. 

JASON  LOTHROP,  a  real  estate  dealer  of  Kenosha,  who  has  been  a  res- 
ident of  the  locality  for  over  sixty  years,  is  probably  the  oldest  man  in  busi- 
ness in  the  city,  for  although  he  is  over  eighty-six  years  of  age  he  is  still  active 
in  the  real  estate  line  and  often  does  surveving.  He  was  born  in  Newport, 
Herkimer  Co.,  N.  Y..  Jan.  13,  1820,  son  of  Jason  and  Susan  (Judkins) 
Lothrop. 

Jason  Lothrop,  the  elder,  was  the  son  of  John  Lothrop,  a  Vermont  farmer, 
who  moved  to  Massachusetts,  where  the  son  was  born  in  1794.  His  mother 
was  a  native  of  Wales.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Lothrop  had  a  family  of  nine  sons 
and  four  daughters.  Jason  Lothrop  taught  school  in  New  Hampshire  in  his 
young  manhood,  but  afterward  became  a  Baptist  preacher,  and  followed  that 
vocation  until  a  few  years  before  his  death,  when  his  health  failed.  He  married 
Miss  Susan  Judkins.  born  in  Danbury,  N.  H.,  daughter  of  Obediah  Judkins, 
also  of  New  Hampshire,  who  was  a  descendant  in  the  seventh  generation  from 
John  Rogers,  the  English  martyr.  Susan  Judkins  was  one  of  three  children, 
two  daughters  and  one  son.  To  the  union  of  Jason  and  Susan  J.  Lothrop  were 
born  three  children:  Jason;  Susan  H..  Mrs.  Burr,  of  Kenosha;  and  Lucien, 
deceased. 


S^U>^-?n^  ^^pt^Piyi^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  157 

In  1835  Jason  Lothrop,  Sr.,  who  had  heen  residing  in  New  York  State 
for  some  years,  jomed  the  stream  of  pioneers  pouring  westward,  and  reaching 
Wisconsin  settled  on  the  present  location  of  Kenosha,  Aug.  15,  1835.  He  was 
accompanied  by  all  of  his  family,  except  the  elder  son.  At  that  date  there  were 
but  three  log  huts  in  the  vicinity,  known  then  as  Pike  River.  Mr.  Lothrop 
staked  off  a  claim  and  built  a  cabin  where  the  foundry  now  stands,  but  after 
a  year  there  he  moved  onto  a  farm  a  little  less  than  a  mile  distant.  After  some 
time  he  left  this  location  too,  and  took  a  farm  lying  along  the  Illinois  line.  His 
last  years  were  spent  in  the  town  of  Kenosha,  where  he  died  in  1870,  his  wire 
following  him  to  the  grave  two  years  later.  Mr.  Lothrop  at  one  time  filled  the 
office  of  county  surveyor. 

Jason  Lothrop,  son  of  Jason,  spent  most  of  his  boyhood  in  Oswego,  N.  Y., 
where  he  went  to  the  public  schools  until  lie  was  twelve  years  old,  and  after- 
ward he  attended  a  night  school.  In  the  latter  he  obtained  his  first  knowledge  of 
surveying.  When  his  father  went  West  he  remained  behind  until  1843,  m 
that  year  joining  the  family  in  Kenosha,  or  Southport,  as  it  was  then  called, 
where  he  did  contracting.  He  was  concerned  in  many  of  the  early  enterprises 
in  that  region,  built  the  first  side-wheel  dredge  on  the  Wisconsin  river,  as  w'ell 
as  the  first  crane  dredge  on  Lake  Michigan,  and  surveyed  the  first  lots  in 
Muskegon,  Mich.  Surveying  was  one  of  his  chief  occupations  for  many  years, 
and  one  which  he  has  never  entirely  given  up.  Another  work  of  which  he  had 
charge  was  the  building  of  a  lock  in  the  Fox  river,  at  Fort  Winnebago,  and 
to  his  other  interests  he  added  the  management  for  a  number  of  years  of  a 
furniture  store  in  Kenosha.  Throughout  his  life  he  has  displayed  a  tireless 
energy,  honesty  in  business  matters,  careful  foresight,  and  resourcefulness  of 
mind,  which  have  made  him  one  of  the  most  honored  and  respected  citizens  of 
Kenosha,  and  have  also  enabled  him  to  acquire  a  competence  which  more  than 
secures  his  comfort  in  his  old  age. 

In  1842  occurred  the  union  of  Jason  Lothrop  and  Miss  Jane  Burnside. 
Their  married  life  covered  a  period  of  forty-three  years,  Mrs.  Lothrop  dying 
in  1885.  She  was  an  Episcopalian  in  religious  belief.  The  issue  of  this  mar- 
riage was  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely :  Donna  Maria,  James- 
Eustace,  Jason,  Jr.,  Ida,  Charles  S.  and  Susie.  The  eldest  son,  James  Eustace 
Lothrop,  took  up  his  father's  business  of  building  dredges,  and  was  for  a  long 
time  employed  by  the  government.  He  died  Jan.  30,  1891.  leaving  a  wife, 
wliose  maiden  name  was  Martha  Cora  Patterson,  and  three  children :  Maud, 
who  married  George  Duvall,  a  general  merchant  of  Kewaunee.  Wis.,  and  has 
two  children,  Gladys  and  Clarence;  Frank,  traveling  passenger  agent  for  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  with  residence  at  Los  Angeles.  Cal. :  and 
Lotta  C.  who  married  James  Millar,  prominent  in  the  real  estate,  insurance 
and  loan  business,  and  has  two  children,  Marjorie  and  David.  Mrs.  Martha 
Cora  Lothrop  resides  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Millar.  Jason  Lothrop,  Jr., 
was  for  many  years  a  sub-marine  blaster,  and  was  killed  while  at  work 
through  the  carelessness  of  a  helper;  he  married  Miss  Ada  Parsons.  Charles 
S.  Lothrop  is  a  conductor  on  the  St.  Paul  railroad,  and  holds  the  office  of 
vice-president  in  the  Conductors'  and  Engineers'  Association;  he  married  a 
Mrs.  Mills.  Susie  was  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Kenosha  in  1877 
and  1878.  and  died  Sept.   19,   1878,  one  month  before  completing  her  nine- 


158  CO:\niEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

teenth  year.  'Sir.  Luthrui)  has  recently  arranged  tu  have  a  pipe  organ  placed  in 
Henry  AI.  Simmons  Memorial  Church  of  Kenosha  as  a  memorial  of  this 
daughter.     The  other  two  children  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Lothrop's  political  ideas  have  been  subject  to  de\elopment.  In  liis 
early  days  he  was  a  Whig;  afterward  he  was  a  Free  Soiler,  but  since  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Republican  party  he  has  adhered  to  its  principles.  Early  in 
the  forties  he  was  made  county  surveyor,  and  with  the  exception  of  two 
terms  filled  that  ofifice  continuously  up  to  a  few  years  ago.  Mr.  Lothrop  has 
seen  Kenosha  develop  almost  from  its  very  beginning,  and  has  always  had 
great  faith  in  its  future.  He  is  considered  one  of  the  best  authorities  living 
on  the  early  history  of  Kenosha  county,  for  his  accurate  memory  still  remains 
unimpaired.  An  instance  of  his  natural  power  in  this  line  is  the  fact  that 
while  Mr.  Lothrop  was  but  six  years  old  when  he  began  the  study  of  Hebrew 
and  Greek,  and  never  continued  those  branches  in  his  maturer  years,  he  has 
still  a  considerable  vocabulary  in  toth  languages.  He  is  still  an  active,  ener- 
getic man  in  spite  of  his  years.     He  has  four  great-grandchildren. 

Mrs.  Susan  H.  (Lothrop)  Burr,  a  sister  of  Jason  Lothrop,  is  an  older 
pioneer  even  than  her  brother  in  point  of  residence,  for  she  preceded  him  to 
Kenosha  county  by  eight  years,  being  about  eleven  years  of  age  when  her 
father  moved  there  in  1835.  Seven  years  later  she  returned  to  Oswego,  N. 
Y.,  her  old  home,  where  she  remained  until  after  her  marriage,  Sept.  20,  i860, 
to  David  B.  Burr.  They  settled  in  Oneida  county,  X.  Y.,  where  Mr.  Burr 
died  seven  years  afterward,  leaving  three  children,  namely :  Edwin  B.  and 
William  G.,  who  have  a  large  plumbing  establishment  in  Kenosha ;  and  Rob- 
ert H.,  a  dealer  in  commutation  railroad  tickets,  now  residing  in  Pasadena, 
Cal.  The  last  named  married  Miss  Eva  Thomas,  and  has  four  children, 
Florence,  Jessie.  Frank  and  Irene.  After  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Burr 
remained  in  the  East  for  some  time,  in  1886  returning  permanently  to  Ke- 
nosha. 

Mrs.  Burr  wields  a  facile  pen,  and  a  few  years  ago  prepared  a  paper 
which  she  read  before  the  Ladies'  Society  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Kenosha, 
on  reminiscences  of  pioneer  life  in  Kenosha  county,  which  proved  her  rare 
ability  as  a  writer.  She  recently  celebrated  her  eightieth  birthday,  but  is  still 
cjuite  vigorous  for  one  of  her  age,  although  she  had  the  misfortune  to  have 
one  of  her  arms  dislocated  some  time  ago,  and  has  lost  the  use  of  it  as  it  was 
never  properly  set.  But  her  mind  is  clear,  her  memory  good,  and  she  is  a 
woman  of  fine  conversational  powers,  being  a  great  reader  and  possessing  an 
unusually  large  vocabulary.  Her  recollections  of  the  trials  and  hardships  of 
the  pioneer  days  of  the  county  would  make  an  interesting  chapter,  portray- 
ing as  well  the  joys  and  pleasures  and  strong  friendships  of  those  early  times, 
while  she  has  a  charm  of  manner  in  relating  these  things  that  captivates  the 
listener. 

FRANCIS  COX.  Among  the  prominent  and  influential  citizens  of  Ra- 
cine county,  Wis.,  may  be  mentioned  Francis  Cox,  who  is  carrying  on  agri- 
cultural operations  in  Section  15,  Dover  township.  His  birth  occurred  in 
Dover  township.  May  11,  1846,  and  he  is  a  son  of  Francis  and  Rose  (Xolan) 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  159 

Cox,  natives  of  Ireland,  the  former  of  County  Fermanagh,  and  the  latter  of 
County  Tyrone. 

Francis  Cox"s  paternal  grandfather  was  also  a  native  of  Ireland,  where 
he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife  was  Margaret  Higgins.  The  maternal 
grandfather  died  in  his  native  country,  Ireland,  in  his  youth.  He  and  his  wife 
had  five  children,  all  of  whom  are  now  deceased. 

Francis  Cox,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  farmer  in  his  native  coun- 
try, and  on  coming  to  America  first  settled  in  New  Jersey,  whence  he  re- 
moved in  1841  to  Wisconsin,  locating  in  Dover  township,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  and  added  to  this  tract  from  time  to  time  until 
he  at  length  owned  360  acres.  The  homestead  was  situated  in  Section  15, 
and  here  Mr.  Cox  lived  until  his  death,  in  May,  1865,  aged  fifty-six  years. 
His  widow  survived  him  until  May,  1874,  passing  away  when  sixty-three 
years  old.  Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  They  had  six  children : 
James,  deceased:  Ellen,  the  wife  of  Philip  McManus,  of  Dover  township; 
John  H.,  of  Dover  township;  Margaret,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of 
Charles  McManus,  of  Dover  township;  Ann  Jane,  of  Racine;  and  Francis. 

Francis  Cox  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Dover  town- 
ship, where  he  has  passed  his  whole  life.  After  his  fathers  death  he  operated 
the  home  farm,  and  now  owns  the  original  homestead,  consisting-  of  160 
acres,  having  divided  160  acres  between  his  sons  James  Stephen  and  Francis 
W.  In  1868  Mr.  Cox  married  Miss  Julia  McManus,  daughter  of  Hugh  and 
Ann  (Welch)  McManus,  and  ten  children  were  born  to  this  union:  James 
Stephen,  Francis  W.,  Hugh,  Philip  John,  Charles  Thomas,  Mary  Ann,  X^elia 
Jane,  Catherine  Ellen,  Peter  Edward  and  Eugene  Oswald.  James  Stephen 
married  Mary  L.  Gorman,  and  they  have  two  children,  Verna  Marv,  and 
Leta  Catherine.  Francis  W.  married  Margaret  E.  Quirk;  Hugh  was  killed 
by  the  cars  in  1902,  when  twenty-eight  years  old.  Philip  John  was  in  the 
laundry  business  in  Chicago  for  some  time,  and  also  followed  school  teach- 
ing. Charles  Thomas,  a  telegraph  operator  at  Zenda,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis., 
married  Florence  Earl.  Mary  Ann  is  at  home.  Celia  Jane  died  aged  eight 
years.  Catherine  Ellen  and  Peter  Edward  are  at  home.  Eugene  Oswald 
died  when  aljout  four    years  of  age. 

Mrs.  Cox  died  June  i,  1897,  aged  forty-eight  years.  She  was  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  to  which  Mr.  Cox  also  adheres.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  was  township  chairman  several  years,  town- 
ship assessor  four  years,  and  clerk  for  some  time.  He  is  president  of  the 
Dover  and  Norway  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company. 

HIRAM  RITTER,  one  of  the  substantial  business  men  and  representa- 
tive citizens  of  Racine,  Wis.,  carries  on  an  extensive  merchant  tailoring  busi- 
ness at  No.  322  Main  street.  He  was  born  in  Nodtfelden,  Germany,  Ivlay  22, 
1833.  son  of  Dietrich  and  Katherine   (Fricke)   Ritter,  natives  of  Germany. 

Dietrich  Ritter  was  a  tailor  and  and  musician,  and  his  death  occurred  in 
Germany  in  1846,  when  he  was  aged  fifty-two  years.  He  was  a  soldier  in 
the  regular  army.  He  and  his  wife  were  of  the  Lutheran  faith.  Thev  had 
three  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  of  these  children  those  who  are  living 


i6o  COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

are:  William,  of  r^linnesota ;  Katrina,  wife  of  John  Miller,  of  Minnesota; 
and  Hiram. 

Hiram  Ritter  resided  in  Germany  until  his  nineteenth  year.  There  he 
attended  the  schools  and  when  twelve  years  old  began  to  learn  the  tailoring 
trade.  In  1852  he  came  to  America,  settling  in  Galveston,  Texas,  where  he 
remained  for  nearly  a  year,  then  coming  to  Racine,  Wis.,  where  he  has  lived 
ever  since,  and  where  he  has  been  very  successful  in  business.  In  1863  he 
opened  a  shop,  in  partnership  with  John  Peil  and  Charles  Schmeiser,  the  firm 
name  being  Ritter,  Peil  &  Schmeiser,  and  as  such  it  continued  until  1874, 
when  Messrs.  Ritter  and  Schmeiser  bought  out  Mr.  Peil's  interest,  and  con- 
tinued together  until  1888,  in  which  year  Mr.  Ritter  bought  out  Mr. 
Schmeiser.  He  continued  the  business  alone  until  1894,  when  he  admitted 
his  son.  Jerome,  as  a  partner,  and  the  firm  has  since  been  Ritter  &  Son. 

In  1864  Mr.  Ritter  married  Miss  Fredricka  Wilhelmsen,  daughter  of 
Conrad  and  Charlotte  (Schrager)  Wilhelmsen,  of  An  Hargen,  Hanover. 
Four  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ritter,  as  follows :  Matilda,  at 
home ;  William,  deceased,  who  married  Callie  Cable,  and  had  one  child, 
Florence;  Louise,  a  stenographer  of  Chicago,  and  Jerome,  with  his  father  in 
the  tailoring  business,  and  married  to  Amelia  Keiser.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ritter 
and  their  family  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Mr.  Ritter  belonged 
to  the  Wisconsin  State  militia  in  the  early  days,  and  was  a  musician  under 
Captain  Wustum.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  In  1862  he  enlisted  in  the 
Civil  war,  but  was  rejected  because  he  was  not  considered  strong  enough 
to  undergo  the  hardships  of  the  service.  Mr.  Ritter  resides  in  his  residence 
at  No.  1 1 1 5  Grand  avenue. 

ELMER  ALEXANDER  MAXWELL,  a  prominent  farmer  of  Somers 
township,  Kenosha  county,  Wis.,  residing  on  a  large  estate  located  in  Sections 
33  and  34,  was  born  June  6.  1865.  in  that  township,  the  only  child  of  Hon. 
\\' alter  S.  and  Anna  A.  (Robinson)  Maxwell. 

Alexander  Maxwell,  father  of  W'alter  S.  Maxwell,  was  born  Jan.  24, 
1809.  in  Washington  county,  N.  Y.,  a  son  of  Walter  Maxwell,  who  was  born 
in  Scotland  and  was  a  very  early  pioneer  in  Washington  county.  He  mar- 
ried Jean  Alexander,  a  native  of  Glasgow,  Scotland,  who  accompanied  her 
father,  Robert  Alexander,  to  New  York  when  she  was  but  ten  years  old.  There 
Alexander  Maxwell  was  born  and  lived,  after  his  marriage  purchasing  the 
interest  of  the  other  heirs  and  succeeding  to  the  ownership  of  the  homestead. 
There  were  six  sons  and  four  daughters  in  the  family  of  Alexander 
Maxwell.  Walter  S.  being  the  third  child.  Five  of  the  sons  were 
stanch  Republicans.  Robert  A.  being  the  only  one  to  embrace  the  doctrines  of 
the  Democratic  party.  He  resides  at  Batavia.  N.  Y..  and  in  1895  was  elected 
fourth  assistant  postmaster-general. 

Hon.  Walter  S.  Maxwell  was  born  Sept.  12.  1836,  in  Washington 
county.  N.  Y.,  and  ahvays  followed  agricultural  life.  His  boyhood  was  spent 
on  his  father's  farm,  and  his  education  was  liberal  for  his  time,  including  a 
period  of  attendance  at  the  State  Normal  School,  after  which  he  engaged  for 
a  time  in  teaching.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  unmarried,  in  1850.  and  worked 
for  several  years  by  the  month,  providently  saving  his  wages  until  he  was  able 


^  /M^  --^^ 


(5.  ?f.  AC^-^L^u.^^ 


COAOIEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  i6i 

to  buy  land,  to  which  he  added  until  he  owned  310  acres  in  Somers  township, 
Kenosha  county.  He  died  at  Superior,  Wis.,  Aug.  17,  1S95,  when  past 
fifty-eight  years  of  age.  He  was  a  consistent  maiiber  of  the  Congregational 
Church.  Dvu'ing  the  many  years  which  Mr.  Maxwell  passed  in  Kenosha 
county  he  gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  a  large  number  of  his  fellow- 
citizens.  After  coming  to  this  state  besides  farming,  he  devoted  himself  to 
operating  a  stone  cjuarry  for  some  years,  at  Superior,  Wis.,  owned  by  the 
Arcadian  Stone  Company,  of  which  he  was  manager  as  well  as  treasurer. 
He  became  a  very  prominent  factor  in  political  life,  and  at  various  times  filled 
offices  of  great  responsibility.  In  i860  he  cast  his  first  vote  for  President  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  and  continued  to  affiliate  with  the  Republican  party  until 
his  decease.  For  ten  consecutive  years  he  served  as  supervisor  of  the  town 
board  of  Somers  township,  was  elected  its  chairman  one  year,  and  for  one 
year  was  chairman  of  the  county  board.  In  1877  he  was  elected  to  the  State 
Legislature,  and  so  completely  did  he  perform  the  duties  of  that  office  that 
in  1 88 1  he  was  re-elected,  and  again  w-as  honored  in  1883.  Durnig  this  period 
he  served  as  chairman  of  the  Educational  Committee  and  was  a  member  of 
many  other  important  committees.  In  1884  Mr.  Maxwell  was  elected  to  the 
State  Senate,  where  he  served  for  four  years  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  his 
district,  earning  the  commendation  of  his  contemporaries  of  his  own  and  the 
opposite  party  on  account  of  the  honesty  of  his  public  actions.  In  every  emer- 
gency of  both  public  and  private  life  his  friends  and  his  fellow-citizens  knew 
just  where  to  find  him,  and  the  attachments  both  of  a  public  and  a  personal 
nature  were  many  and  close. 

Mr.  Maxwell  was  thrice  married,  first  to  Anna  A.  Robinson,  of  Easton, 
Washington  Co.,  N.  Y.,  who  died  in  1874.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church.  Mr.  Maxw-ell's  second  marriage  was  to  Anna  A.  Green- 
baum,  a  native -of  Connecticut,  who  lived  but  two  years  afterward;  his  third 
wife  was  Cornelia  McLean,  of  W^ashington  county,  New  York. 

Elmer  Alexander  Maxwell  has  spent  his  life  mainly  on  the  home  farm 
in  Section  34,  Somers  township.  His  education  was  secured  in  the  district 
schools,  in  the  Kenosha  high  school  and  also  in  a  commercial  college  at  Osh- 
kosh.  He  was  married  Nov.  22,  1893,  to  Miss  Fannie  Caborn,  daughter  of 
Richard  and  Mary  (Carter)  Caborn,  and  they  have  had  five  children,  viz.: 
Elsie,  Walter,  Levergne,  Jean,  and  one  that  died  in  infancy. 

Richard  Caborn,  father  of  Mrs.  Maxwell,  was  born  in  England,  and  came 
to  America  with  his  father  when  a  boy  of  twelve  years,  growing  to  manhood 
in  Racine  county,  where  he  married.  He  was  a  soldier  during  the  Civil  war 
and  died  at  the  Soldiers'  Home  in  Milwaukee.  His  wife  died  in  1892,  aged 
fifty-six  years.  They  had  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  namely :  William. 
of  Colorado ;  Martha  Ann,  wife  of  Frank  Pounder,  of  Delavan.  Wis. :  Le- 
vergne, of  Ipswich,  S.  Dak.;  Charles,  of  the  above  place;  Fannie,  wife  of 
Mr.  Maxw^ell,  and  Roy,  of  Assiniboia,  Canada.  John  Caborn.  the  paternal 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Maxwell,  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Racine 
county  and  died  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  in  old  age.  He  was  twice  married. 
Her  maternal  grandfather  was  Mason  Carter,  a  native  of  New  York,  a  farmer 
by  occupation.    He  came  to  W^isconsin  in  its  early  days  of  settlement  and  died 


i62  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

at  Darien,  Wis.,  when  over  eighty  years  of  age.     He  married  Ehza  AlcLean, 
\viio  also  H\'Cil  to  advanced  age. 

Pohtically  Mr.  Maxwell  is  a  Repnl)lic;in,  hnt  he  has  not  been  willing  to 
accept  political  honors,  choosing  rather  to  gi\e  his  attention  to  the  further  de- 
velopment of  his  fine  farm,  one  of  the  best  in  the  township.  He  is,  howexer, 
a  good  citizen,  and  is  always  to  be  counted  on  to  forward  progressive  niove- 
inents  looking  to  the  general  welfare  of  the  neighborhood.  Fraternally  he 
belongs  to  the  order  of  Modern  \\'oodmen  of  America.  Mrs.  Maxwell  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  to  which  Air.  Maxwell  liberally  contributes. 

HENRY  C.  \VILLL\MS,  who  was  born  in  Yorkville  township,  Racine 
•county,  Sept.  i,  1848,  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  region  and  has  perhaps  a 
wider  personal  acquaintance  throughout  that  section  than  any  other  one  man, 
"while  his  genial  disposition  has  won  him  everywhere  a  popularity  most  flat- 
tering. His  public  spirit  has  added  to  this  and  made  his  position  yet  more 
assured,  for  his  fellow-citizens  have  been  quick  to  perceive  and  realize  how 
many  enterprises  looking  toward  the  general  prosperity  have  been  promoted 
by  Mr.  Williams,  the  several  public  positions  he  has  filled  having  all  been 
used  as  opportunities  to  further  the  improx'ement  and  development  of  the 
region. 

Air.  Williams  is  the  son  of  John  and  Elizalieth  (Ivy)  Williams,  and  on 
toth  sides  is  of  English  descent.  The  paternal  grandfather,  Henry  Williams, 
a  farmer,  died  in  the  old  country,  when  advanced  in  years.  The  maternal 
grandfather  lived  on  a  farm  in  Cornwall,  where  he  raised  his  family,  and 
where  he  died  in  old  age :  the  maiden  name  of  his  wife  was  Burrall.  Several 
of  their  sons  were  seafaring  men,  and  two  of  their  grandsons  were  officers 
in  the  British  navy. 

John  ^^"illiams  was  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser  and  came  to  Wisconsin  in 
1842.  He  settled  first  in  Southport,  now  Kenosha,  but  about  1842  moved 
into  Yorkville  township,  Racine  county,  where  he  took  up  eighty  acres  of 
Government  land,  adding  to  it  until  he  owned  295  acres.  He  brought  up  his 
family  there  and  made  it  his  home  until  his  death,  in  1878,  at  the  age  of 
.seventy-three  years.  His  wife  died  in  1873,  aged  sixty-three.  Both  were 
members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Four  children  composed  their  family. 
viz.:  Elizabeth,  deceased  wife  of  Thomas  Jones;  Thomas  I.,  of  Chicago; 
Eliza,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twentv-two  vears;  and  Henrv  C.  of  Union 
Croxe. 

Henry  C.  ^^'illiams  was  raised  in  Yorkville  township,  on  his  father's 
farm,  now  his  own  property,  and  was  educated  in  the  district  schools.  He 
also  has  another  farm  in  Yorkville  township,  at  present  owning  205  acres. 
He  lived  on  the  old  place  till  1884,  when  he  built  on  the  second  farm  a  hand- 
some residence  and  other  buildings,  and  now  has  one  of  the  finest  improved 
farms  in  the  township.  In  1894  he  rented  his  farm,  moved  into  the  village 
of  Union  Grove  and  establi.shed  his  present  mercantile  business.  He  had 
been  employed  in  the  same  line  for  other  people  in  his  younger  days  and  bad 
thus  acquired  an  experience  which  was  of  much  help  in  his  later  venture,  and 
which  laid  the  foundation  for  his  success.  He  does  a  large  business  in  agri- 
cultural implements  and  seeds. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  163 

Mr.  Williams,  who  is  a  strong  Democrat,  has  been  actively  connected 
with  politics  since  early  manhood,  his  first  office  being  that  of  justice  of  the 
peace,  for  whicii  he  was  chosen  at  the  age  of  twenty-two.  He  served  as 
supervisor  of  the  town  of  Yorkville  for  eleven  years  and  has  been  a  village 
trustee  for  Union  Grove  for  five  years.  He  was  one  of  the  county  board 
of  supervisors  for  three  years  and  tor  the  past  eight  years  has  held  the  oftice 
of  jury  commissioner,  a  record  that  abundantly  testifies  to  the  confidence  in 
him  felt  by  his  fellow  townsmen.  He  has  also  been  prominently  identified 
w  ith  many  of  the  business  enterprises  of  the  town  in  which  he  resides,  being 
a  stockholder  in  the  State  Bank  of  Union  Grove,  in  the  Union  Grove  Land 
and  Improvement  Company  and  in  the  Union  Grove  and  North  Cape  Tele- 
phone Company.  Mr.  Williams  has  in  the  truest  sense  grown  up  with  the 
country  and  has  both  aided  in  its  development  and  shared  in  the  attendant 
prosperity.     He  is  an  active  member  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Society. 

Mr.  Williams  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  union,  which  occurred 
Nov.  28,  1 87 1,  was  to  Miss  Adelia  M.  Lawrence,  daughter  of  Juda  Al.  and 
Janet  (Thompson)  Lawrence.  Six  children  were  born  to  that  union,  \iz. : 
Janet  Elizabeth,  a  milliner  in  Union  Grove;  Rock  Oscar,  who  died  when  four 
years  old ;  Maud  Alma,  a  school  teacher  at  Ives  Grove ;  and  three  that  died 
in  infancy.  Mrs.  Adelia  M.  Williams  died  in  1888,  aged  thirty-eight  years. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Her  parents  were  natives  of 
New  York  State,  the  father  born  of  English  parents  and  the  mother  of  Scotch. 
They  had  twelve  children.  Her  paternal  grandfather  was  named  Joseph 
Lawrence. 

Mr.  Williams'  second  marriage  took  place  June  12,  1895,  to  Mrs.  Naomi 
F.  Phillips,  widow  of  James  Phillips,  and  daughter  of  Oscar  J.  Stilhvell  and 
Hester  Ann  (Werner)  Stilhvell.  The  Stillwells  were  natives  of  New  York 
State,  who  were  very  early  settlers  in  Wisconsin,  and  now  live  in  Sparta,  \\'is. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war.  Mrs.  Williams  is  a  member  of  the  'SI.  E. 
Church,  but  her  husband  is  not  identified  with  any  denomination. 

CHRISTIAN  ANDREWSON,  postmaster  at  North  Cape.  Wis.,  and 
one  of  the  enterprising  merchants  of  Norway  township,  Racine  county,  is  a 
native  of  Norway,  born  near  Gjovik  Aug.  2,  1858,  son  of  Andrew  Johansen 
and  Tonetta  Christianson.  natives  of  that  country.  The  father  was  a  shoe- 
maker of  near  Gjovik,  where  he  still  resides,  as  does  the  mother.  They  are 
members  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  the  parents  of  the  following  chiklren: 
John,  of  Forest  City,  Iowa ;  Carrie,  the  w'idow  of  Olans  Andreson,  of  Chris- 
tiania.  Norway;  Christian,  of  North  Cape,  Wis.,  Olianna,  wife  of  Jacob 
Sveum,  of  Norway;  Augnetta,  wife  of  Lars  Norby,  of  Gjovik,  Norway; 
and  Adolph,  of  North  Cape,  Wisconsin. 

Christian  Andrewson  lived  in  Norway  until  twenty-two  years  of  age 
and  there  received  a  common  school  education.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years 
he  began  learning  the  shoemaker's  trade,  which  he  followed  until  1895.  He 
came  to  America  in  1880.  and  settled  at  North  Cape,  where  he  began  work- 
ing at  his  trade,  but  in  189.S  he  established  the  general  merchandise  business 
in  North  Cape  which  he  still  continues.  For  some  years  lie  also  sold  boots 
and    shoes    in    connection    with    manufacturing    them,    and    likewise    did    an 


1 64  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

extensive   carriage   business.      Ele  has   been   postmaster   at   North   Cape   for 
seven  years. 

On  Sept.  12,  1885,  Mr.  Andrewson  married  Miss  Bessie  Anderson, 
daughter  of  Anders  Johnson,  a  native  of  Sweden,  and  his  wife  Carrie.  Eour 
chikh-en  were  born  to  this  union :  Clara,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen 
years,  ten  months ;  Alfred ;  Amanda  Christina,  and  Bessie  Amelia.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Andrewson  are  members  of  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  Church,  and  he 
has  been  church  trustee  for  the  past  nine  years,  and  is  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  School.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and  the 
L'nited  Order  of  Foresters.     Politically  he  is  a  Repulilican. 

WALTER  B.  BIRD,  of  Dover  tov.-nship.  Racine  Co..  Wis.,  whose  fine 
farms  are  located  in  Sections  2  and  13,  was  born  on  his  present  homestead 
Dec.  18,  1856,  son  of  William  and  Catherine  (Brice)  Bird,  the  former  of 
whom  was  licjrn  near  Montreal,  Canada,  and  the  latter  in  Glasgow.  Scotland. 

James  Bird,  the  grandfather  of  Walter  B.,  was  a  native  of  Scotland. 
He  and  his  wife  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters.  On  the  maternal  side  !Mr. 
Bird's  grandfather,  John  Brice,  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  where  he  died. 
After  his  death  Mrs.  Brice  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Dover  township, 
w'here,  after  a  residence  of  over  fifty  years,  she  died,  aged  ninety-nine  years 
and  nine  months.  She  and  her  husband  had  four  children,  and  Mr.  Brice 
had  two  children  by  a  former  marriage. 

Both  W^illiam  Bird  and  his  wife  were  early  settlers  in  Dover  township, 
and  Mr.  Bird  on  arriving  here  worked  several  years  at  carpentering  and 
farming.  In  1852  he  went  to  California,  via  the  Isthmus,  and  abouti854, 
returning  to  Dover  township,  purchased  120  acres  of  land,  to  which  he  added 
160  acres  near  Beaumont,  where  he  made  his  home.  He  died  there  Jan.  14, 
1905,  aged  eighty-two  years.  His  wife  had  passed  away  Feb.  3,  1900,  aged 
eighty  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  old  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  Bird  was 
drafted  in  the  Civil  war,  but  managed  to  get  a  substitute.  Two  children  were 
born  to  them,  Walter  B.  and  William  J.  The  latter,  born  July  6,  1859.  died 
at  Fisher's  Landing,  Minn.,  aged  twenty-three  years. 

Walter  B.  Bird  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm  which  his  father  settled 
in  Section  2,  Dover  township.  He  attended  the  district  school  and  remained 
at  home  until  April,  1903,  when  he  removed  to  his  farm  in  Section  13,  which 
contains  200  acres.  Here  he  remained  until  April  13,  1906,  when  he  returned 
to  his  old  homestead,  and  at  the  present  time  is  operating  both  farms,  which 
comprise  480  acres,  all  under  cultivation.  He  raises  and  also  deals  in  cat- 
tle, at  present  having  about  ninety  head  of  fine-bred  beef  cattle. 

On  April  15,  1903,  Mr.  Bird  married  Miss  Margaret  Ann  McCourt 
daughter  of  James  and  Margaret  Ann  (Whalen)  McCourt,  and  one  son 
has  been  born  to  this  union,  James  William.  Mrs.  Bird  is  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  Church.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  ^Masons,  and  politi- 
cally he  is  a  Republican. 

James  McCourt,  father  of  Mrs.  Bird,  was  liorn  in  Canada,  and  his  wife, 
Margaret  Ann  Whalen,  in  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  whence  her  parents  in  an 
early  day  came  to  Racine  county,  and  engaged  in  farming  in  Dover  township. 
There  they  lived  on  Section  28,  with  three  of  their  children.     Mr.  and  Mrs. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  165 

McCourt  had  a  family  of  eight  suns  and  th.ree  daughters:  Margaret  Ann, 
Mrs.  Bird;  Frank;  Mary  Susannah  Ahce,  wife  of  John  Morrow;  James  Ar- 
thur; Gilbert  McCauley,  deceased;  John  Michael;  William  Albert;  Edward 
Eugene;  Catherine  Elizabeth;  Charles  Leonard;  and  George  Rupert.  James 
McCourt,  the  father,  has  served  as  town  assessor  and  town  treasurer.  Mrs. 
Bird's  paternal  grandfather,  Frank  McCourt,  came  from  Canada  to  Wis- 
consin among  the  pioneers,  and  died  soon  afterward  in  middle  life.  His  wife 
w-as  Susannah  McCauley,  and  they  had  seven  children. 

Patrick  Whalen,  Mrs.  Bird's  maternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Ire- 
land. He  came  to  America  and  lived  in  the  East  a  number  of  years,  but 
about  1855,  with  his  wife  Bridget  (Hickey)  and  four  children,  came  to  Wis- 
consin and  settled  in  Dover  township.  He  purchased  a  farm  and  died  there, 
aged  about  eighty  years. 

CHARLES  McMANUS.  an  honored  and  well-known  retired  farmer  of 
Dover  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  followed  the  pursuits  of  an  agricultur- 
ist from  boyhood  until  1905.  He  is  now  the  possessor  of  a  line  120-acre 
tract  situated  on  Section  13,  Dover  township.  Mr.  McManus  was  born  near 
Montreal,  Canada,  Dec.  16.  1833,  son  of  Flugh  and  Ann  (Welch)  McManus, 
natives  of  Ireland,  the  former  of  County  Cavan  and  the  latter  from  Kil- 
kenny. 

Charles  McManus,  grandfather  of  Charles,  was  a  native  of  County 
Cavan,  where  he  died  in  middle  life.  He  and  his  wife  lived  to  advanced  age. 
They  had  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  Two  of  the  sons,  James  and  Philip, 
died  in  Albany,  New  York. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Kerron  Welch,  a  native 
of  County  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  who  died  in  his  native  country.  He  followed 
farming  all  of  his  life.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Fogarty.  and  she  also  died  in 
Ireland.  They  had  a  large  family,  of  whom  one  daughter  and  several  sons 
came  to  America.  Some  settled  in  Chicago,  several  in  Missouri,  and  one 
son  located  in  Dover  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  when  the  State  was  a  Ter- 
ritory, and  when  Dover  township  was  known  as  Yorkville  township,  taking 
up  Government  land.  He  married  Ellen  Dolan,  and  both  lived  to  a  good  old 
age;  they  had  no  children.  He  was  formerly  married  in  Canada,  and  had  two 
children  by  that  marriage,  both  of  whom  died. 

Hugh  McManus,  the  father  of  Charles,  was  a  miller  by  occupation.  He 
was  among  the  pioneers  of  Dover  township,  taking  up  Government  land  to 
which  he  added  until  he  was  the  owner  of  400  acres.  The  old  homestead 
was  situated  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Section  14,  and  there  he  resided  until 
his  death,  in  1885,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years.  His  wife  had  passed  away 
in  1878,  aged  about  sixty-seven  years.  Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  Mr.  McManus  held  various  public  offices  when  Wisconsin  was  still 
a  Territorv.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hugh  McManus  had  children  as  follows : 
Charles;  Philip,  of  Dover  township;  James,  deceased;  John,  of  Dover  town- 
ship; Mary  A.,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Thomas  Power;  Catherine, 
deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  John  Cox ;  and  Julia,  deceased,  who  was  tlie 
wife  of  Frank  Cox. 

Charles  McManus  was  but  ten  years  old  when  he  came  with  his  parents 


i66  COMMEINIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

from  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  to  Wisconsin,  and  he  has  lived  in  Dover  township  evei 
snice,  with  the  exception  of  three  years  spent  in  St.  Louis  county.  He  is  one 
of  the  very  oldest  settlers  of  Dover  township,  where  he  attended  the  district 
schools,  and  remained  at  home  until  reaching  manhood.  His  father  gave  him 
a  start  in  life,  and  he  began  farming  on  an  eighty-acre  tract  in  Section  13,  to 
which  he  has  since  added  forty  more  acres.  In  February,  1867,  Mr.  Mc- 
Manus  married  Miss  Margaret  Cox,  daughter  of  Francis  and  Rose  (Nolan; 
Cox.  and  eleven  children  were  born  to  this  union,  five  of  whom  are  now 
living:  Hugh  F.,  who  died  when  about  fifteen  years  old;  Mary  A.,  who  lives 
at  home;  Catherine,  who  died  in  infancy;  Margaret,  who  also  died  young; 
Rose,  who  lives  at  home;  Charlotte,  who  married  Henry  BefTel,  and  lives  in 
Milwaukee;  Julia,  who  died  in  early  childhood;  Charles  and  Frank,  operat- 
ing the  homestead ;  and  John  and  Edmund,  deceased.  Mrs.  Margaret  Mc- 
Manus  died  May  28,  1902,  aged  sixty  years.  She  was  a  member  ni  the 
Catholic  Church,  to  which  faith  Mr.  McManus  also  adheres.  Politically  he 
is  a  Democrat,  and  served  as  town  clerk  and  school  clerk  for  several  terms. 
Francis  Cox,  father  of  Mrs.  McManus,  was  bom  in  County  Fermanagh, 
Ireland,  in  1809,  and  coming  to  America  settled  first  in  New  Jersey.  In 
1836  he  was  married,  in  New  York,  to  Rose  Nolan,  of  I'ermanagh, 
and  they  came  in  1842  to  Wisconsin,  landing  in  Milwaukee  in  May  of  that 
year.  They  took  up  eighty  acres  of  Government  land  in  Dover  township, 
and  remained  in  Milwaukee  until  September,  when  the  family  located  at  the 
new  home.  From  time  to  time  more  land  was  added  to  the  farm  until  it  com- 
prised 360  acres.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cox  had  six  children  :  James,  Ellen.  John, 
Margaret,  Ann  Jane  and  Francis.  Of  these,  James  married,  Feb.  13,  1S62, 
in  Dover  township,  Bridget  Lavin,  daughter  of  Martin  Lavin,  of  Dover,  and 
they  had  eight  children.  Ellen  married  Philip  McManus.  Margaret  married 
Charles  McManus.  Ann  Jane  resides  in  Racine.  John  married  in  Water- 
ford,  in  November,  1864,  Catherine  McManus,  and  had  four  chililren. 
Francis  married,  Nov.  15,  1869,  Julia  McManus,  of  Dover  township,  and  has 
se\-en  children.     All  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

EDWIN  BUCHAN,  a  highly  esteemed  resident  and  large  land-owner 
row  residing  in  Union  Grove,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  owns  a  240-acre  tract  of 
land  in  Section  14,  Dover  township,  where  he  was  born  Dec.  16,  1844.  sou 
of  Edward  and  Jane  ( Tillie )  Buchan,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Ball- 
inridge.  Scotland,  in   1812. 

Edward  Buchan,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Scotland, 
and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Brown,  and  they 
had  a  good-sized  family  of  children,  one  of  whom,  Andrew,  was  a  soldier. 

The  maternal  grandfather  was  also  a  native  of  Scotland,  born  in  Edin- 
burgh. He  and  his  wife  came  to  America  just  before  the  war  of  1812,  and 
settled  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  where  their  daughter  Jane  was  born.  While  the 
daughter  was  still  a  baby  they  went  back  to  the  old  country,  and  there  lived 
the  residue  of  their  lives. 

Edward  and  Jane  (Tillie)  Buchan  were  married  May  15,  1834.  bv  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Adams  Peebles,  and  came  immediately  to  the  United  States. 
Thev   lived   at    Rochester   for   some  time,    :Mr.   Buchan   carrying  on   milling. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  167 

and  in  1839  they  came  to  Chicago,  111.,  by  way  of  the  Great  Lakes.  They 
lived  for  some  tune  at  Joliet,  HI.,  whence  in  1840  they  came  to  Racine  county 
by  ox-team,  and  settling  in  Dover  township  purchased  eighty  acres  of  Gov- 
ernment land  at  $1.25  per  acre.  This  land  Mr.  Buchan  improved  and  added 
120  acres  more  to  it,  and  here  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  on  the 
old  home  farm  Oct.  10,  1856,  aged  forty-four  years.  His  widow  survived  until 
February,  1898,  when  she  passed  away  in  her  eighty-sixth  year.  Mr.  and- 
Mrs.  Buchan  had  children  as  follows :  Andrew ;  William,  deceased ;  Oliver, 
of  South  Chicago ;  Mary  Jane,  wife  of  George  Bremner,  of  Milwaukee,  Wis. ; 
Edwin;  Dr.  Alfred  L.,  who  died  in  February,  1905;  Caroline,  widow  ot 
Henry  W.  Wright,  of  Merrill,  Wis.;  Dr.  Samuel  C,  of  Racine:  Thomar* 
George,  of  Union  Grove,  Wis. ;  and  two  children  who  died  in  infanc}'.  Ed- 
ward Buchan  and  his  wife  are  buried  in  the  Dover  and  Yorkville  cemetery. 
They  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  which  he  was  an  elder. 
Mr.  Buchan  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years. 

Edwin  Buchan  spent  his  entire  time  on  the  farm  which  his  father  owned 
until  Nov.  8,  1905,  when  he  retired  and  moved  to  Union  Grove.  He  was 
educated  in  the  district  schools,  and  has  spent  his  life  in  farming.  He  added 
to  the  home  farm,  and  then  sold  part  of  it,  and  now  owns  the  old  home  and 
240  acres  of  finely  improved  land.  On  Nov.  18,  1869,  he  married  Miss 
Mary  S.  Rennie,  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Mary  (Campbell)  Rennie,  and 
five  children  were  born  to  this  union:  Frajik  E..  Flora  D.,  Jennie  F.,  Mary 
C.  and  Tillie  May.  ( i )  Frank  E.  married  Carrie  I.  Hoyt,  of  Rochester  town- 
ship. (2)  Flora  D.  married  Dr.  Judson  C.  Packard,  a  dentist  of  Racine,  and 
after  his  death  she  married  (second)  Hiram  J.  Smith,  the  present  postmaster 
of  Racine,  and  a  prominent  business  man  of  that  city.  (3)  Jennie  F.  died 
when  two  and  one-half  years  old.  (4)  Mary  C.  who  died  July  11,  1896.  in 
her  twentieth  year,  was  bom  Sept.  18.  1876.  She  was  a  fine  musician,  per- 
forming with  equal  skill  upon  the  violin  or  piano.  She  was  a  loving  and 
dutiful  daughter,  of  a  very  happy  and  cheerful  disposition,  and  her  death  was 
greatly  mourned.  (5)  Tillie  INIay  married  James  Howe  Kelley,  of  Racine, 
Nov.  g,  1899. 

Air.  and  Mrs.  Edwin  Buchan  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
of  Dover  township,  in  which  he  has  served  as  elder  for  some  years.  Frater- 
nally he  is  connected  with  Corinthian  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  George  B.  Lincoln  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  LInion  Grove,  being  quartermas- 
ter of  the  post.  Politicallv  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  for  three  years  and  clerk  and  treasurer  of  the 
school  board  for  many  years.  Mr.  Buchan  enlisted  in  Company  G,  i ^T,d  HI. 
V.  I.,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war,  being  discharged  Sept.  18,  1865. 

The  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Buchan  were  all  natives  of  Scotland,  as  were 
her  father  and  mother,  who  were  born  in  Ayrshire. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rennie  came  to  America  and  located  in  Yorkville  tow!i- 
ship,  Racine  county,  among  the  early  settlers,  anrl  engaged  in  farming,  own- 
ing about  four  hundred  acres.  There  Mr.  Rennie  died  aged  about  seventy- 
five  years,  while  the  mother  passed  away  in  1874.  They  had  eight  children: 
John,  deceased;  Miss  Martha,  of  Union  Grove:  Robert,  who  was  n  soldier 
in  the  Civil  war  and  died  at  Chattanooga ;  Alexander,  of  LTnion  Grove :  Mary 


i68        cg:m^iemorative  biographical  record. 

S.,  the  wife  of  Edwin  Buchan;  Erank,  wlio  died  in  St.  Louis;  Hugh,  who  was 
a  salesman  for  Eield  &  Leiter  of  Chicago  foi"  fourteen  3-ears,  and  is  now  a 
merchant  in  the  Indian  Territory ;  and  Thomas  James,  of  Union  Grove. 

ALBERT  E.  BUCKMASTER.  The  legal  profession  in  Kenosha  is 
peculiarly  fortunate  in  being  represented  by  able  and  upright  men.  Among 
those  who  deserve  especial  mention  is  Albert  E.  Buckmaster,  whose  fine  record 
adds  lustre  to  his  profession,  while  his  public  spirit  and  progress  make  him  a 
most  useful  citizen.  He  was  born  in  Fayette.  Lafayette  county,  this  State, 
Sept.  6,  1863,  son  of  Benjamin  E.  and  Alsada  (Cook)  Buckmaster.  The 
family  name  originated  in  Scotland,  where  it  was  found  on  a  castle  as  early 
as  1314. 

Albert  E.  Buckmaster  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm  in  Lafayette  coun- 
ty. He  attended  the  district  schools,  and  later  the  Darlington  high  school, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1881.  For  four  or  five  years  he  engaged  in 
teaching  and  then  entered  the  State  University  at  Madison,  graduating  in  the 
class  of  1889,  in  the  English  Classical  course.  He  then  accepted  the  principal- 
ship  of  the  schools  of  West  Salem,  and  remained  in  that  position  three  years. 
Long  before  this  he  had  determined  to  enter  the  legal  profession,  and  when 
he  left  West  Salem  it  was  to  enter  itpon  his  professional  studies  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Wisconsin.  He  attained  high  rank  in  his  law  class  work,  and  was  the 
first  president  of  the  Columbian  Law  Society.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar 
in  1894,  and  at  once  opened  his  office  in  Kenosha,  where  he  has  since  been 
actively  engaged  in  practice.  It  was  not  long  before  he  demonstrated  his 
ability  in  his  chosen  calling,  and  he  won  the  regard  of  the  older  practitioners 
by  his  conscientious  work.  For  five  terms  he  ser\-ed  most  acceptably  as 
district  attorney.  In  niatters  outside  of  his  profession,  too,  he  has  taken  an 
active  part,  and  is  found  at  the  front  in  all  movements  for  the  public  good. 
He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Soldiers'  Relief  Commission  for  several  vears, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  directorate  of  the  Masonic  Temple,  and  treasiu"er  of  the 
board. 

On  Dec.  22,  1891.  Mr.  Buckmaster  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Nellie  Stalker,  daughter  of  Dr.  H.  J.  and  Ellen  M.  (iNIacNeill)  Stalker,  of 
Mauston,  Wis.  Three  sons  have  come  to  this  union:  Ben,  Dean  and  Bruce. 
Mr.  and  INIrs.  Buckmaster  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

Fraternally  he  belongs  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47.  F.  &  A.  ^I..  and  R. 
A.  M.  Chapter  No.  3.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  The  family  liome  is 
at  Xn.  463  Exchange  street. 

THOMAS  LLOYD  WILLIAMS,  a  prominent  Welsh  resident  of  Ra- 
cine. Wis.,  now  living  retired,  was  for  many  years  connected  with  the  political 
and  business  interests  of  this  city.  He  was  born  in  Dyffryn,  Merionethshire, 
North  Wales,  in  December,  1830,  son  of  Capt.  Evan  and  Catherine  (Lloyd") 
Williams. 

Cadwallader  Williams,  the  grandfather  of  Thomas  L..  was  a  farmer. 
He  was  a  native  of  Wales,  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age;  his  wife's  name  was 
Barbara.      His  grandmother  on  his  maternal  side  attained  her  eightv-cighth 


COAIAIE.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  169 

year,  while  his  g-reat-grandmother  attained  the  great  age  of  ninety-nine  years. 
Cadwallader  Wilhams  was  the  son  of  VVihiam  Ap  Robert  and  the  grandson  of 
Robert  Evans.  Evan  Wilhams,  father  of  Thomas  L.,  was  a  sea  captain,  and 
his  sons  and  a  brother  were  of  the  same  occupation.  He  made  a  number  of 
trips  to  America,  but  retained  his  home  in  Wales,  where  he  died  in  1849,  aged 
fifty-eight  years.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1838,  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine. 
They  were  Welsh  Presbyterians. 

Thomas  Lloyd  Williams  is  the  only  living  member  of  his  father's  family 
of  seven  children.  He  remained  in  Wales  until  his  nineteenth  year  and  re- 
ceived a  common  school  education  there,  after  which  he  was  apprenticed  to 
learn  the  draper's  trade,  which  he  followed  at  Carnarvon  and  Liverpool. 
Emigrating  to  America  in  1850,  he  located  in  Racine  and  engaged  in  general 
merchandising  for  twenty  years,  after  which  he  worked  in  the  woolen  mills 
for  about  twelve  years.  He  then  served  as  city  assessor  for  three  years,  and 
as  supervisor  in  the  Second  ward  for  four  years,  since  which  time  he  has 
lived  retired. 

In  1868  Mr.  Williams  married  Mrs.  Catherine  Owen,  of  Wales,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Jane  (Williams)  Lloyd,  the  former  being  a  carpenter  and 
farmer  who  settled  in  Racine  in  1842.  To  this  union  one  daughter,  Barbara, 
has  been  born.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  are  members  of  the  Welsh  Presby- 
terian Church.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Since  his  residence  in  Racine 
Mr.  Williams  has  made  three  trips  to  Wales,  to  visit  his  old  home,  where  he 
has  many  relatives.  Mr.  Williams  is  by  long  residence  and  business  career 
regarded  as  a  prominent  and  representative  man  of  Racine.  He- is  a  gentle- 
man of  high  character,  genial  and  aiTable,  and  is  a  recognized  leader  among 
the  Welsh  people  of  the  city.  He  wields  a  trenchant  pen  and  does  consider- 
able writing  for  the  Drych,  a  Welsh  paper  published  in  Utica,  N.  Y.  As  to 
his  connection  with  the  Welsh  Presbyterian  Church,  it  may  be  stated,  more 
in  detail,  that  he  has  served  it  as  a  Sunday-school  teacher  for  the  past  fifty 
years,  has  been  secretary  and  trustee  of  the  church  for  many  years,  and  one 
of  its  most  active  workers.  Striking  proofs  that  he  has  the  entire  confidence 
of  the  community  are  the  facts  that  he  has  settled  as  many  estates  as  any  man 
in  the  county,  and  that  he  is  so  frequently  called  upon  for  personal  advice  in 
the  settlement  of  complications  of  every  nature.  His  absolute  integrity,  his 
impartiality,  liis  patience  and  good  judgmetn,  and  his  active  mind  and  body, 
have  all  conspired  to  give  him  this  enviable  standing,  besides  marking  him 
as  one  of  the  most  popular  men  in  Racine  county. 

BENJA:MIN  FRANKLIN  HEWITT  (deceased),  for  many  years  a 
prominent  farmer  of  Section  4,  Rochester  township,  Racine  county,  was  born 
in  Vermont,  Aug.  22,  1833.  son  of  Mrs.  Hannah  (Freelove)  Hewitt.  His 
father  left  home  when  a  young  man,  and  came  West  prospecting  for  a  home. 
leaving  his  wife  and  son  in  the  East.  He  was  never  heard  of  afterward,  and 
it  is  supposed  that  he  was  killed  bv  the  Indians.  His  w-idow  married  (sec- 
ond) Josiah  Hill,  and  they  came  West  about  1844,  settling  in  Racine  county. 
There  were  four  children  to  the  second  union :  Evander,  of  Rochester ; 
Phoebe,  the  wife  of  George  Marsh,  of  Eugene  City,  Ore. :  Helen,  deceased. 


lyo  CO^niEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

who  was  the  wife  of  Henry  Loveland;  and  Annie,  the  wife  of  Letour  Love- 
land,  of  Kansas. 

Mr.  Freelove,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Benjamin  F.  Hewitt,  came 
West  among  the  early  settlers  of  Racine  connty,  lived  in  Rochester  township, 
and  there  died  at  an  old  age.  He  followed  farming  all  of  his  life.  Mr.  Free- 
love's  first  wife  was  Sibelia  (Hart)  Freelove,  who  died  in  Rochester  town- 
ship, and  they  had  three  children,  two  of  whom  died  young;  the  other,  Har- 
•  ley,  now  lives  at  Oconomowoc,  Wis.  Mr.  Freelove's  second  wife  was  a  Mrs. 
Fitzsinger. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Hewitt  left  Vermont  when  a  small  child,  and  for  a 
time  lived  in  Pennsylvania,  first  at  Titusville  and  then  at  Alleghenyville, 
receiving  his  early  schooling  at  the  latter  place.  When  about  nineteen  years 
of  age  he  came  to  Wisconsin,  and  lived  in  the  village  of  Rochester  for  many 
years,  after  which  he  spent  five  years  on  his  father-in-law's  farm.  He  then 
purchased  ii6  acres  of  land  in  Section  4,  Rochester  township,  to  which  he 
later  added  twenty  acres,  and  here  he  continued  until  his  death,  having  made 
his  farm  one  of  the  finest  in  the  township. 

On  Jan.  i,  1861,  Mr.  Hewitt  married  Miss  Louisa  Maria  Gates,  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Mirandy  (FowJer)  Gates,  and  six  children  were  born 
to  this  union :  Nellie,  who  married  Joseph  Cheesman.  of  Burlington  town- 
ship; William,  who  died  single  in  1903,  aged  thirty-two  years;  Frank,  who 
married  Jessemine  Potter,  now  deceased,  and  has  one  son,  Harrison  Potter; 
Louisa,  who  died  when  fourteen  years  of  age,  Abbie,  who  married  Benjamin 
Franklin  Schaub,  and  lives  west  of  Honey  Creek,  with  one  daughter,  Louisa 
Viola :  and  Celinda,  who  married  Roy  Vaughan  and  lives  with  Mrs.  Hewitt. 

Mrs.  Hewitt  was  born  in  the  village  of  Rochester,  Feb.  15,  1844.  Her 
parents,  natives  of  Vermont,  came  West  to  Illinois  among  the  early  pioneers, 
and  settled  at  Plainfield,  where  William  Gates  worked  at  millwrighting.  In 
about  1840  the  family  came  to  Racine  county,  and  settled  in  the  village  of 
Rochester.  Mr.  Gates  was  born  in  Ryegate,  Vt.,  in  181 5,  of  Scotch  parent- 
age. When  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age  his  father  died,  leaving  a  family  of 
four  boys  and  four  girls,  of  whom  William  was  the  eldest.  Early  in  life  he  was 
bound  out  to  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  his  natural  capacity  and  tireless  energy 
soon  brought  him  to  the  front  as  a  carpenter  and  millwright,  and  he  was  en- 
abled to  help  his  widowed  mother,  and  to  educate  and  rear  his  younger 
l>rothers  and  sisters.  In  1838  he  started  West,  and  found  employment  at 
Plainfield,  111.,  boarding  in  the  familv  of  Deacon  Benjamin  Fowler,  formerly 
of  Woodbury,  Vt.  On  Jan.  i,  1840.  he  married  Miranda,  the  third  daugh- 
ter of  the  Deacon,  and  in  the  fore  part  of  February  the  young  couple  left 
Plainfield  with  an  ox-team,  reaching  Rochester  on  the  fifteenth  of  the  month. 
They  occupied  the  old  log  tavern  located  where  West  Water  street  now  runs, 
and  in  1842  Mr.  Gates  erected  the  brick  block  east  of  Albrecht's  shop.  The 
same  year  he  built  the  "Barry  Hotel"  for  Jacob  Myers,  and  soon  afterwards 
bought  a  part  interest  in  the  sawmill  located  on  ^luskego  Creek.  In  1848  he 
purchased  the  farm  upon  wdiich  he  died.  About  1850  Mr.  Gates  joined 
Friendship  Lodge,  No.  18.  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  held  nearly  every  ofiice  in  the 
lodge.  He  had  been  treasurer  of  his  school  district  for  many  years,  and  was 
one  of  the  trustees  and  soliciting  agents  for  the  Farmers'  Insurance  Company 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  171 

for  sixteen  years.  He  was  also  assessor  for  his  town  for  thirty-one  years, 
and  was  again  elected  a  few  days  before  his  death.  Nearly  every  year  his 
election  was  unanimous.  He  built  many  flouring  mills  throughout  the  State, 
and  twice  built  the  mill  at  Burlington.  He  also  constructed  the  first  separa- 
tor ever  made  in  the  Northwest,  it  being  built  in  the  house  located  where  the 
Grace  Church  now  stands,  for  J.  I.  Case,  who  operated  it  for  several  years. 
Mr.  William  Gates  died  in  April,  1892,  aged  seventy-seven  years,  his  widow 
surviving  until  Jan.  8,  1904,  when  she  passed  away,  being  past  eighty-one 
years  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  children : 
John,  who  died  when  fourteen  years  of  age:  and  Mrs.  Benjamin  Franklin 
Hewitt. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Airs.  Hewitt  was  Benjamin  Fowler,  a  na- 
tive of  Vermont,  and  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Rochester  township,  Racine 
county.  His  wife,  Nora  Hayes,  was  also  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  they- 
had  a  family  of  sixteen  children,  thirteen  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  and  four 
of  whom  are  still  living :  William,  of  Dakota ;  Benjamin,  of  Honey  Creek, 
Wis.;  Laura  A.,  widow  of  Henry  Ashley,  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war;  ahd 
Abigail,  wife  of  William  Campbell,  of  Houghton,  Mich.  Grandfather  Fow- 
ler was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812. 

BARTHOLOMEW  C.  THRONSON,  whose  business  is  located  at  Nos. 
309.  311  and  313  Main  street,  Racine,  Wis.,  is  engaged  at  the  furniture  and 
undertaking  business,  his  being  the  oldest  established  firm  of  the  kind  in  tlie 
city.  Its  capable  proprietor  commenced  his  career  as  an  undertaker  in  1875, 
and  is  a  practical  business  man  as  well  as  one  scientifically  trained  in  his  pro- 
fession, being  a  graduate  of  various  schools  of  embalming  (Cincinnati, 
1883.  etc.). 

Mr.  Thronson  was  born  in  Porsgrund,  Norway,  July  3,  i860,  son  of 
Charles  and  Kersten  Thronson,  also  natives  of  that  country.  Charles  Thron- 
son was  a  sailor  and  captain  of  an  ocean  vessel  for  many  years.  He  located 
in  Racine,  W^is.,  about  1867,  and  engaged  in  the  painter's  trade  until  two 
years  before  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb.  20.  1904,  when  he  was  aged 
eighty-two  years.  His  widow  still  survives  him,  being  eighty-one  years  old. 
Mrs.  Thronson  is  a  Methodist,  as  was  also  her  husband.  They  had  seven 
children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living :  Louis,  of  Burlington.  Iowa ;  Chris- 
tian and  Bartholomew  C,  of  Racine;  Dietrich,  of  Dixon,  III;  and  Caroline, 
wife  of  C.  Johnson,  of  Racine. 

Bartholomew  C.  Thronson  was  but  seven  years  old  when  he  was  brought 
by  his  parents  to  Racine,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  receiving  his  education 
in  its  public  schools.  He  then  began  clerking  in  a  furniture  store,  continuing 
at  this  occupation  for  eighteen  or  nineteen  years.  Later  he  established  a  busi- 
ness of  his  own,  the  company  being  known  as  the  Hansen-Thronson  Furni- 
ture Co.,  of  which  Mr.  Thronson  was  president  and  manager  until  1903, 
when  he  purchased  his  partner's  interest.  jNIr.  Thronson  does  a  large  retail 
business,  supplying  complete  outfits  of  household  furnishing  goods,  and  occu- 
pying four  floors  and  basement. 

r^Ir.  Thronson  was  married  Sept.  29.  1881,  to  Miss  Ellen  Gunderson, 
who  is  the  daughter  of  Goutv  and  Betsy  Gunderson,  and  to  this  union  were 


172  COMMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

born  four  children:  Edna  J.,  Clarence  J.,  Florence  and  Arthur,  the  last  two 
dying-  in  early  childhood.  Mr.  Thronson  is  a  32d  degree  Mason,  Consistory 
of  JMihvaukee,  and  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  i8,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Racine 
Commandery,  No.  7,  and  Tripoli  Temple;  Racine  Lodge,  No.  32,  Knights  of 
Pythias :  the  Racine  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows ;  the  Fraternal  Aid  Association  of 
Racine;  and  the  Royal  League.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Mr.  Thron- 
son's  beautiful  home,  situated  at  No.  1428  College  avenue,  was  erected  by 
him  in  1892. 

Mr.  Thronson  is  one  of  Racine's  wide-awake,  enterprising  and  public- 
spirited  citizens.  He  carries  a  large  stock  of  up-to-date  goods,  and  his  store 
room  is  one  of  the  handsomest  in  the  city.  His  large  and  ever-increasing 
business  attests  both  to  his  personal  popularity,  and  to  the  popularity  of  his 
trading  emporium.  Mr.  Thronson  has  been  a  resident  of  Racine  for  thirty- 
eight  years,  and  he  is  one  of  the  best  known  business  men  of  the  city. 

JOHN  STOTT  BLAKEY,  of  Union  Grove.  Racine  county,  is  one  who 
by  the  exercise  of  the  various  talents  with  which  he  has  been  gifted  by  na- 
ture has  achieved  a  position  of  unusual  prominence  not  only  in  his  immediate 
locality,  but  through  the  surrounding  counties.  He  is  most  versatile  in  his 
powers  and  is  known  equally  well  as  a  business  man,  public  ofificial  and  ora- 
tor, while  for  many  years  he  has  also  found  much  time  for  church  work,  and 
for  activity  along  fraternal  lines.  Wisconsin  proudly  claims  him  as  one  of 
her  sons,  for  he  was  born  in  Racine  county,  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  his 
present  residence  in  Union  Grove,  Sept.  2^.  1846,  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Stott)  Blakey. 

John  and  ]\Iary  Blakey,  the  paternal  grandparents,  were  1x)th  of  Eng- 
land. John  Blakey  was  a  butcher  by  trade  and  lived  to  a  good  old  age  in 
his  native  land.  He  had  three  sons  and  five  daughters.  On  the  maternal 
side  the  grandparents  were  also  English.  John  Stott  was  interested  in  woolen 
mills.  He  lived  to  1)e  ninetv,  and  his  wife  was  nearly  as  old  when  she  died. 
They  reared  a  large  family. 

Thomas  Blakey,  father  of  John  S.,  was.  like  his  wife.  ^Mary.  a  native 
of  Lancashire.  A  shoemaker  by  trade,  he  supported  himself  in  that  way  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  came  to  America  in  1844,  spent  one  year  in  Lowell, 
Mass..  and  then  moved  West  to  Southport.  now  Kenosha,  Wis.,  remaining 
there  only  a  short  time.  From  there  he  went  to  Yorkville,  Racine  county, 
and  after  working  for  a  long  time  as  a  shoemaker,  finally  bought  eighty  acres 
of  land,  and  engaged  in  farming.  Later  he  added  eighty  acres  more.  He 
and  his  wife  were  Methodists,  and  Mr.  Blakey  acted  as  a  local  preacher.  Mrs. 
Blakey  died  Jan.  28.  1878.  aged  sixty-two.  and  after  this  loss  Mr.  Blakey 
went  to  Leadville.  Colo.,  where  a  son  was  living.  There  he  was  married  again, 
to  ^Irs.  Rebecca  J.  Hussey.  and  they  moved  to  Spirit  Lake,  Iowa,  where  he 
passed  away  May  18,  1887,  aged  seventy  years.  His  widow  returned  to 
Leadville.  His  children,  all  by  the  first  marriage,  were :  Emma,  deceased 
wife  of  Eugene  Rice;  Harriet,  widow  of  John  Smith,  and  now  living  in 
Dover.  Racine  county;  John  S..  of  Union  Grove;  Austin,  who  is  engaged  in 
silver  mining  in  Leadville,  Colo. :  Jane,  wife  of  S.  G.  Goldsworthy,  of  York- 


COM.ME^^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


173 


ville;  Darius,  of  Spirit  Lake,  Iowa;  Alvin,  a  real  estate  dealer  in  Cliicago; 
and  Charles,  a  retired  farmer  in  Estherville,  Iowa. 

John  S.  Blakey  has  always  lived  in  Racine  county.  Brought  up  on  his 
father's  farm,  he  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools,  after  which 
he  went  to  Milwaukee  and  completed  the  course  offiered  in  Spencer's  Com- 
mercial College.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  went  to  Rochester  to  learn  the 
milling  business,  and  has  been  largely  engaged  in  it  ever  since,  although  he 
has  also  dealt  extensively  in  grain,  wool  and  live  stock.  He  started  in  busi- 
ness for  himself  at  Union  Grove  in  1875,  but  afterward  went  back  to  Roch- 
ester, and  was  in  the  milling  business  there  for  two  years,  the  firm  being  Rus- 
sell &  Blakey.  He  then  returned  to  Union  Grove  and  has  been  in  business 
there  ever  since.  In  1899  he  and  Mr.  Charles  Carpenter,  of  Racine,  estab- 
lished a  private  bank  in  Union  Grove,  wdiich  two  years  later  they  sold  out  to 
O.  P.  Graham.  In  1903  the  State  Legislature  passed  a  law  forbidding  any 
private  banks  in  Wisconsin,  so  the  business  was  re-organized  with  Mr.  John 
S.  Blakey  as  president  and  Mr.  O.  P.  Graham  as  cashier.  It  has  since  been 
known  as  the  State  Bank  of  Union  Grove,  organized  with  a  capital  stock  of 
$10,000.  Mr.  Blakey  has  always  been  recognized  as  a  man  of  good  business 
sagacity. 

Mr.  Blakey  has  found  time  for  participation  in  many  matters  entirely 
outside  of  his  own  personal  business.  When  only  thirty  years  of  age  he  was 
made  an  honorary  member  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Society,  of  Racine  county, 
and  from  1876  to  1902  he  served  as  its  vice-president.  Since  the  latter  year 
he  has  been  president,  and  fills  the  position  with  great  efficiency.  On  the  or- 
ganization of  the  village  of  Union  Grove,  in  1892,  he  was  elected  president 
of  the  board,  and  has  been  regularly  re-elected  for  the  fourteen  succeeding 
years.  In  church  work  he  has  also  been  prominent,  and  for  twenty  years  was 
clerk  of  the  Congregational  Church,  to  which  he  belongs.  For  a  like  term 
of  years  he  was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  but  finally  resigned. 
Lodge  work  has  likewise  claimed  considerable  of  his  attention,  as  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Purity  Lodge,  No.  39,  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  of  Grove  Camp,  No.  370.  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  and  of  the  Rebekahs  of  Racine,  to  which  his  wife 
also  belongs. 

While  a  strong  Republican  ]\Ir.  Blakey  claims  he  is  no  politician,  but  his 
friends  have  worked  hard  to  thrust  a  political  career  upon  him.  Always 
ready  to  do  his  part  as  a  good  citizen,  Mr.  Blakey  had.  previous  to  becoming 
president  of  the  village  board,  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board,  and 
as  town  clerk.  When  McKinley  was  a  candidate  for  the  presidency  of  the 
United  States  Mr.  Blakey  took  the  stump  and  made  a  number  of  speeches  in 
both  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties.  He  received  many  encomiums  from  the 
press  throughout  both  connties  for  his  clear,  logical  reasoning,  and  was  recog- 
nized as  an  orator  of  no  mean  ability,  being  greeted  with  large  audiences 
wherever  he  spoke.  He  was  at  one  time  a  strong  candidate  for  nomination  for 
the  State  Senate,  but  he  expressed  to  his  friends  the  feeling  that  he  was  not 
entitled  to  the  office  and  said  that  he  did  not  want  it.  However,  they  insisted 
on  his  allowing  his  name  to  be  used  as  a  candidate  and  balloted  a  number  of 
times,  but  he  was  persistent  in  saying  that  he  did  not  desire  the  honor,  and 
finally  withdrew  his  name  as  a  candidate  before  the  nominating  convention. 


174  CO:\I^IEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

He  was  chosen  a  delegate  to  the  ^^'isconsin  State  Com-ention  in  1904.  In 
local  affairs  he  shows  a  keen  interest  and  is  solicitous  for  g-ood  government, 
and  of  the  welfare  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides.  Mr.  Blakey  is  a 
man  of  progressive  ideas,  public-spirited  and  enterprising,  and  is  one  of  the 
best  known  men  in  Racine  county. 

On  May  13,  1876,  Mr.  Blakey  married  3iliss  Mary  Belle  Brush,  daughter 
of  Charles  and  Permila  (Alcott)  Brush.  They  had  one  son,  Halbert  Brush, 
who  was  graduated  from  the  Union  Grove  high  school,  and  afterward  from 
Chicago  University  and  the  Rush  Medical  College,  and  who  is  now  practicing 
his  profession  in  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin.  Dr.  Blakey  is  quite  a  musician,  is 
a 'fine  pianist,  and  composed  the  music  for  the  University  Comic  Opera  pre- 
sented under  the  auspices  of  the  "Black  Friars"  of  the  University  of  Chicago, 
which  was  rendered  in  Mandell  Hall,  Chicago,  in  May,  1904.  He  comes 
naturally  by  his  talent,  as  Mrs.  Blakey  is  also  gifted  musically.  She  possesses 
a  clear,  sweet,  soprano  voice,  and  has  taken  vocal  training  under  Madame 
Barnette,  of  Chicago,  and  in  the  Luening  Conservatory  of  Music  hi  Milwau- 
kee, and  has  sung  in  a  number  of  cities.  She  has  also  sung  in  the  choir  of 
the  Congregational  Church  of  Union  Grove  for  many  years  and  has  done 
considerable  singing  in  political  campaigns  and  in  concerts,  in  all  of  which 
she  has  given  excellent  evidence  of  her  training  as  a  vocalist,  and  has  won 
the  highest  praise  from  both  the  public  and  the  press.  Both  she  and  her  hus- 
band well  merit  the  high  regard  in  which  the_\'  are  held  by  their  many  friends 
and  acquaintances. 

Mrs.  Blakey"s  parents.  Charles  and  Permila  (Alcott)  Brush,  were  na- 
tives of  Lorain  county,  Ohio.  Of  their  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  three 
are  now  living,  namely:  Leonard  .\.,  of  Portland,  Ore.;  Mary  B.,  ]Mrs. 
Blakey:  and  Charles  B.,  living  on  the  old  homestead  in  Lorain  county,  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  Elyria,  Ohio.  Two  of  the  sons,  Leonard  A.  and  Eldon, 
were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war.  The  latter  died  in  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  in  1904. 
Charles  Brush  was  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  He  died  of  typhoid  fever  in 
1858,  aged  forty-two  years,  and  his  wife  died  a  year  later  of  the  measles, 
aged  thirty-six  years.  Both  were  Methodists  in  religious  belief.  The  pa- 
ternal grandparents  of  Mrs.  Blakey  were  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  Brush :  he 
died  well  advanced  in  years,  and  she  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven ;  they 
were  the  parents  of  a  large  family.  The  paternal  great-grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Blakey  was  from  Connecticut,  and  took  part  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

DANIEL  McBETH,  a  farmer,  who  is  meeting  with  success  in  the  pur- 
suit of  his  chosen  calling  in  Section  17,  Yorkville  township.  Racine  county,  is 
one  of  the  old  settlers  of  the  region,  and  a  man  whose  integrity  of  life  and 
noble  character  have  made  him  widely  respected  and  held  in  affectionate  re- 
gard. He  has  lived  in  Wisconsin  since  he  was  seven  years  old,  but  was  born 
in  Wyoming  county,  N.  Y.,  between  Buffalo  and  Rochester,  July  21,  1838, 
son  of  Alexander  and  Elizabeth  (Morris)  McBeth.  He  comes  of  Scotch  and 
Irish  ancestry.  The  paternal  grandfather  was  the  first  of  the  McBeth  family 
to  leave  Scotland.  He  and  his  wife,  who  was  Christie  Smith,  settled  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  reared  a  large  family,  and  both  lived  to  advanced  old 
age. 


COM.MEMORATiVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  175 

Alexander  iNlcBeth  was  burn  in  rcrthshire,  Scotland,  in  17S7,  anil  came 
to  America  with  his  parents  when  a  child.  He  became  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
and  while  living  in  Xew  York  was  engaged  in  work  on  the  Erie  canal  at 
Lockport.  In  184S  he  joined  the  pioneers  who  were  seeking  to  better  their 
fortunes  in  Wisconsin,  and  located  first  in  Walworth  county,  near  Delavan, 
but  after  three  years  removed  to  Racine  county.  He  bought  120  acres  in 
Yorkville  township,  and  made  his  home  there  until  his  death,  June  16,  i860, 
when  he  was  over  seventy  years  of  age.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
growth  and  development  of  the  country  and  served  in  a  number  of  township 
offices.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Morris,  who  was  born  in  County  Tyrone, 
Ireland,  about  1807,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (McLaughlin)  Morris, 
of  County  Tyrone,  and  whose  other  children  consisted  of  two  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Mrs.  McBeth  died  April  6,  1887.  They  were  the  parents  of  four 
sons  and  three  daughters,  but  only  two  are  still  living,  Daniel  and  Susan,  the 
latter  for  many  years  a  successful  teacher  in  Racine  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McBeth  were  both  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  the  former 
officiated  as  a  deacon  in  it. 

Daniel  McBeth  attended  school  at  first  in  New  York,  and  later  in  Ijoth 
Walworth  county  and  Yorkville  township.  Growing  up  on  his  father's  farm 
from  the  age  of  seven,  when  the  family  moved  to  Wisconsin,  he  has  lived 
on  the  homestead  ever  since,  as  after  his  father's  death  he  bought  out  the 
other  heirs.  The  place  at  present,  however,  includes  only  eighty  acres.  He 
has  been  a  life-long  farmer  there,  and  has  Ijeen  quite  successful.  A  resident 
of  Racine  county  for  fifty-eight  years,  he  has  seen  the  country  develop  from 
a  wilderness,  and  he  is  well  known  throughout  the  county.  For  twelve  years 
he  served  as  township  assessor,  elected  on  the  Republican  ticket.  Although 
not  a  church  member  Mr.  McBeth  attends  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  lias 
lived  according  to  the  strictest  principles  of  integrity  and  uprightness,  so  that 
he  has  won  the  universal  esteem  of  the  many  who  know  him.  Intelligent  as 
he  is  tlirifty,  he  stands  as  a  noble  example  in  the  community.  He  and  his  sis- 
ter. Miss  Susan,  live  together  at  the  old  homestead,  and  they  are  counted 
among  the  worthy  citizens  of  Racine  county,  whose  lives  ha-ve  been  a  bless- 
ing to  those  with  whom  they  have  come  in  contact. 

JOHN  ARNOLD,  superintendent  of  the  Racine  Woolen  Mills,  is  one 
of  the  most  prominent  and  influential  men  of  that  city.  He  was  born  July 
19,  1865,  in  the  North  of  Ireland,  son  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Lindsay) 
Arnold,  natives  of  Scotland. 

Robert  Arnold,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  John  Arnold,  was  a  native 
of  Scotland,  where  he  died  in  middle  life,  his  death  occurring  in  the  mines. 
His  wife.  Margaret  (Gray)  Arnold,  lived  to  be  nearly  ninety  years  of  age, 
and  they  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  On  the  maternal  side,  our  sub- 
ject's grandfather  was  John  Lindsay,  also  a  native  of  Scotland,  who  died  in 
middle  life.  His  wife  was  Letitia  (Gray)  Lindsay,  and  she  lived  to  be  nine- 
ty-two years  old,  being  active  up  to  the  dav  nf  her  death.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs. 
Lindsay  had  one  son  and  one  daughter. 

Robert  .Arnold,  father  of  John,  was  a  miner  near  Paislev,  Scotland,  and 
afterward  mo\-ed  to  Newtownards,  County  Down,  in  the  North  of  Ireland, 


176        comme:morative  biographical  record. 

where  he  and  his  wife  still  reside,  he  now  living  retired.  They  had  twelve 
children,  eight  of  whom  are  now  living :  Robert,  of  County  Down ;  John,  our 
subject;  James,  of  Belfast,  Ireland;  Alexander,  of  Glasgow,  Scotland;  Isaac, 
of  Winnipeg,  Canada;  Joseph,  of  Racine;  William,  also  of  Racine;  and  ]\Iiss 
Minnie,  of  Newtownards,  County  Down,  Ireland. 

John  Arnold  was  reared  and  educated  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  and  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Textile  School  of  Guilds,  London.  Immediately  after  graduation 
he  entered  the  woolen  mills,  serving  an  apprenticeship  of  five  years.  Later  he 
became  manager  of  R.  W.  Miller  &  Co.'s  mills,  and  was,  after  several  years, 
engaged  in  Glasgow  by  the  George  W'.  Ennis  Mfg.  Co.,  of  Philadelphia,  as 
manager  of  their  interests  there.  After  a  short  period  he  went  to  Saleni, 
Va.,  to  take  the  superintendency  of  the  Holstein  Woolen  Mills,  resigning  this 
to  become  superintendent  of  the  Racine  Woolen  Mills,  in  1901,  and  this  posi- 
tion he  has  held  ever  since. 

On  July  4,  1900,  Mr.  Arnold  married  Miss  Margaret  Stuart  Jones, 
daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Gregger)  Jones.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arnold 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  is  a  past  master  Mason,  being 
past  master  of  the  Lodge  at  Newtownards,  Ireland,  and  is  also  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason.  He  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  252,  B.  P.  O.  E.  Politically  he  is 
a  Republican. 

George  Jones,  Mrs.  Arnold's  father,  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and 
his  wife  of  Virginia.  They  had  four  children :  Margaret,  Mrs.  Arnold ; 
Minnie,  the  wife  of  Henry  Jones  of  W^ytheville,  Va. ;  John  and  Joseph,  of  the 
same  place.  George  Jones  has  always  been  a  farmer,  and  now  resides  in 
Wytheville.  His  wife  died  in  1880,  aged  thirty-one  years,  in  the  faith  of  the 
Lutheran  Church ;  he  is  a  Methodist.  Mrs.  Arnold's  paternal  grandfather 
was  also  named  George  Jones.  He  was  a  native  of  Eastern  Virginia,  and 
removing  to  North  Carolina,  located  near  Mountairy,  Surry  county.  He 
later  returned  to  Wytheville,  Va.,  and  there  died  aged  eighty-two  years.  His 
wife  was  Sarah  Poor  Jones,  and  she  also  lived  to  be  eighty-two  years  old,  and 
bore  her  husband  seven  children.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Arnold, 
William  Gregger,  born  near  Wytheville.  Va.,  is  still  living,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years.  Mrs.  Gregger,  his  wife,  who  was  Mary  Hoback  before 
marriag'e,  died  aged  seventy-six  years.  She  had  been  formerly  married 
to  Levi  Kincer,  by  whom  she  had  one  child,  and  bv  her  union  with  Mr.  Greg- 
ger she  had  five  children. 

FREDERICK  FISHER.  The  family  to  which  Frederick  Fisher,  re- 
tired farmer  of  Kenosha,  belongs,  is  of  German  descent,  but  has  been  repre- 
sented in  the  LTnited  States  for  nearly  sixty  years,  there  being  three  genera- 
tions now  living  in  the  city  of  Kenosha.  Frederick  Fisher  was  born  in  Prus- 
sia, Germany,  Sept.  20,  1823,  son  of  Rudolph  and  Katherine  (Hulsker) 
Fischer,  both  natives  of  that  same  country. 

Rudolph  Fischer  lived  near  Lenan,  am  Techlenbourg.  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade,  and  died  while  still  a  young  man.  He  and  his  wife  had  two  daugh- 
ters and  a  son,  viz. :  Katherine,  deceased ;  Frederick ;  and  Sophia,  who  mar- 
ried a  Mendolph,  came  to    America    and    settled    in    Illinois.      After    ^Ir. 


n  yoCLc^^c.^.^^     Q^    a/^ yC^t^yjlit^ 


COMAIE^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  177 

Fischer's  death  his  widuw  married  Edward  Hunsze  and  had  two  sons,  Ed- 
ward and  Rudolph,  both  now  deceased. 

Frederick  tisher  was  left  an  orphan  when  very  young  and  was  brought 
up  by  an  uncle,  of  the  same  name  as  himself,  who  lived  near  Dissen,  Hanover. 
He  attended  the  public  schools  when  it  was  possible,  but  had  few  opportuni- 
ties for  receiving  an  education.  When  fourteen  he  began  to  work  out  on  a  farm 
and  continued  to  do  so  till  he  was  twenty-four  years  old.  In  that  year,  1847, 
he  applied  to  the  government  officer  for  a  leave  of  absence  to  come  to  the 
United  States.  It  was  given  for  six  months  only,  but  Mr.  Fisher  accepted  it, 
thinking  that  he  would  jje  beyond  any  need  for  such  a  document  by  that  time. 
He  took  passage  on  a  sailing  vessel  and  after  six  weeks  landed  in  New  York, 
in  NovemJjer,  his  entire  property  amounting  to  two  Prussian  dollars  (a  dol- 
lar and  a  quarter  in  our  money).  He  proceeded  to  Buffalo  and  secured  work 
in  the  timber  regions,  where  he  received  his  board  and  six  dollars  a  month. 

Regardless  of  his  want  of  means  and  with  full  faith  in  the  future  Mr. 
Fisher  was  united  in  marriage,  on  the  nth  of  the  following  January,  to  Miss 
Mary  Francesca  Schneider,  daughter  of  Frederick  Schneider,  a  native  of 
Hanover,  Germany.  They  were  married  in  Eden,  Erie  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  soon 
went  to  Wisconsin,  landing  at  Southport,  July  4,  1848,  with  four  dollars  on 
which  to  start  their  new  life.  On  the  day  after  his  arrival  Mr.  Fisher  secured 
work  from  a  farmer  named  Cady  and  remained  with  him  two  months.  At 
the  end  of  that  time  he  rented  a  piece  of  land  in  the  town  of  Somers  and  he 
and  his  wife  began  keeping  house  in  a  log  cabin.  They  were  industrious  and 
frugal,  and  enough  money  was  saved  to  purchase  a  tract  of  twelve  acres,  on 
which  Mr.  Fisher  built  himself  a  log  house.  When  his  first  little  place  was 
entirely  paid  for,  he  bought  five  acres  more,  and  later  twenty-three  more.  He 
then  had  a  good  farm  of  forty  acres,  with  a  frame  house  on  it,  where  he  lived 
for  many  years  and  brought  up  his  family.  In  1883  he  traded  his  farm  and 
moving  into  Kenosha  has  resided  there  ever  since.  His  present  home  was 
built  in  1 89 1,  and  he  owns  two  other  good  houses  adjoining  it. 

Mrs.  Mary  F.  Fisher  shared  her  husband's  life  for  only  a  few  years, 
passing  away  Aug.  20,  1853  aged  thirty-two  years.  She  was  a  member  of 
the  Lutheran  Church.  She  left  three  children,  namely:  William  F.,  of 
Kenosha;  Mary,  deceased  wife  of  Fred  Stemm ;  and  Louisa,  who  married 
Matthias  Pitz,  of  Kenosha,  and  has  three  children,  Rosalie,  Frederick  and 
Anthony.  On  Oct.  19,  1853,  Mr.  Fisher  married  a  second  time,  his  bride 
being  Miss  Eva  Barbara  Englehardt,  daughter  of  George  and  Margaret 
(Schneider)  Englehardt.  She  was  born  in  Germany,  Aug.  25,  1825,  and  lost 
her  mother  when  only  eight  or  nine  years  old.  The  father  died  a  few  years 
after  she  came  to  x-Xmerica,  which  was  the  same  year  as  her  marriage,  1853. 
Both  ^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  are  Lutherans.  Their  married  life  has  covered  a 
period  of  fifty-two  years,  and  they  celebrated  their  Golden  Wedding  in  1903. 

Frederick  Fisher  cast  his  first  Presidential  vote  for  John  C.  Fremont, 
and  ever  since  has  usually  voted  the  Republican  ticket.  With  a  true  Ger- 
man's love  of  his  fatherland,  he  is  also  a  strong  believer  in  the  ideas  and  in- 
stitutions of  his  adopted  country,  and  is  a  man  thoroughly  well  informed  on 
political  questions.  Although  he  and  his  wife  are  well  advanced  in  years, 
being  respectively  eighty-two  and  eighty,  both  are  still  strong  and  well-pre- 
served, alike  in  bodv  and  mind. 


178  CO^IMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

\\'iLLiAM  E.  Fisher  was  born  in  Somers  township,  Kenosha  county, 
Dec.  1.  1848,  a  son  of  Erederick  Fisher  by  his  first  marriage.  He  grew  up 
on  the  farm  and  attended  the  district  schools  till  he  was  seventeen.  .\t  that 
age  he  left  home  and  became  a  clerk  in  a  general  store  in  Racine,  where  he 
stayed  two  years.  The  next  eleven  years  he  spent  in  Kenosha,  in  the  em- 
ploy of  Seth  Doane.  and  then  went  to  Chicago,  for  a  year,  where  he  worked 
for  Marshall  Field  &  Company.  On  returning  to  Kenosha,  in  1879,  he  went 
into  business  with  others  under  the  firm  name  of  Fisher.  Lentz  &  Company, 
dealing  in  dry  goods  and  groceries,  but  after  three  years  in  partnership  they 
dissolved  the  firm  and  Mr.  Fisher  assumed  entire  control  of  the  dry  goods 
portion,  which  he  has  conducted  ever  since.  He  is  one  of  the  leading  mer- 
chants of  the  city  in  his  line,  employs  twenty  clerks,  and  has  made  a  great 
success  of  the  work.  From  the  very  beginning  he  has  had  a  constantly  in- 
creasing trade,  which  indicates  the  popularity  of  his  establishment.  En- 
tirely self-made,  he  is  a  wide-awake,  enterprising  business  man.  with  a  record 
of  which  he  may  well  be  proud. 

Mr.  Fisher  was  united  in  matrimony,  Oct.  21,  1873,  to  Miss  Rosalie 
Muntzenberger,  daughter  of  Conrad  and  Elizabeth  (Rahke)  Muntzenberger. 
Two  sons  have  been  born  to  them,  as  follows :  William  C,  who  is  interested 
in  a  sheep  ranch  in  Wyoming:  and  Arthur  F.,  employed  in  his  father's  store. 
Mrs.  Fisher  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  The  family  reside  at  No. 
364  Market  street,  property  owned  by  Mr.  Fisher.  He  is  a  Republican  in 
his  political  views,  but  not  active  in  party  work.  Socially  he  belongs  to  Ke- 
nosha Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M.,  to  the  Royal  Arcanum  and  the  Elks. 

The  Muntzenberger  family,  to  which  Mrs.  Fisher  belongs,  is  also  of 
German  descent.  Her  father,  Conrad  Muntzenberger.  was  born  in  Mainz  in 
1812.  He  was  a  brewer,  and  after  coming  to  America  in  1841  was  engaged 
in  that  line  in  Cincinnati  first,  but  in  1847  went  to  Kenosha  and  ran  a  brew- 
ery there  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  a  man  who  took  an  interest  in  pub- 
lic aff^airs  and  served  on  the  Kenosha  school  board.  Before  leaving  Ger- 
many he  had  served  his  required  time  in  the  army  and  had  been  sent  to  Al- 
giers. He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Rahke,  who  was  born  in  \\'orms,  and  a 
family  of  six  sons  and  three  daughters  was  born  to  them.  The  only  ones  now 
living  are:  Adolph,  of  Chicago:  Pauline.  Mrs.  Pierre  Funck,  of  Chicago; 
and  Rosalie,  Mr.  Fisher.  Mr.  Muntzenberger  died  in  1899  in  Kenosha, 
where  his  widow  is  still  living. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Fisher  were  Conrad  and  Rosalie 
(Schad)  Muntzenberger,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  Germanv  in  old  age. 
Their  three  sons  and  one  daughter  are  all  deceased.  The  maternal  grand- 
father was  George  Rahke,  a  son  of  George  Sigmund  Rahke.  Although  a  tailor 
by  trade,  he  for  a  time  served  in  the  army  in  France.  In  1839  he  came  to 
the  L'nited  States  and  established  a  tailoring  concern  in  Cincinnati,  where  he 
died  when  sixty-three  years  old.  He  married  Miss  Anna  Weaver,  daughter 
of  Jacob  Weaver,  and  the  wife  died  some  years  before  her  husband,  aged 
forty-six.  Six  children  were  born  to  them,  but  only  two  are  still  living, 
namely,  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  ^Muntzenberger,  and  Pauliiia.  Mrs.  Jacob  Henpel,  of 
Cincinnati. 

HENRY  REESMANN,  a  highly  respected  and  well-to-do  farmer 
whose  valuable  property  is  located  in  Sections  14  and   13,  Rochester  town- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  179 

ship,  is  a  native  uf  the  Province  of  Westphaha,  Germany,  where  he  was  born 
Aug.  12,  1828.  He  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Funemin)  Reesmann, 
who  were  both  natives  of  that  country  and  the  parents  of  six  children,  three 
sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  besides  Henry,  the  first-born,  there  are 
surviving:  Gertrude,  the  wife  of  Anton  Biederfeldt;  Frank,  a  resident  of 
Burlington,  Wis. ;  and  Anna,  now  Mrs.  Henry  Hornemin,  of  Seneca,  Kansas. 
Joseph  Reesmann,  the  father,  was  a  farmer  of  Germany,  where  his  wife 
was  also  born.  In  1857,  with  their  five  children,  they  emigrated  to  America, 
settling  first  in  Dover  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  they  lived  with  their- 
sons  Henry  and  Frank.  The  latter  sold  his  property  interests  to  Theodore 
and  removed  to  California,  the  father  residing  with  the  two  sons  who  re- 
mained in  Wisconsin  for  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  died  about  1877.  aged 
eighty-three  years,  his  wife  preceding  him  in  1869,  at  the  age  of  seventy. 
Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  The  paternal  grandparents  re- 
mained in  Germany,  where  they  died  at  an  advanced  age,  the  parents  of  three 
sons  and  two  daughters.  The  maternal  grandparents  were  of  yeoman  stock. 
were  long-lived,  died  in  Germany,  and,  as  far  as  is  known,  had  three  daugh- 
ters and  one  son. 

Henry  Reesmann  received  a  healthful  training  upon  his  father's  farm 
in  Germany,  and  a  fair  education  in  the  schools  of  Bork.  He  decided  to  in\'es- 
tigate  the  advantages  of  America  at  first  hand,  so  in  1856  he  took  a  flying 
trip  to  the  New  World,  and  was  so  well  pleased  with  what  he  saw  that  Jie 
returned  to  Germany  the  following  year,  and  was  accompanied  to  America 
the  second  time  by  his  father  and  mother  and  four  more  of  their  children^ 
The  family  reached  Racine  July  4,  1857,  and  a  few  days  later  he  and  his 
brother  Frank  bought  a  farm  of  200  acres  in  Dover  township.  There  they 
resided  for  eight  years,  and  when  Frank  removed  to  California  Henry  and  his 
brother  Theodore  rented  a  farm  in  Burlington  township,  near  Brown's  Lake, 
operating  the  two  properties  jointly.  Henry  lived  upon  the  latter  tract  for 
five  years,  when  the  two  brothers  purchased  184  acres  by  government  survey. 
located  in  Rochester  township,  and  this  farm  has  been  the  homestead  of 
Henry  Reesmann  for  the  past  thirty-seven  years. 

On  May  11,  1857,  Mr.  Reesmann  married  Mary  Anna  Huser,  daughter 
of  Bernhard  and  Elizabeth  ( Wittenbrink)  Huser.  Five  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters were  born  to  this  union,  of  whom  four  survive — Anna,  Henry,  Bernhard 
and  Charles.  Anna  married  August  Kleinvehn,  and  with  her  husband  lives 
in  Norway  township,  the  mother  of  one  son  and  five  daughters — John.  Mary. 
Clara.  Josephine,  Emma  and  Rosa.  Henry,  who  married  Mamie  Hetterman. 
is  a  farmer  of  Burlington  township,  and  is  the  father  of  Celia.  Leo.  Arthur 
and  Florence.  Bernhard  is  an  agriculturist  in  Rochester  township;  his  wife 
was  formerly  Miss  Rosa  Schwering.  and  they  are  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren— Frances.  Herbert  and  Edward.  Charles  is  unmarried  and  lives  at 
home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reesmann  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  Like  many  of  his  countrymen  Mr.  Reesmann  first  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  regular  army,  joined  the  rebellion  of  1848,  and  when  he  became  a 
citizen  of  the  Lhiited  States  entered  the  political  ranks  of  the  Democracy. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Reesmann  were  born  in  Germanv,  and  her  father,  a 
farmer,   died  in  the  Fatherland,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-nine  years,  her 


i8o  CO^niEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

mother  surviving  liini  until  she  was  sixty-six  years  old.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  two  sons  and  seven  daughters,  of  whom  Mrs.  Reesmann  (born  in  No- 
vember, 1832),  WiUiam  and  Henry  (who  both  live  in  Germany)  are  the 
only  survivors.  Both  her  paternal  and  maternal  grandfathers  died  in  Ger- 
many, the  name  of  the  latter  being  Bernhard  Wittenbrink,  and  his  vocation 
that  of  a  farmer.  Mr.  Wittenbrink  died  at  an  advanced  age,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  in  middle  life,  the  mother  of  two  daughters  and  one  son. 

GUSTAVUS  A.  BEECHER,  one  of  the  representative  farmers  of  Do- 
ver township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  having  a  fine  farm  of  334  acres  in  Section 
36,  was  born  in  Germany,  near  the  Rhine,  Nov.  27,  1845.  His  parents,  John 
C.  and  Rebecca  (Lenz)  Beecher,  were  both  natives  of  Germany,  and  the  pa- 
ternal grandfather  died  in  that  country ;  he  was  a  farmer.  The  grandmother 
came  with  her  son  John  C.  to  America,  and  died  in  Brighton  township, 
Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  aged  seventy-six  years.  The  maternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  who  was  also  a  farmer,  served  in  the  army  in  his  native  country. 
He  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  six  children. 

John  C.  Beecher,  the  father  of  Gustavus  A.,  was  the  only  child  of  his 
parents.  He  was  a  forester  in  Germany,  and  a  soldier  for  seven  years.  In 
1846  he  came  to  America,  and  located  in  Brighton  township,  Kenosha  Co., 
Wis.,  where  he  purchased  120  acres  of  land,  which  he  improved  and  upon 
which  he  lived  for  fifteen  years.  He  then  removed  to  Kansasville,  where  he 
was  station  agent  and  postmaster  for  twenty-five  years.  He  then  took  a  trip 
to  Germany,  remaining  one  year,  and  returning  home  in  1883.  He  died  aged 
seventy-three  years,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1887,  being  eighty-two 
years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Both  were  Lutherans.  They  had  six  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  are  now  living :  Emily,  the  wife  of  Julius  Gregorius,  of 
Sterling,  111. ;  Mary,  the  widow  of  Charles  Seirich,  of  Racine;  and  Gustavus  A. 

Gustavus  A.  Beecher  was  something  over  a  year  old  when  brought  to 
America  by  his  father.  He  was  reared  in  Brighton  township  and  in  Kansas- 
ville, attending  the  district  schools,  and  remained  at  home  tintil  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  was  married.  His  father  had  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land  in  Dover  tow'nship  in  Gustavus'  name,  when  he  was  sixteen 
years  old,  and  on  this  he  started  after  marriage.  He  afterward  sold  this  tract 
and  purchased  177  acres  on  the  west  side  of  Eagle  Lake,  where  he  !ive<l 
twenty-two  years.  Mr.  Beecher  then  purchased  liis  present  place  of  334 
acres,  and  here  he  has  since  resided. 

On  Jan.  i,  1867,  Mr.  Gustavus  Beecher  married  Miss  Mary  Ann  Sump- 
ter.  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Ann  (Cheeseman)  Sumpter,  and  to  this 
union  eleven  children  have  been  born :  Edwin,  Rose,  Laura,  Belle,  George, 
Stella,  Frank,  Roy,  Ray,  Byrl  and  Ross.  Stella  married  Leslie  Johnson,  ot 
Springfield,  and  has  three  sons,  Lyle,  Harold  and  Ernest :  Edwin  lives  at 
home:  Rose  married  Fred  Blackburn,  of  Dover  township,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Grace  and  Gertrude:  Laura  married  Edward  Stephens,  and  they  live 
in  Eagle  Grove,  Iowa,  and  have  four  children,  Edna,  George,  Ethel  and  Ray- 
mond :  Belle  married  Silas  B.  Fish,  and  they  live  in  Walworth  county,  and 

have  three  children,  Florence,  John  and :  George,  Frank,  Roy,  Ray 

and  Miss  Byrl  are  at  home;   Ross  is  a  barber  in   Racine.     Mr.  and  Mrs. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  181 

Beecher  attend  the  Union  Gro\e  Cungregational  Church.     Political!}'  he  is  a 
Republican,  and  for  eighteen  years  he  served  as  clerk  of  District  No.  6. 

John  Sumpter,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Beecher,  died  in  Eng- 
land, as  did  his  wife,  Sarah,  and  also  Mrs.  Beecher's  maternal  grandparents, 
John  and  Betsey  Cheseman.  Mrs.  Beecher's  parents  were  natives  of  England, 
and  came  to  America  in  1850,  settling  in  Dover  township,  Racine  county, 
where  Mr.  Sumpter  carried  on  farming.  He  died  in  the  fall  of  1904,  aged 
eighty-six  years,  his  wife  passing  away  in  1899,  in  Alabama,  aged  seventy- 
seven  years.  They  had  a  family  of  twelve  children,  six  of  whom  are  now 
living:  Mary  Ann,  wife  of  our  subject;  John,  of  near  Riceville,  Iowa;  Fan- 
nie, wife  of  John  Murgatroyd,  of  Wood  county,  Wis. ;  George,  of  Citronelle, 
Ala.;  Alexander,  of  Union  Grove,  Wis.,  and  Alfred,  of  Union  Grove. 

HERBERT  O.  BAYLEY,  a  leading  agriculturist  of  Waterford  town- 
ship, Racine  county,  owning  land  in  Sections  8  and  9,  was  born  in  Windsor, 
Vt.,  Aug.  14,  1840,  son  of  Aretas  and  Mary  L.  (Leavens)  Bayley,  natives  of 
the  Green  Mountain  State. 

The  Bayley  family  has  been  in  America  from  Colonial  times,  John  Bayley, 
Jr.,  and  his  father,  John,  coming  from  England  in  1635  and  settling  in  New- 
bury, Mass.  The  latter  was  a  weaver  by  trade,  and  was  one  of  the  first  of 
this  name  to  emigrate  to  America,  coming  from  Chippenham,  about  seventy 
miles  due  west  from  London.  John  Bayley,  Jr.,  married  Eleanor  Emery. 
Their  son.  Rev.  James  Bayley,  married  Mary  Carr.  Their  son,  James  Bay- 
ley,  was  born  in  the  village  of  Salem  (now  Danvers),  Mass.,  and  married 
Elizabeth  Ruggles,  daughter  of  Capt.  Samuel  Ruggles,  of  Roxbury.  They 
had  a  son,  Samuel  Bayley,  who  was  born  Feb.  i,  1705,  at  Roxbury,  Mass.. 
and  married  Anna  Richardson. 

Joshua  Bayley,  son  of  Samuel  and  Anna  (Richardson)  Bayley,  was  the 
great-grandfather  of  Herbert  O.  Bayley.  He  was  born  March  17,  1735,  in 
Roxbury.  Mass.,  and  was  twice  married,  first  to  Mercy  Davis,  second  to  Mrs. 
Sylvia  Annis.  He  had  seventeen  children,  and  over  a  hundred  grandchildren, 
several  of  whom  died  young. 

James  Bayley,  grandfather  of  Herliert  O.  Bayley,  was  the  tenth  child  of 
Joshua  Bailey,  was  born  in  Marlboro,  Mass.,  and  removed  to  Vermont  when 
quite  young.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  Coming  to  Wisconsin  in  1850, 
he  settled  at  Sheboygan  Falls,  where  he  died  in  the  fall  of  1861,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-two  years.  His  wife.  Hannah  (Chapin).  died  the  following  spring, 
when  seventy-seven  years  old.  They  had  seven  children,  five  of  whom  lived 
to  maturity:  Calvin,  who  died  when  nearly  ninety-four  years  of  age;  Aretas. 
who  died  when  past  ninety-two  years ;  Royal,  who  was  past  ninety  years  of 
age  at  his  death;  Huldah.  who  was  the  wife  of  Darius  Leavens,  and  who 
died  in  Colorado  aged  about  eighty-three  years;  and  Miss  Sarah,  who  is  still 
living  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years.  There  were  seventeen  grandchildren, 
twelve  of  whom  are  now  living. 

Aretas  Bayley,  father  of  Herbert  O.,  came  to  \\''isconsin  in  1842,  and  pur- 
chased 160  acres  of  land  in  Waterford  township,  Racine  county,  to  which  he 
later  added  forty  acres,  improving  all.  He  married  Mary  L.  Leavens,  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  Leavens,  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation,  who 
lived  in  West  Windsor,  Vt..  and  died  in  the  town  of  Reading  at  an  advanced 


i82  COMI\IE}.IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

age.  His  wife,  Polly  (Wardner)  Leavens,  died  aged  about  sixty-seven  years 
in  Reading.  They  had  four  children,  three  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  viz. : 
Paulina,  who  was  the  wife  of  John  Adams;  Mary  L.,  the  mother  of  Mr. 
Bayley;  and  Charles.  Aretas  tJayley  died  Dec.  30,  1903,  aged  ninety-two 
years,  his  wife  passing  away  Sept.  30,  1867,  when  fifty-six  years  of  age. 
They  were  Universalisls  in  religion.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bayley  had  two  children: 
Paulina,  the  widow  of  Durlin  B.  Selleck;  and  Herbert  O.,  our  subject. 

Herbert  O.  Bayley  has  lived  in  Waterford  township  since  he  was  two 
years  old,  attended  the  district  schools,  and  lived  at  home  until  he  reached 
maturity.  His  first  purchase  of  land  was  a  tract  of  105  acres  in  the  township, 
and  he  now  owns  a  farm  of  310  acres,  his  father's  old  homestead  being  in- 
cluded in  this  property.  Politically  Mr.  Bayley  is  a  Republican,  but  he  takes 
little  or  no  interest  in  local  matters  beyond  that  which  any  good  citizen  feels. 

On  Dec.  20,  1863.  Mr.  Bayley  married  Miss  Emma  Putnam,  daughter  of 
Prucius  and  Emeline  (Hazleton)  Putnam,  and  one  son  was  born  to  this  union, 
Emery  H. ;  he  married  Katherine  Covell,  by  whom  he  has  two  children, 
Emery  Covell  and  Anna  Paulina,  and  they  live  in  Lake  City,  Minn.,  where 
he  is  a  practicing  physician.  Mrs.  Emma  Bayley  tlied  Dec.  5,  1865,  aged 
twenty-one  years. 

On  Jan.  11,  1877,  Mr.  Bayley  married  (second)  Miss  Edna  V.  Miller, 
daughter  of  Philetus  and  Amanda  (Barber)  Miller,  and  one  child  has  been 
born  to  this  union,  Aretas  O.,  who  is  attending  the  Burlington  high  school. 

Mrs.  Edna  \'.  Bayley's  paternal  grandfather,  Jonathan  Miller,  was  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  and  died  aged  fifty-two  years.  He  married  Permelia 
Lee.  whose  father,  John  Lee,  came  from  England  l>efore  the  Revolution  and 
settled  in  Blandford.  Mass.,  where  Mrs.  Miller  was  born.  She  sur\-ived  her 
husband,  dying  when  eighty-four  years  of  age.  They  had  a  family  of  ten 
children,  two  of  whom  survive:  Charles,  of  Walworth  county,  W'is.,  and 
Melissa,  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Barton,  of  Califorqia.  On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs. 
Bayley  is  descended  from  John  Barber,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  who 
died  when  quite  young.  His  wife  bore  him  five  children,  all  of  whom  are 
now  deceased. 

Philteus  Miller,  father  of  Mrs.  Herbert  O.  Bayley.  was  a  farmer  at  West 
Walworth,  N.  Y.,  where  he  made  his  permanent  home.  He  held  several  town 
of^ces,  being  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors  of  West  Walworth  for 
twelve  years.  He  died  May  25,  1885,  aged  seventy-four  years,  and  his  wife 
died  Nov.  24,  1870,  aged  fifty-seven.  They  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children  :  Helen,  who  married 
Horace  Lee;  Caroline,  Mrs.  Joel  White;  Adeline,  who  married  (first) 
Charles  Foote,  and  (second)  George  Rood;  Charles,  who  served  nearlv  three 
years  in  the  Civil  war,  when  he  died  of  sickness,  and  is  buried  at  Arlington 
Heights;  Annette,  widow  of  Sanford  Gould,  living  near  Pittsburg,  Pa.; 
Amanda,  who  died  in  infancy:  George,  and  Edna  V.,  Mrs.  Bayley.  Mrs. 
Baylev  and  Mrs.  Gould  are  the  onlv  survivors. 

WILLIAM  C.  DOW.  In  these  days  of  specialization  and  keenest  com- 
petition, it  is  rather  an  unusual  spectacle  to  see  a  man.  successfully  engaged 
in  one  line  of  business  for  manv  vears.  suddenlv  forsake  that  occupation   for 


C0MME:M0RATIVE    biographical    record.  183 

ail  entirely  different  enterprise,  and  to  achieve  success  in  the  new  \enture 
argues  both  adaptabihty  and  power.  This  assumption  holds  good  in  the  case 
of  William  C.  Dow,  now  proprietor  of  a  livery  and  boarding  stable  in  Racine, 
but  formerly  a  machinist.  Mr.  Dow  is  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  born  in  White- 
water, Sept.  3,  i860,  son  of  Thomas  Jefferson  and  Ruth  (Burgess)  Dow. 

The  paternal  grandfather,  Thomas  Jefferson  Dow,  Sr.,  was  an  early 
settler  in  Illinois,  near  Tampico  and  Prophetstown,  and  died  in  the  latter  town 
well  advanced  in  years.  He  married  Miss  Susan  Gray,  of  a  Massachusetts 
family  which  dates  back  to  1700.     They  reared  a  large  family. 

Thomas  Jefferson  Dow,  Jr.,  was  a  native  of  the  State  of  New  York,  as 
was  also  his  wife,  Ruth  (Burgess)  Dow.  He  was  but  a  small  boy,  however, 
when  his  father  moved  to  Tampico,  and  he  remained  there  until  he  was  about 
seventeen  years  of  age.  He  then  went  to  Whitewater,  Wis.,  remaining  there 
until  1849,  when  he  started  overland  to  California,  with  one  of  the  wagon 
trains  that  made  the  journey  to  the  gold  fields.  After  about  two  years  at  the 
coast,  Mr.  Day  embarked  on  a  vessel  bound  for  Nicaragua,  and  returned  by 
way  of  New  Orleans  and  the  Mississippi  to  his  home  in  \Vhitewater.  After 
his  return  he  married  a  Miss  Pratt,  but  she  lived  only  six  weeks  after  their 
marriage.  Mr.  Dow  continued  to  live  at  Whitewater  until  1862.  and  he  car- 
ried on  blacksmithing  and  wagonmaking  in  a  shop  which  he  had  built  him- 
self. From  Whitewater  he  went  to  Kenosha  for  two  years,  and  then  moved 
to  Racine,  and  there  died  in  1887  of  apoplexy,  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years. 

In  1857  Mr.  Dow  married  (second)  Miss  Ruth  B.  Burgess.  She  sur- 
vived her  husband  and  died  in  November,  1893.  Four  children  were  born 
to  them,  namely :  Carrie,  deceased  wife  of  William  LeRay,  of  Racine ; 
William  C,  of  Racine;  Albert  W..  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.;  and  Walter  L.,  of 
Racine.  Mrs.  Dow  was  born  in  the  Mohawk  Valley,  N.  Y.,  but  when  she 
was  only  a  year  old  her  parents  came  west  to  Southport,  now?  Kenosha,  mak- 
ing the  trip  with  an  ox  team.  Her  father  started  a  sawmill  there,  but  died 
not  long  after  his  arrival,  when  only  in  middle  life.  He  left  a  large  family. 
His  widow,  who  was  his  second  wife,  had  herself  been  previously  married, 
and  was  a  Mrs.  Allen  when  Mr.  Burgess  married  her.  She  survived  himi 
many  years,  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven. 

William  C.  Dow  was  four  years  old  when  his  parents  settled  in  Racine, 
and  it  has  been  his  home  ever  since.  He  attended  the  public  schools,  taking 
a  complete  course  and  was  graduated  from  the  Racine  high  school  in  1879. 
After  finishing  his  studies  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  machinist,  and  going 
into  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Works  became  foreman.  For  twenty-four  years  he 
was  thus  employed,  but  at  the  end  of  that  period  he  decided  to  drop  that  occu- 
pation, and  to  go  into  business  for  himself  as  proprietor  of  a  livery  stable. 
The  change  became  an  accomplished  fact  in  the  spring  of  1904.  and  Mr.  Dow 
has  since  been  the  proprietor  of  a  livery  and  lioarding  stable  located  at  No. 
701  Wisconsin  street,  conducting  a  first-class  establishment  and  doing  a  flour- 
ishing business. 

Mr.  Dow  has  been  twice  married.  By  his  first  marriage,  June  20.  1883. 
he  was  united  to  Miss  Cora  E.  Baldwin,  daughter  of  James  G.  and  Sarah 
(Gidnev)  Baldwin.  Mrs.  Do\v  died  in  April.  1894,  at  the  age  of  thirty-two 
years,  leaving  one  son  named  De  Wilton.     She  w-as  a  member  of  the  Presby- 


i84  CO:\LME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

terian  Church.  On  July  29,  1896,  Air.  Dow  was  married  to  Aliss  Emma 
Grenier,  daughter  of  Achille  and  Ellen  (Bloom)  Grenier,  by  whom  he  has 
had  two  children,  namely:  William  Clayton,  born  June  25,  1899;  and 
Ernestine  Lucile,  born  March  8,  1901.  The  family  home  is  at  No.  624  Cen- 
ter street,  where  Mr.  Dow  built  the  residence  in  1891.  Politically  he  is  an 
adherent  of  the  Republican  party. 

RE\'.  THEODORE  JACOBS,  pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception,  Burlington,  Wis.,  was  l3orn  in  the  town  of  Somers,  Kenosha  Co., 
Wis.,  July  14.  1848.  son  of  Matthias  and  Mary  Eva  (Meyer)  Jacobs,  natives 
of  Prussia,  Germany,  who  lived  in  Pelm.  near  Treves. 

Hubert  Jacobs,  paternal  grandfather  of  Father  Jacobs,  was  born  in 
France,  of  German  parentage.  He  was  a  tanner  and  miller,  and  followed  these 
occupations  near  Pelm.  Hubert  Jacobs  married  Josephine  Roller,  who  was 
born  in  Germany,  and  seven  children  were  born  to  this  union,  one  of  this  fam- 
ily, Alatthias  Jacobs,  being  the  father  of  our  subject. 

Matthias  Jacobs  was  a  tanner  by  occupation,  having  learned  that  trade 
in  his  native  country,  and  on  coming  to  America,  in  1846,  he  followed  that 
work  in  Chicago  for  ten  dollars  per  month.  In  the  spring  of  1847  he  came  to 
Racine  and  worked  in  a  tannery,  receiving  fifteen  dollars  per  month,  and  in 
the  same  year  purchased  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in  Somers  township.  In  that 
year  Mr.  Jacobs  married.  He  took  his  wife  to  the  farm  on  the  old  plank  road, 
and  there  settled  down  to  agricultural  operations.  He  added  forty-eight 
acres  to  his  original  farm,  which  he  sold  in  1855  to  go  to  Kenosha,  where  he 
conducted  a  tavern  for  several  years  on  Market  street.  This  he  sold  to  pur- 
chase a  number  of  lots  on  the  north  side,  and  he  spent  the  last  years  of  his 
life  dealing  in  real  estate.  He  died  June  15,  1889.  aged  seventy-one  years, 
while  his  wife  survived  until  July  14,  1895,  passing  away  in  her  seventieth 
year.     Both  were  faithful,  devout  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Theodore  Meyer,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Jacobs,  came  to  America  in  1843 
and  settling  in  Kenosha  county,  W'^is.,  purchased  land  on  the  plank  road  in 
Somers  township,  Hving  there  a  number  of  years.  He  then  removed  to  Ke- 
nosha where  he  spent  his  last  years,  passing  away  at  the  age  of  eighty-two ; 
his  wife  died  aged  sixty-eight  years.  For  ten  years  Theodore  r^Ieyer  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Napoleonic  wars,  and  during  his  travels  with  the  armies  leaned 
to  speak  Italian,  French  and  Spanish,  although  in  young  manhood  he  could 
only  speak  the  tongue  of  his  native  country. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Matthias  Jacobs  had  eleven  children :  Rev.  Theodore ; 
Susan,  the  wife  of  Frank  Sandt.  of  Kenosha:  Dr.  John  M.,  of  Chicago;  Lena, 
the  wife  of  Casper  Wagner  of  Chicago ;  Peter,  of  Kenosha ;  Joseph,  a  travel 
ing  man;  ]Mary.  the  wife  of  Jacob  Turnes,  an  attorney  of  Chicago;  Martin, 
of  Julian.  Cal. ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Henry  Slacks,  of  Kenosha;  and  two 
who  died  in  infancy. 

Rev.  Theodore  Jacobs  was  seven  or  eight  years  oUl  when  his  parents 
left  the  farm  and  moved  into  Kenosha.  There  he  grew  to  manhood.  He 
followed  farming  for  a  time,  and  then  turned  his  attention  to  railroading,  on 
the  section,  after  which  he  took  a  position  as  bookkeeper  with  Jacob  Gottfred- 
son,  who  was  at  that  time  the  leading  merchant  of  Kenosha.     Father  Jacobs 


4^     ,i,</gr«»v.. 


C0-MME:\IC)RAT1\'E    biographical    record.  185 

had  attended  the  pubhc  and  parochial  schools,  and  when  a  little  more  than 
twenty-one  years  old  entered  St.  Francis  Seminary,  at  Milwaukee,  to  study 
for  the  priesthood.  This  was  in  1870,  and  he  was  ordained  in  1878,  his  first 
pastoral  charge  being  at  Paris,  Kenosha  county.  There  he  remained  two 
years,  being  then  transferred  to  Sinsinawa  Mound,  Grant  county,  where  he 
built  a  new  church,  remaining  there  from  1880  until  1890.  Father  Jacobs 
came  to  Burlington  May  6,  1890,  and  became  the  pastor  of  the  Church  of 
the  Immaculate  Conception,  being  the  successor  of  the  Rev.  Father  M.  Wis- 
bauer,  who  was  the  first  resident  priest  here,  and  who  had  been  the  pastor 
here  for  forty-three  consecutive  years.  When  Father  Jacobs  took  charge  the 
congregation  comprised  175  families.  Under  his  ministry  it  has  grown  to 
over  four  hundred  families.  He  has  purchased  grounds,  erected  a  new  church 
edifice,  and  changed  the  old  church  into  a  school,  with  a  large  hall  above,  at 
a  cost  altogether  of  over  $70,000.  The  school,  a  free  one,  has  over  three  hun- 
dred pupils,  and  its  five  teachers  are  Notre  Dame  Sisters. 

Father  Jacobs  is  vice-president  of  the  Bank  of  Burlington,  for  in  addition 
to  being  a  priest  of  marked  ability  he  is  regarded  as  a  good  financier,  a  state- 
ment which  the  condition  of  his  church  afl:'airs  will  verify. 

A  History  of  St.  Mary's  Congregation  and  Church  of  Burlington,  Wis., 
by  Father  Jacobs,  follows  : 

In  a  memoir  edited  more  than  225  years  ago  by  Pere  Marquette,  a  Cath- 
olic priest,  the  name  Milwaukee  is  mentioned  for  the  first  time. 

In  October,  1674,  Father  Marquette  sailed  down  the  western  shore  of 
Lake  Michigan.  Two  years  later  a  Father  AUouez  labored  in  the  present 
regions  of  Milwaukee.  In  a  record  of  Father  Marquette  we  find  mention  of 
an  Indian  tribe  near  the  mouth  of  the  Milloike  river.  Solomon  Juneau,  a 
Catholic,  was  the  first  white  settler  of  xMilwaukee. 

In  the  year  1837  divine  services  were  oft'ered  in  the  house  of  Solomon 
Juneau  by  Father  Bondenil,  from  Green  Bay.  In  autumn  of  the  same 
year  Father  Kelley  came  from  Detroit,  Mich.,  and  two  lots  were  presented  by 
Solomon  Juneau,  on  the  site  of  which  a  small  frame  church  (St.  Peter's 
Church),  which  became  the  first  cathedral  of  Milwaukee,  was  erected. 

About  the  same  time  Father  McLaughlin  and  Father  Morrissy  came  over 
from  Detroit.  Some  years  later,  in  1842,  Rev.  Martin  Kundig  arrived  in 
Milwaukee. 

Burlington  is  forty-four  miles  southwest  of  Milwaukee,  situated  on  the 
Fo.x  river,  in  the  western  part  of  Racine  county,  twenty-seven  miles  from  Ra- 
cine. Divine  services  were  held  for  the  first  time  in  Burlington  by  Father 
Morrissy,  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Nims,  a  Protestant,  who  had  a  hotel  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Fox  river  at  that  time.  John  James  Krome,  a  Catholic,  and 
Rosine,  his  wife,  a  Protestant,  w-ere  the  first  Catholic  family  (if  it  may  be 
called  thus).  Meanwhile  Catholics  settled  more  and  more  in  and  about  Mil- 
waukee. 

One  of  the  first  Catholic  settlements  was  Burlington,  W^is.  Anton  and 
Margaret  Xoblet,  who  landed  in  New  York  in  1832,  came  to  Milwaukee  in 
October.  1838.  and  the  following  February  moved  to  Spring  Prairie.  Wal- 
worth Co.,  Wis.,  near  Burlington.  They  were,  therefore,  one  of  the  first 
families  here. 


l86  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Two  years  later  (1841)  the  following  families  came  to  Burlington: 
Joseph  and  Anna  Maria  Host  (the  latter  still  living;.  Sebastian  and  Margaret 
Amend,  Joseph  and  Catherine  Wackerman  and  Leonard  and  Catherine 
Schmit.  In  1842  John  H.  and  Johanna  Dahlman,  Xic  and  Magdelen  Mueller, 
Joseph  and  Barbara  Teigler,  Christopher  (Catholic)  and  Teresa  (Protestant) 
Winkler,  Henry  and  Christina  Kerkmann,  Patrick  and  Bridget  0"Neil, 
Michael  and  Helen  Cunningham,  Timothy  and  Margaret  Foley,  Christopher 
and  Maria  Haman  and  Anton  Bohner  came. 

The  first  child  that  was  baptized  in  Milwaukee  in  1840  was  Anton  Nob- 
let  from  Spring  Prairie.  The  first  child  from  Burlington  to  be  baptized  was 
Jacob  Host.  He  was  born  in  August,  1842,  w-as  brought  to  Milwaukee  in 
October  the  same  year  and  baptized  by  Rev.  Kundig,  who  had  shortly  arrived 
there. 

On  this  occasion  it  was  communicated  to  Rev.  Father  Kundig  that  a 
number  of  Catholic  families  living  in  Burlington  recjuested  him  to  pay  them  a 
visit.  "But  how  get  there?"  was  the  reply.  No  money,  no  vehicle  and 
an  unknown  way.  On  receiving  the  promise  that  they  would  call  for  him  if 
he  consented  to  come,  he  complied  with  their  wish.  Consequently  Mr.  John 
Dahlman,  who  owned  a  span  of  horses,  went  to  Milwaukee  in  Novemlier  for 
Father  Kundig  and  brought  him  to  Burlington.  Divine  services  were  then 
held  in  a  carpenter  shop,  the  joiner's  bench  serving  as  altar  table.  This  was 
on  the  very  place  where  the  Misses  Miller  and  Voelker  have  their  millinery 
establishment  at  present.  The  result  of  the  collection  taken  up  at  that  occa- 
sion was  sixty  dollars.  It  was  disposed  of  by  purchasing  a  horse  for  Father 
Kundig,  who  promised  the  people  to  visit  Burlington  once  a  month  after  this. 
All  were  well  pleased  with  the  success  of  their  enterprise. 

Later  on  they  assembled  at  Bohner's  Lake,  in  the  home  of  Mr.  Bohner, 
and  here  it  was  that  the  first  resolution  was  made  to  build  a  Catholic  church 
in  Burlington.  The  principal  house  of  assembly  for  divine  services  was  that 
of  Mr.  Leonard  Schmit.  High  mass  was  usually  celebrated.  Anna  Maria 
Host,  Margaret  Amend  and  Jacob  Westrich  were  the  first  singers. 

During  the  week  before  Christmas,  Father  Kundig  made  his  first  visit 
to  Spring  Prairie,  where  he  ofifered  the  Holy  Sacrifice  in  the  house  of  Mr. 
Louis  Kern.  On  the  same  day  seven  children  were  baptized.  Divine  ser- 
vices were  held  in  this  place  three  times  only,  and  after  that  they  were  held 
in  Burlington. 

In  the  year  1843  the  following  families  arrived  in  Burlington:  John  and 
Anna  O'Neil,  John  and  Catherine  Wagner,  David  and  Jane  Powdelly,  Ber- 
nard and  Agnes  Hess,  Richard  and  Eleonora  Naegel,  Philip  and  Barbara 
Prasch,  Anton  and  Margaret  Koch,  Henry  and  Barbara  Beck,  Patrick  and 
Helen  Callahan,  Lewis  and  Teresa  Kern,  Martin  and  Elizabeth  Eisenbart, 
Mathew  and  Maria  Klingele  and  Francis  Meinhardt.  In  1844  William  and 
Helen  McCarthy,  Peter  and  Mary  Cunningham,  Michael  and  Margaret  Cun- 
ningham, Henry  and  Elizabeth  Fuestmann,  Elizabeth  Kresken  (widow), 
Herman  and  Maria  Catherine  Rombeck,  Catherine  Klunkefuss  (widow), 
Carl  Klunkefuss,  .\loysius  and  Elizabeth  Boschert,  Bernard  and  Josephine 
Buschmann,  John  and  Barbara  Prasch,  Jacob  and  Maria  Anna  Prasch,  Law- 
rence and  Elizabeth  Gies,  Adolph  James  and  Maria  Anna  Plate,  Mathias  and 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  187 

Anna  Maria  Leber,  Louis  and  Christine  Tlieule,  Anton  and  Catherine  Grass, 
Joseph  and  Barbara  Grass.  Thus  the  number  of  Cathohcs  increased  con- 
stantly. 

Erection  of  the  First  Catholic  Church. — In  the  same  year  (1844) 
they  commenced  the  construction  of  the  new  church.  In  autumn  of  the  same 
year  stones  were  hauled  and  the  foundation  was  begun.  The  majority  of 
the  families  had  brought  little  or  nothing  with  them.  Money  was  very  scarce 
and  in  consequence  of  this  the  building  rose  very,  very  slowly.  After  many 
hardships  and  toils  the  roof  at  last  covered  the  church  and  the  interior  was 
so  far  completed  that  the  divine  mysteries  could  be  commemorated. 

Only  after  three  years,  in  1847,  the  church  was  dedicated.  In  December 
of  1845  Rev.  Francis  H.  Kendeler  came  to  Burlington  as  temporary  pastor, 
to  whom  we  owe  the  record  of  the  families  of  the  first  years.  During  his 
absence  of  a  few  months  the  Rev.  Fathers  Schraudenbach,  Kundig  and  Heiss 
administered  to  his  flock. 

On  the  9th  day  of  October.  1847,  Rev.  Michael  Wisbauer  came  as  re- 
siding pastor  of  St.  Sebastian's  congregation,  which  name  the  new  church 
was  to  bear.  A  month  after  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Father  Wisbauer,  on  the  8th  of 
November,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Henni  came  to  Burlington  for  the  first  time,  ac- 
companied by  the  Rev.  Fathers  Kundig  and  Heiss.  The  following  day.  on 
Nov.  9th,  the  new  church  was  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God,  and  placed  un- 
der the  special  protection  of  St.  Sebastian.  After  this,  eighty  persons  re- 
ceived the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation.  The  hearts  of  all  present  were  filled 
with  joy  when  they  saw  the  day  to  which  they  had  so  long  looked  forward, 
and  which  was  now  realized  before  their  happy  eyes.  All  their  sacrifices 
were  fuHv  rewarded. 

Rev.  Father  Wisbauer  began  with  courage  and  energy  to  pursue  the 
work  of  his  new  field  of  labor.  He  visited  his  scattered  flock,  admonishing 
and  encouraging  them  to  remain  faithful  to  their  holy  Faith.  The  congrega- 
tion prospered  and  grew  very  rapidly  under  his  care,  so  much  so  that  after 
some  years  the  church  proved  to  be  too  small  and  the  necessity  of  a  new  church 
became  more  and  more  pressing. 

The  Second  Church. — In  the  year  1854  it  was  resolved  to  build  a 
larger  church,  for  which  the  foundation  was  begun  in  autumn  of  trie  same 
year.  The  plan  was  designed  by  Mr.  Schulte,  of  Milwaukee.  The  structure 
was  to  be  45  x  1 10  feet,  and  it  was  to  have  a  stately  steeple. 

In  the  following  year,  1855,  on  the  9th  of  September,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
Henni  administered  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation  in  St.  Sebastian's  Church. 
After  the  sacred  functions  were  over  the  cornerstone  of  the  new  church  was 
laid,  which  was  to  bear  the  name  of  the  Immaculate  Conception. 

What  a  project!  With  only  one  dollar  in  their  treasury  stones  were 
quarried,  lime  was  burned  and,  the  first  supply  being  exhausted,  want  of 
money  compelled  tliem  to  suspend  their  work  for  some  time,  until  after  five 
full  years  the  work  was  completed. 

On  the  8th  of  December,  the  feast  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  (1859), 
the  new  church  was  solemnly  dedicated  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Henni.  On 
the  following  day,  December  9th,  the  Bishop  confirmed  and  a  new  bell  was 
blessed.    At  this  celebration  the  illustrious  Dr.  Salzman  delivered  the  sermon. 


i88  COALMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

The  following  clergy  were  present :  Thomas  Schmith.  Thomas  Kernan, 
Martin  Weiss,  Sebastian  Sonner,  Jacob  Stehle  and  Michael  Beitter.  The 
above  mentioned  priests  have  all  gone  to  their  eternal  home. 

The  masonry  was  managed  by  Joseph  Wackerman  and  John  Rueter, 
the  carpenter  work  by  Henry  Bnrhaus  and  Henry  Rueter,  and  the  rafters  and 
steeple  were  built  by  John  Kemptner,  who  was  greatly  interested  in  the  entire 
work. 

St.  ^Mary's  Church  was  for  a  time  one  of  the  most  beautiful  churches  of 
Wisconsin  and  certainly  the  honor  and  ornament  of  the  congregation.  The 
church  being  w-ell  provided  for,  there  remained  but  one  wish  of  Father  Wis- 
bauer  to  be  fulfilled  and  this  was  the  school.  Secular  teachers  had  been  trusted 
with  the  education  of  the  youth  at  different  times,  but  in  i860  three  school 
Sisters  from  the  Notre  Dame  convent  in  Milwaukee  took  charge  of  St.  Mary's 
School  and  have  continued  their  work  to  the  present  day. 

From  that  time  forward  the  progress  of  the  congregation  was  still 
greater.  Every  year  witnessed  new  improvements,  a  parsonage  was  built, 
etc.  To  be  brief,  renovations  were  made,  both  the  exterior  as  well  as  the  in- 
terior of  the  church  being  em]3ellished. 

Father  Wisbauer  was  universally  venerated  as  a  father.  This  proved 
itself  in  a  most  touching  manner  on  the  occasion  of  his  Silver  Jubilee  as  pas- 
tor, in  1872.  Still  more  at  the  celebration  of  his  Golden  Jubilee  as  priest, 
in  August,  1884.  when  the  sincere  love  and  reverence  of  his  people  was  mani- 
fested so  strikingly.  It  was  a  jubilee  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  word,  un- 
marred  nor  disturbed  by  any  discord.  To  his  great  delight  he  could  celebrate 
the  first  of  the  above  named  events  with  his  most  devoted  friend.  Dr.  Salz- 
man.  who  had  brought  with  him  all  the  students  of  the  seminary  to  solemnize 
the  joyful  occasion.  All  eyes  were  filled  with  tears  of  joy  when  Dr.  Salz- 
man  addressed  his  venerable  colleague,  reminding  him  of  bygone  days,  and 
of  their  own  beautiful  home  beyond  the  mighty  waters,  which  they  had  left 
to  follow  a  higher  calling  to  save  souls  and  gain  them  for  heaven.  When 
in  1884  this  village  was  thronged  with  people  to  celebrate  the  Golden  Jubilee 
of  their  venerable  pastor,  they  beheld  him  in  the  midst  of  high  dignitaries  of 
the  church — three  bishops,  his  friends,  who  had  come  to  honor  him  with  their 
presence.  How  must  his  noble  heart  have  expanded  with  joy  and  gratitude! 
And  with  a  just  pride  the  congregation  looked  up  at  their  beloved  pastor,  who 
was  so  singularly  iionored.  Thus  the  life  of  this  noble  and  benevolent  priest 
passed  cjuietly  and  peacefully  among  his  cherished  flock,  to  whom  he  was  ever 
a  faithful  and  true  shepherd.  On  the  20th  day  of  December,  1889,  he  followed 
the  call  of  his  divine  Master,  who  summoned  him  to  rest  in  a  far  brighter 
world,  and  his  remains  were  interred  three  days  later,  in  the  churchyard.  His 
name  will  ever  be  sacred  as  that  of  a  good  shepherd,  a  faithful  priest  accord- 
ing to  the  heart  of  God,  and  as  one  of  the  most  deserving  pioneers  of  the 
Church  of  Wisconsin. 

For  some  time  after  this  the  Capuchin  Fathers  took  charge  of  the  congre- 
gation, for,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Archbishop  Heiss  being  sick  at  the  hospital  in  La- 
crosse, no  successor  was  appointed.  After  a  few  months  the  Archbishop  died, 
and  expressed  himself  to  I3ishop  Flasch  that  it  was  his  wish  that  the  Rev. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  189 

Father  Jacubs,  of  Sinsinawa  Mound,  should  be  the  pastor  of  St.  Mary's 
Church,  BurHngton. 

After  the  aeath  of  the  archbishop,  Rev.  Father  Zeininger  was  appointed 
administrator  of  the  Archdiocese.  Shortly  after  this  the  administrator  re- 
quested Father  Jacobs  to  accept  the  parish  at  Burlington.  The  latter,  how- 
ever, was  not  inclined  to  comply  with  his  wish,  having  just  completed  a  new 
church  and  parsonage  at  Sinsmawa  Mound.  Upon  a  second  request  he  con- 
sented, and  came  to  Burlington  May  6,  1890. 

The  congregation  was  large,  but  there  was  much  indeed  to  be  wished  for. 
An  old  empty  parsonage,  a  church  by  far  too  small  in  comparison  to  the  num- 
ber of  parishioners,  and  a  few  old  school  buildings  which  would  not  accommo- 
date all  the  children,  was  what  he  found.  Father  Jacobs  considered  the  matter, 
summoned  the  whole  congregation,  and  laid  the  necessities  of  the  congrega- 
tion before  them.  His  proposals  met  with  opposition.  He  made  a  second  at- 
tempt and  succeeded.  He  therefore  bought  the  beautiful  corner  lot  from  the 
Sisters  for  $500,  which  he  presented  to  the  congregation  on  condition  that  they 
would  build  a  new  church  and  parsonage  on  the  grounds.  The  ofier  was  will- 
ingly accepted,  whereupon  they  resolved  to  go  to  work  at  once.  Father  Jacobs 
was  unanimously  elected  as  secretary  and  treasurer.  Messrs.  Schnetzky  & 
Liebert,  of  Milwaukee,  designed  the  plan,  and  already  in  the  month  of  August 
the  foundation  was  laid.  The  dimensions  of  the  new  church  were  to  be  61  x 
136  feet,  with  a  tower  186  feet  high.  In  the  course  of  the  follow'ing  winter  all 
material  for  the  building  was  procured  and  in  the  spring  work  was  begun  with 
full  energy.  Father  Jacobs  superintended  the  building  himself  and  took  up  the 
subscriptions  personally. 

The  work  proceeded  very  rapidly  during  the  summer  months,  so  that  the 
church  and  parsonage  were  completed  that  very  autumn.  Mr.  Joseph  Schunk 
attended  to  the  carpenter  work,  Albert  Kroening  to  the  masonry,  Rueter  & 
Zarneke  built  the  foundation.  Zwiebel  &  Co.  put  in  the  heating  apparatus. 
Messrs.  Joseph  and  Frank  Rueter  built  the  parsonage.  Notwithstanding  that 
the  stones  for  the  foundation,  the  sand,  etc.,  were  furnished  gratis,  by  which 
$10,000  was  saved,  the  expenditures  for  building  still  amounted  to  over  $40,- 
000. 

On  December  loth  the  new  church  was  solemnly  dedicated  by  Rt.  Rev. 
Archbishop  Katzer.  Rev.  Father  Miller,  of  Waukesha,  delivered  the  English 
and  Rev.  Father  Kuemper  of  Sherrill's  Mound,  Iowa,  the  German  sermon. 
More  than  twenty  priests  w'ere  present  at  this  solemnity.  Every  last  place  in 
the  church  was  taken,  testifying  that  1,200  persons  attended  the  services.  This 
was  evidently  a  very  joyous  day,  not  only  for  the  whole  parish  but  for  the 
whole  city  and  its  surroundings.  The  magnificent  edifice,  so  rapidly  completed, 
evidently  demanded  arduous  labor  on  the  part  of  Father  Jacobs  and  the  trus- 
tees of  the  congregation.  The  decoration  of  the  interior  of  the  church  was  the 
next  object  which  involved  the  whole  interest  of  the  Reverend  Pastor.  First 
of  all,  pews,  chandeliers  and  statues,  etc.,  were  procured.  Numerous  very 
beautiful  gifts  were  donated  by  individual  members. 

In  the  year  1892  Father  Jacobs  made  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  Land,  dur- 
ing which  time  Rev.  Father  Schinner  administered  in  his  place.  During  his 
absence  Rev.  Philip  Klein,  a  child  of  the  congregation,  celebrated  his  first  holy 


190  COMMEMORATIA'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

mass  on  the  ist  of  August.  During  the  foUuwing  j-ear  a  second  son  of  the 
congregation,  Joseph  bchenimer,  was  ordained.  '1  lie  latter,  however,  had  he- 
longed  to  the  congregation  until  his  ninth  year  only.  On  his  return,  Eather 
Jacohs  presented  the  church  the  beautiful  stations  of  the  cross  which  he  had 
bought  m  Munich  for  the  sum  of  $1,150. 

Until  now  the  church  alone  was  the  sole  center  of  all  the  noble  endeavors. 
Now  his  attention  was  directed  toward  the  school.  He  resolved  to  sell  the  two 
old  school  buildings  and  the  grounds  and  to  change  the  old  church  into  a 
school.  The  buildmg  was  thoroughly  renovated,  the  roof  was  renewed,  the 
steeple  taken  down,  and  other  necessary  alterations  were  made.  The  whole 
building  was  divided  into  two  stories.  On  the  first  floor  are  five  large  spacious 
schoolrooms ;  the  whole  second  story  contains  a  hall,  a  stage  and  sceneries,  and 
is  well  supplied  with  fine,  comfortable  seats.  The  dimensions  of  the  hall  are 
45x110  feet.  The  building  is  heated  by  steam.  The  congregation  therefore 
possesses  a  school  and  hall  not  very  often  surpassed.  Three  sisters  and  a 
secular  teacher  were  employed  in  the  school,  which  had  an  attendance  of  240 
children  at  the  time.     The  total  expenses  for  the  school  and  hall  were  $6,300. 

One  thing  still  remained  to  be  done  that  the  work  might  be  called  complete, 
the  frescoing  of  the  church.  Eather  Jacobs  himself  took  the  responsibility  of 
having  the  church  painted  in  hand,  and  immediately  gave  his  subscription  of 
$300  for  the  purpose.  The  balance  was  to  be  covered  by  other  voluntary  con- 
tributions. The  famous  artist,  A.  Liebig,  of  Milwaukee,  w'as  entrusted  with 
the  work,  which  was  promptly  begun  July  i,  1895.  The  altars  were  also 
renovated,  new  carpets  were  laid,  and  the  electric  lights  put  in,  generously  do- 
nated by  Mr.  Leonard  Smith.  After  seven  months  the  work  was  executed  in 
every  detail,  adding  $3,500  further  to  the  cost  of  the  church.  Thanks  to  the 
untiring  zeal  and  noble  influence  of  Eather  Jacobs,  the  cash  was  on  hand  before 
the  work  was  completed. 

It  remains  to  be  mentioned  that  the  parish  honored  the  memory  of  the 
first  beloved  pastor.  Rev.  Eather  Wisbauer,  by  erecting  a  chapel  over  his  re- 
mains in  the  churchyard  in  1892.  This  was  also  richly  frescoed  at  the  expense 
of  Mrs.  J.  Kemptner,  whose  deceased  husband  had  made  the  plans  for  the 
chapel,  "willing  hands  contributed  $1,000,  which  w-as  the  sum  required  to 
cover  the  cost  of  the  memorial  chapel. 

On  Jan.  i,  1896,  the  total  debt  of  the  congregation  was  $7,600.  Erom  this 
time  on  improvements  were  made  gradually  and  new  things  added  to  the  in- 
terior of  the  church,  among  others  a  handsome  altar  rail  donated  by  Eather 
Jacobs,  costing  $1,475. 

On  Jan.  i.  1901,  the  standing  of  St.  Mary's  Congregation  was:  No  debts 
whatever.  Cash  on  hand  in  treasury,  $3,019.35.  Cash  on  hand  belonging  to 
Schoiil  Eund,  $6,797.15. 

In  1904  an  organ  was  placed  in  the  church  at  a  cost  of  $3,050.  provided 
for  by  a  public  subscription :  it  was  made  by  B.  Schaefer,  of  Schleisingerville, 
Wis.'  They  have  recently  placed  in  the  main  altar,  donated  by  Rev.  Eather 
Jacobs  and  his  cousin.  Miss  Christine  Roller,  the  former  paying  $3,000  and  the 
"latter  $500. 

May  St.  Mary's  Congregation  continue  to  flourish,  and  may  God's  bless- 
ing be  with  all  its  members,  is  the  sincere  wnsh  of  its  pastor. 

April  20.  1906.  T.  Jacobs,  Burlington.  Wisconsin. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  191 

FREDERICK  O.  PARKER,  of  the  Parker  Brothers  Transfer,  Ke- 
nosha, Wis.,  is  one  of  that  city's  substantial  and  representative  business  men. 
He  was  born  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  June  30,  1856,  son  of  Oscar  and  Rachel 
(Gardinier)  Parker,  natives  of  New  York  State,  the  former  of  Buffalo,  and 
the  latter  of  Little  Falls.  Herkimer  county. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
at  Ann  Arbor,  and  after  leaving  school  went  to  Cold  Water,  Mich.,  remain- 
ing at  his  father's  hotel  there  for  some  years.  In  1854  he  came  to  Kenosha, 
where  he  located  permanently,  and  followed  contracting  until  his  death  in 
1895,  in  the  faith  of  the  ^lethodist  Church,  to  which  his  wife  also  belonged. 
For  some  years  Oscar  Parker  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Michigan.  He 
and  his  wife  had  seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  now  living;  Mattie.  the 
wife  of  Richard  Drum  of  Kenosha;  Frances,  the  wife  of  H.  W.  Sammons  of 
Spring-field,  111. ;  and  Frederick  O.  and  Charles  P.,  of  Kenosha. 

Frederick  O.  Parker  was  reared  in  Kenosha,  and  this  has  always  been 
his  home.  He  attended  the  public  schools  and  learned  the  bricklayer's  trade, 
after  which  he  followed  the  lakes  for  some  years,  and  also  did  contract  work. 
For  about  twenty  years  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  contract  business,  and  has 
been  operating,  in  company  with  his  brother  Charles  P.,  a  bus,  cab  and  car- 
riage and  baggage  transfer  business.  He  is  well  known  by  traveling  men  all 
over  the  Laiited  States. 

On  Sept.  22,  1876,  Mr.  Parker  married  Miss  Flora  E.  Miller,  daughter 
of  Capt.  Charles  Chauncey  and  Julia  (Eastman)  Miller,  and  to  this  union 
have  been  born  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  as  follows : 
Harry  Fredric  is  in  the  butcher  business  and  operates  two  meat  markets  in 
Kenosha ;  he  married  Frances  Beinnemann.  Julia  died  aged  about  two  years. 
Bessie  died  aged  about  four  years.  Alan  died  when  not  quite  three  vears  of 
age.  Nettie  married  F.  C.  Mulligan,  and  lives  at  home.  Alice  married 
Charles  Schulin.  Edward  and  Alan  are  in  school.  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Parker  are 
IMethodists.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Mr.  Parker's  residence  is  sit- 
uated at  No.  271  Lake  avenue. 

Mrs.  Parker's  father  was  a  native  of  Erie  county.  Pa.,  and  her  mother 
of  Cattaraugus  county,  N.  Y.  They  had  eight  children,  three  of  whom  are 
now  living:  Mrs.  Parker,  of  Kenosha;  Frank  T.,  of  Chicago;  and  Esther, 
wife  of  Dr.  Leonard  Lower,  of  Chicago.  Capt.  Charles  Chauncey  Miller 
was  a  farmer  in  early  life.  For  many  years  he  was  a  lake  captain,  and  for  the 
past  twelve  years  has  lived  in  Chicago,  where  he  is  now  a  night  watchman  for 
a  large  factorv.  His  wife  died  in  1873.  in  her  thirty-sixth  year,  in  the  faith 
of  the  r^Iethodist  Church,  to  which  he  also  belongs. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Parker  was  Thomas  D.  Miller,  a  na- 
tive of  Pennsvlvania,  who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Southport,  Wis., 
coming  here  in  18^3.  He  farmed  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township  for  some 
years,  and  died  in  Kenosha  in  his  eightieth  year,  while  his  wife,  Phoebe  Mer- 
shon,  died  in  middle  life.  Thomas  D.  Miller  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812. 
Mrs.  Parker's  maternal  grandfather  was  John  H.  Eastman,  a  native  of  New 
York  State  and  a  bricklayer.  He  was  an  earlv  settler  of  Kenosha,  and  there 
died  aged  seventy  years,  while  his  wife.  Almira  Larabee,  passed  away  aged 
about  seventv-five. 


192  COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

REV.  THEODORE  B.  MEYER,  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  Racine,  has  had  his  present  charge  since  October,  1896,  and  is  counted 
one  of  the  most  effective  rehgious  workers  in  the  city.  His  interest  in  the  wel- 
fare of  Racine  and  its  environs  is  but  natural,  since  he  is  a  native  of  Racine 
county  and  a  member  of  one  of  its  pioneer  families. 

The  Meyer  family  is  of  German  extraction.  Father  ^leyer's  paternal 
grandfather  was  a  native  of  Kaltenborn,  Germany,  and  was  engaged  as  a  small 
farmer  and  miner.  His  death  was  the  result  of  an  accident  in  a  mine.  His 
wife's  maiden  name  was  Jungmann,  and  they  had  a  large  family. 

Peter  Meyer,  father  of  Rev.  Theodore  B.  Meyer,  was  born  in  the  Rhine 
Province,  Prussia,  near  the  city  of  Treves.  There  he  was  reared  and  there  he 
received  a  good  education.  W'hen  a  young  man  he  came  to  America,  in  May, 
1845,  making  his  first  location  in  Racine,  Wis.,  and  soon  afterward  found 
work  on  a  farm  at  Milton  Junction,  Rock  Co.,  Wis.  In  1847  he  returned  to  the 
Fatherland,  coming  to  America  again  in  the  spring  of  1848,  when  he  was  ac- 
companied by  his  sisters  Mary  and  r^Iagdalene.  In  1850  he  settled  down  in  the 
w-estern  part  of  Caledonia  township,  Racine  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing, having  a  tract  of  eighty  acres,  and  he  subsequently  carried  on  a  general 
store  also.  He  w'as  one  of  the  first  to  start  the  movement  which  resulted  in  the 
founding  of  the  St.  Louis  Roman  Catholic  Church  at  Caledonia,  in  1850.  he 
and  his  wife  being  charter  members,  and  ahvays  active  in  the  work  of  the 
Church.  Mr.  Meyer  donated  an  acre  of  ground  from  his  farm  for  the  church 
edifice.  He  was  also  prominent  in  public  affairs,  being  a  man  of  unusual  intel- 
ligence, and  served  as  town  clerk,  town  treasurer  and  supervisor.  Appreciat- 
ing the  advantages  of  education,  he  studied  English  after  settling  in  this  coun- 
try, at  Milton,  Wis.,  at  the  farm  where  he  worked,  and  taught  one  of  the 
first  schools  in  Madison,  and  one  term  near  the  city. 

Mr.  Meyer  married  Angeline  Epper.  who  was  also  born  in  the  Rhine 
Province,  at  Mersch.  Kreis  Bittburg,  near  Trier,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Susan 
(Huss)  Epper.  Jacob  Epper  came  to  America  in  1848.  settling  in  Paris.  Ken- 
osha Co..  Wis.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  where  he  became  well 
known.  His  old  homestead  there  is  still  standing.  His  death  resulted  from 
freezing.  His  wife  reached  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-two  years.  They  had 
a  large  family,  of  whom  the  oldest  son  was  a  soldier  in  the  Prussian  army,  and 
reputed  to  have  been  the  strongest  man  in  that  army.  Peter  and  Angeline 
(Epper)  Meyer  became  the  parents  of  thirteen  children  of  whom  twelve  grew 
to  maturity  and  still  survive ;  ten  are  married  and  nine  have  families.  One 
daughter.  Sister  Mary  Jerome,  now  teaching  school,  at  Fowler,  Mich.,  has 
been  a  member  in  the  Dominican  convent  at  Racine  for  twenty-five  years.  Two 
of  the  sons,  John  and  Peter,  are  residents  of  Milwaukee,  the  former  being  a 
teacher  and  organist  of  St.  Francis  Church,  in  that  city,  and  the  latter  engaged 
in  business  as  a  merchant,  on  Warren  avenue.  The  mother  died  Aug.  2,  1884, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-four  years,  and  the  father  has  for  the  past  eighteen  years 
made  his  home  principally  with  his  son.  Father  Meyer.  He  is  now  (1905) 
eighty-one  years  old. 

Theodore  B.  Meyer  was  born  Felx  13.  1833,  in  Caledonia,  Racine  county, 
and  was  reared  there.  The  first  Catholic  school  there  was  opened  in  1856.  and 
he  attended  that  school  from  1838  to  1863.     In  the  fall  of  1868  he  entered  St. 


Of'^  0^^.  (G>.  Jli 


:^^:^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  193 

Francis  Seminary,  .Milwaukee,  and  was  there  ordained  to  the  priesthood  June 
24,  1877,  by  Archbishop  Henni.  His  first  appointment  was  at  Oshkosh,  \vis., 
where  he  served  as  assistant  to  Father  Reindl,  at  the  Vincent  de  Paul  Church] 
from  July,  1877,  to  December  of  that  year.  His  next  charge  was  at  Granville', 
Milwaukee  county,  where  he  was  pastor  of  St.  Catharines  and  St.  Michael  s 
from  Dec.  23,  1877,  ""til  December,  1880.  That  month  Archbishop  Henni 
sent  him.  to  Wilson,  Sheboygan  Co.,  Wis.,  to  take  charge  of  the  two  churches 
of  St.  George  and  St.  Rose,  and  there  he  remained  until  September,  1887. 
During  this  time  he  not  only  proved  himself  a  good  spiritual  adxiser,  but  also 
did  much  for  the  material  good  of  his  charges.  In  the  year  1884  he  had  the 
interior  of  both  churches  beautifully  decorated,  and  also  made  repairs  on  the 
schoolhouses  of  both  parishes.  In  1886  he  erected  a  fine  parish  house  in  Wil- 
son for  St.  George's. 

On  Sept.  16,  1887,  Father  Meyer  began  his  work  as  pastor  of  St,  Mary's, 
in  Saukville,  Ozaukee  Co.,  Wis.,  and  there  he  labored  fruitfully  until  October, 
1896.  He  found  the  parish  struggling  under  a  debt  of  $4,000,  which  under 
his  efficient  management  was  soon  liquidated.  In  1891  the  interior  of  the 
beautiful  church  was  remodeled  in  fitting  style,  and  ornamented  w-ith  elaborate 
frescoing,  supplementing  improvements  made  in  1889,  when  new  pews  and 
stairs  to  the  choir  loft  were  put  in.  In  1896  the  school  building  was  enlarged, 
but  with  all  this  expenditure  the  parish  was  practically  free  from  debt,  Father 
Meyer  himself  having  collected  not  less  than  $8,000.  During  his  nine  years' 
stay  in  Saukville,  he  visited  the  entire  parish  at  least  five  times. 

Transferred  to  Racine  by  Most  Rev.  Archbishop  F.  X.  Katzer,  Father 
Meyer  arrived  here  in  the  second  week  of  November,  1896.  St.  Mary's  was 
then  in  much  the  same  condition  he  had  found  existing  at  his  former  charge, 
and  he  has  had  ample  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  his  executive  ability  in 
the  administration  of  its  affairs.  The  church  debt  was  $7,500,  interest  in  the 
various  societies  was  at  a  low  ebb,  the  school  and  parish  house  were  in  need  of 
repairs,  and  conditions  generally  were  disheartening.  But  Father  Meyer  was 
hopeful  and  ever  enthusiastic,  and  the  cordial  welcome  given  him  by  the  entire 
parish  encouraged  him  to  take  hold  of  the  work  with  vigor.  First  he  reorgan- 
ized the  old  societies  and  founded  new  ones.  On  Jan.  6,  1897,  he  changed  the 
Woman's  Sodality  to  a  Christian  Mothers'  Association,  under  the  direction  of 
the  church,  the  reception  of  members  on  that  day  was  137,  while  now  there  are 
194  active  members.  In  May,  1897,  he  founded  the  Sodality  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception,  which  now  has  a  membership  of  172.  On  St.  Aloysius  Day,  -.Sgy, 
the  St.  Aloysuis  Society,  which  now  has  ninety  members,  was  organized.  The 
St.  Bonifacius  School  Society,  which  now  has  150  memliers,  was  also  put  upon 
a  solid  basis.  During  July,  1898,  under  the  auspices  of  the  different  societies, 
a  successful  fair  was  held  to  raise  monev  for  the  discharge  of  the  debt.  The 
profits  were  $2,460,  this  lessening  the  debt  considerably. 

In  1900,  through  the  influence  of  Father  Meyer,  the  parish  house,  which 
is  located  at  No.  800  Wisconsin  street,  was  renovated  at  an  expense  of  $1,800. 
A  story  was  added  over  the  kitchen,  and  the  whole  house  was  equipped  with 
hot  water  heat  and  all  modern  improvements.  As  the  schoolhouse  was  in  verv 
bad  condition  it  was  resolved  at  a  meeting  held  in  June,  1901,  to  build  an  addi- 
tion to  the  building  and  also  to  repair  the  old  school.     The  resolution  was 

13 


194  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

passed  unaninuiusly,  and  the  new  building  was  commenced  at  once  according 
to  plans  made  by  D.  R.  Da\is.  The  contractors  were  Louis  Tharinger,  car- 
penter, and  John  Siepler,  mason,  both  of  whom  fulfilled  their  obligations  to  the 
utmost  satisfaction  of  all  concerned.  The  cost  of  putting  up  the  new  struc- 
ture and  completely  equipping  the  old  one  with  modern  improvements  amounted 
to  $6,200,  and  the  work  was  finished  by  the  beginning  of  November.  The 
dedication,  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Birkhauser,  assisted  by  various  priests  of  the  city, 
took  place  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  and  that  evening  an  entertainment  and  sup- 
per were  given  in  the  building,  which  netted  a  profit  of  $180.  The  church 
is  located  at  the  corner  of  Eighth  street  and  College  a\-enue,  and  the  school 
adjoins  it  on  the  south.  All  the  buildings  of  the  parish  are  now  complete  and 
in  good  condition,  and  although  the  current  expenses  are  heavy  the  congrega- 
tion can  look  forward  to  a  future  of  great  prosperity  and  contentment.  The 
church  now  has  a  membership  of  about  two  hundred  families,  and  i/O  pupils 
are  enrolled  in  the  school. 

On  July  2,  1902,  Rev.  Theodore  B.  ]\Ieyer  celebrated  the  silver  jubilee  of 
his  entrance  into  the  priesthood.  He  had  no  intention  originally  of  specially 
observing  the  day,  but  at  the  solicitation  of  his  friends  he  decided  to  hold  ap- 
propriate services,  and  the  occasion  resolved  itself  into  one  of  great  festivity. 
Over  seventy  priests  were  present  at  the  ceremony,  among  them  the  vicars 
general  of  Milwaukee  and  La  Crosse.  The  spirit  displayed  by  his  own  par- 
ishioners is  worthy  of  special  notice.  Young  and  old  vied  in  honoring  their 
spiritual  guide  and  wishing  him  future  joy,  and  the  various  societies,  all  of 
which  owe  their  present  flourishing  condition  to  his  untiring  labors,  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  opportunity  to  show  their  appreciation  and  affectionate  esteem, 
for  one  wIki  has  given  his  best  effort  in  their  behalf.  Thanksgiving  Day  of 
1902  (Nov.  27th)  was  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  St.  Mary's 
congregation,  and  under  the  auspices  of  Father  Meyer,  on  that  day.  was  cele- 
brated the  golden  jubilee  of  the  event.  The  services  were  impressive  and  large- 
ly attended.  Archbishop  Katzer  being  among  the  distinguished  dignitaries  who 
lent  their  presence  to  the  religious  festival. 

LORENZO  C.  WARD,  an  influential  farmer  citizen  of  \\'aterford 
township.  Racine  county,  was  born  in  Gaines  township.  Orleans  Co..  N.  Y.. 
Feb.  18,  1834.  son  of  Noah  C.  and  Betsey  (Rowley)  Ward,  natives  of 
Vermont. 

Orlando  Ward,  paternal  grandfather  of  Lorenzo  C.  Ward,  was  burn  in 
Vermont,  and  followed  farming  in  the  town  of  Poultney.  Rutland  countv. 
He  and  his  wife,  Phoebe  (Wood)  Ward,  removed  to  Orleans  countv,  N.  Y., 
and  later  into  Niagara  county,  where  both  died  when  past  middle  life.  They 
had  a  large  family. 

Phineas  Rowley,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Lorenzo  C.  Ward,  was 
also  a  native  of  \'ermont.  and  removed  to  New  York  State,  locating  in  Or- 
leans county,  where  he  followed  farming  until  his  death,  at  an  advanced  age. 
He  married  Jane  Anderson,  and  they  had  a  family  of  six  or  seven  children. 

Noah  C.  and  Betsey  (Rowley)  Ward  removed  to  New  York  State  and 
settled  in  Orleans  county,  and  also  lived  for  some  time  in  Niagara  county.  N. 
\.     They  had  two  children,  Lorenzo  C,  and  Margaret  Jane,  the  latter  now 


COMMEMORATIX'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  195 

the  widuw  of  Albert  Bachus,  an<l  living  in  the  town  of  Gaines,  Orleans  Co., 
X.  Y.  Xoah  C.  Ward  always  engaged  in  farming,  and  also  operated  a  tan- 
nery for  a  short  time  after  his  marriage.  He  traded  a  horse  for  his  first  fifty 
acres  of  land  in  Niagara  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  owned  at  one  time  from  150 
to  180  acres.  He  died  in  Niagara  county,  ten  years  after  his  wife  passedi 
away.     They  were  old-school  Presbyterians. 

Lorenzo  C.  Ward  was  reared  in  Niagara  county,  X.  Y.,  on  his  father's 
farm.  His  first  schooling  was  obtained  in  the  old-fashioned  subscription 
schools  held  in  log  cabins,  with  slabs  for  seats,  and  he  later  supplemented  this 
with  a  course  at  the  Wilson  Collegiate  Institute.  Mr.  Ward  taught  school 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  1861  came  to  Wisconsin  and  settled  in  Water- 
ford  township,  Racine  county,  where  he  taught  for  two  winter  terms,  selling- 
apple  trees  in  the  summer  season.  From  this  latter  occupation  he  was  nick- 
named by  his  old  friends  "Appletree  W^ard,"  this  name  being  given  him  by 
an  old  German  who  wanted  to  pay  him  a  bill  and  could  not  remember  his  first 
name.  Mr.  Ward's  first  purchase  of  land  in  Waterford  township  consisted  of 
twenty  acres.  He  has  bought  and  sold  at  different  times,  and  now  owns  140 
acres,  well  improved,  at  the  village  of  Caldwell. 

On  Jan.  6,  1863,  Mr.  Ward  married  Miss  Ellen  G.  W'ard,  daughter  of 
Lorenzo  and  Harriet  (Caldwell)  Ward,  her  father  being  an  uncle  to  our  sub- 
ject; her  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Caldwell,  and  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers of  W^aterford  township,  and  it  was  after  her  family  that  the  village  of 
Caldwell  was  named. 

Lorenzo  and  Harriet  Ward  were  natives  of  Vermont,  and  were  among 
the  first  settlers  of  W^aterford  township,  Racine  county.  They  had  two 
daughters  and  one  son:  Ellen  G..  Mrs.  Lorenzo  C.  Ward;  Emma,  also  de- 
ceased, who  was  the  wife  of  Fred  Simons ;  and  Francis. 

Seven  children  were  born  to  'Sir.  and  Mrs.  Lorenzo  C.  Ward,  as  fol- 
lows: Leon  C,  Elmer  G.,  Jay  R.,  Adnah  F.,  Glen  R.,  Don  R.,  and  Melva  H. 
Leon  C,  who  is  deceased,  married  Mary  Davis,  and  they  had  one  daughter, 
Leona.  Elmer  G.,  who  is  in  the  employ  of  Godfrey  &  Sons,  of  Milwaukee, 
married  Elizabeth  Perry,  and  they  have  two  children.  Mildred  and  Albert. 
Jay  R.  works  for  the  same  firm ;  he  and  his  wife,  Ida,  have  one  son,  Gerald. 
Adnah  F.  died  at  Albuquerque,  N.  M.,  in  1895.  Glen  R.,  who  works  his 
father's  land,  married  Daisy  King.  Don  R.  is  attending  business  college  at 
Oshkosh.     ^Telva  H.  is  studying  music  in  New  York  State. 

Mrs.  Ellen  G.  Ward,  the  wife  of  Lorenzo  C.  Ward,  died  Feb.  2,  1896. 
She  was  a  memlier  of  the  Methodist  Church,  in  whose  doctrines  Mr.  \\'ard 
also  believes,  although  he  is  not  especially  connected  with  any  church.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Republican,  but  he  does  not  take  any  active  part  in  local  mat- 
ters outside  of  the  interest  shown  by  any  good  citizen.  During  the  Civil  war; 
Mr.  Ward  went  to  enlist,  Init  was  rejected  on  account  of  rheumatism.  He  is 
one  of  the  good  citizens  of  Waterford  township,  and  is  highly  esteemed  by  all 
who  know  him. 

JOHN  GRIFFITH  WILLIA:\IS,  junior  member  of  the  well-known 
firm  of  Schweitzer  &  \Villiams,  proprietors  of  the  White  Star  Laundrv.  Ra- 
cine, Wis.,  is  an  energetic  and  enterprising  business  man.     He  is  a  native  of 


196  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Racine,  born  July  16,  i860,  son  of  John  T.  and  Ann  (Williams)  Williams, 
natives  of  Wales,  who  were  the  parents  of  five  children,  three  ot  whom  are 
now  living :  Emma,  who  died  when  only  two  months  old ;  John  G. ;  Winnie, 
the  wife  of  John  A.  Klema,  of  Waukegan,  111. ;  Joseph  D.,  shipping  clerk  of 
the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Works,  of  Racine,  and  Griffith,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
six  years. 

The  paternal  great-grandfather  of  John  G.  Williams  was  Thomas 
Williams,  his  wife's  name  being  Margaret.  Their  son,  John,  the  grandfather 
of  John  G.,  married  Mary  Roberts  (Rhosfarch),  and  their  children  were: 
John  T.,  Thomas,  Morgan,  Lewis,  Robert,  Mary,  Elizabeth  and  Jane. 

John  T.  Williams  (Caeceinach)  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  came  to 
America  about  1850,  first  settling  in  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  and  later  located  in 
Racine,  where  he  married,  and  continued  to  follow  his  trade  until  his  death. 
He  was  born  April  11,  181 1,  and  his  death  occurred  in  February,  1892.  Mrs. 
Williams  survived  him,  her  death  occurring  in  January,  1894,  in  her  sixty- 
fifth  year.  Both  were  members  of  the  Welsh  Congregational  Church,  Mr. 
Williams  being  one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Racine  congregation,  of  which 
he  was  a  deacon  for  some  time. 

Griffith  Williams,  of  Machynlleth,  John  Griffith  Williams's  maternal 
grandfather,  was  born  in  Wales,  and  was  a  first  cousin  of  Hugh  Williams,  a 
lawyer  of  Machynlleth,  Montgomeryshire,  and  one  of  his  daughters  married 
Ricliard  Cobden,  the  great  English  Reformer  and  member  of  Parliament. 
Griffith  Williams  became  a  substantial  farmer.  He  came  to  America  about 
1850,  and  located  on  a  farm  near  Cambria,  whence  he  removed  to  Osage, 
Iowa.  He  married  three  times,  his  first  wife,  Gwen,  dying  on  the  ocean  voy- 
age coming  to  this  country.  She  was  the  mother  of  all  his  children,  viz. : 
Mary,  Ann,  Owen,  Ellin,  Susan,  Margaret,  Jane,  Elizabeth,  and  an  in- 
fant that  died  in  New  York.  One  son,  Owen  Williams,  went  to  California, 
where  he  accumulated  considerable  property,  and  where  he  died  in   April, 

The  great-grandfather  of  John  G.  Williams  on  the  maternal  side  was 
Owen  Williams,  of  Brongadair,  near  Port  Madoc,  Wales. 

Tracing  the  genealogy  of  John  G.  Williams  more  systematically,  it  has 
been  found  that  in  his  native  country  he  is  closely  related  to  the  Kendricks, 
of  Glyn  Hall,  near  Harlech,  North  Wales.  The  heiress  of  Glyn  Hall  married 
an  Ormsby-Gore,  of  Porkington,  Salop,  there1:)y  uniting  the  two  estates.  This 
family  is  now  represented  by  the  third  Baron  Harlech. 

John  Griffith  Williams  was  reared  in  Racine,  where  he  attended  the 
Franklin  public  school.  He  learned  the  machinist's  trade,  beginning  when 
about  eighteen  years  of  age  at  the  works  of  the  Racine  Hardware  Manufac- 
turing Company,  and  followed  his  trade  until  1887,  in  February  of  which 
year  he  embarked  in  the  laundry  business,  forming  a  partnership  with  A.  F. 
Buse  and  establishing  the  Parisian  Laundry.  This  partnership  continued  un- 
til 1890.  when  three  laundries  were  consolidated — the  Parisian  Steam,  the 
Hagman  Steam  and  the  W'hite  Star — the  business  of  the  three  being  con- 
ducted under  the  firm  name  of  the  White  Star  Laundry  Compnnv.  Mr.  Buse 
sold  his  interest  to  the  company,  and  later  Mr.  George  ^^^  Schweitzer  was 
associated  in  the  business,  since  when  operations  have  been  carried  nn  under 


COMMEiMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  197 

the  name  of  the  W'liite  Star  Laundry,  with  Mr.  Geurge  W.  Schweitzer  and 
Mr.  John  Griffith  Wilhanis  as  proprietors. 

On  April  10,  1894,  Mr.  WiUiams  married  Aliss  Luhi  .M.  \\'icl<ham, 
daughter  ot  Wesley  \V.  and  Alice  (Genung)  Wickham,  and  there  is  one  sun 
by  this  union,  John  Wesley  Williams.  Mrs.  Williams  is  a  member  of  tlie 
Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Williams  is  a  member  of  Racine  Lodge,  No.  32, 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  is  also  connected  with  the  Old  Settlers'  Society,  an 
incorporated  society  owning  its  own  grounds  at  Union  Grove,  located  about 
the  center  of  Racine  county.  Mr.  Williams  resides  at  No.  11 24  Wisconsin 
street,  where  he  owns  a  fine,  modern  home. 

Wesley  W.  Wickham,  Mrs.  Williams's  father,  was  Ijorn  in  Middletown, 
Orange  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  her  mother,  Alice  Adelia  (Genung)  Wickham,  near 
LaHarpe,  Hancock  Co.,  111.,  in  the  village  of  Terre  Haute.  There  were  four 
children  born  to  them,  three  of  whom  are  living:  Ophelia  Maud,  now  the 
wife  of  Luther  Grant  Kucker,  of  Englewood,  Chicago,  111. ;  Lulu  Marion, 
Mrs.  Williams;  and  Alice  May,  wife  of  Francis  H.  Merchant,  of  Waukegan. 
Mr.  Wickham  came  to  Chicago  when  fourteen  years  of  age  and  in  1859-60 
made  a  trip  overland  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  company  with  about  thirty 
men,  to  establish  a  quartz  mill  above  Denver.  Two  years  later  he  returned 
to  Chicago  and  entered  the  employ  of  the  United  States  Express  Company,  as 
messenger,  and  in  1875  ^'^'as  given  an  office  at  St.  Paul,  Minn.  A  short  time 
later  he  was  transferred  to  Waukegan,  where  he  remained  as  agent  until  1895. 
when  he  was  again  transferred,  this  time  to  a  Chicago  agency,  where  he  has 
since  remained.  He  has  been  in  the  employ  of  that  company  for  forty-three 
years  continuously.  He  was  reared  a  Methodist  and  INIrs.  \\'ickham  an  Epis- 
copalian. 

Horace  Wickham,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  \Villiams,  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  York,  of  English  descent,  and  was  a  harness  and  trunk  manufac- 
turer by  occupation.  He  was  greatly  interested  in  church  work.  He  married 
Matilda  Blacker  McCann,  of  County  Armagh,  Ireland,  and  they  had  seven 
children,  two  sons  and  five  daughters.  He  died  at  the  age  of  forty-two  years, 
and  his  wife  in  her  sixty-sixth  year.  His  father  was  Barnabas  Wickham,  who 
came  from  England  and  settled  in  Orange  county.  N.  Y.  Mrs.  Matilda  Blacker 
(McCann)  Wickham  was  the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Matilda  (Blacker) 
McCann.  The  Blacker  family  belongs  to  the  royal  family  of  Blacks  of 
Blacker  Castle,  Ireland. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Williams  was  Samuel  Freemam 
Genung,  proliably  a  native  of  Indiana,  of  French  descent.  The  name  was 
originally  spelled  "geNung."  His  wife  was  Cynthia  Ann  Burns,  a  native  of 
Missouri,  autl  they  had  ten  children,  seven  sons  and  three  daughters.  Mr. 
Genung  was  a  carpenter  and  contractor.  He  died  in  1886,  aged  sixty-one 
years,  while  his  wife  survived  him  and  passed  her  seventy-first  vear.  Cynthia 
Ann  Burns  first  married  a  Mr.  Kirkendall.  a  wealthy  plantation  owner  of 
Louisiana,  who  was  killed  in  his  cotton-mill  a  year  after  his  marriage,  leaving 
a  young  widow  of  eighteen  years.  Soon  afterward  she  came  north  to  Illinois. 
where  she  made  the  acf|uaintance  of  her  future  husband. 

DAVID  HURN.  one  of  the  best  known  citizens  of  Union  Grove,  Racine 
Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  has  followed  farming  for  a  number  of  years,  is  now 


198  CO:\LMEMORATlVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

living  retired.     He  was  born  in  Cambridgeshire,  England,  Dec.  25,  1835,  son 
of  Jonn  and  Alary  (W  arner)  Hurn,  natives  of  England. 

His  grandparents  on  both  tne  paternal  and  maternal  sides  died  in  Eng- 
land, grandfather  Warner  being  a  loreman  of  a  large  estate  in  that  country. 
Of  his  family,  which  consisted  of  one  son  and  six  uaughters,  the  son  was  a 
soldier  for  nnieteen  years. 

John  Hurn,  the  father  of  David,  was  a  farmer,  following  that  occupa- 
tion for  hfty  years.  He  was  three  times  married,  having  one  child  by  his 
first  wife,  five  by  his  second  wife,  and  eigliteen  by  his  third  wife,  who  was  the 
mother  of  David  Hurn.  He  died  aged  eighty-eight  years,  while  his  last  wife 
died  about  1862,  aged  fifty-two  years. 

David  Hurn  was  reared  in  England,  where  he  received  but  a  limited 
education.  On  coming  to  America,  in  1867,  he  worked  out  by  the  month  for 
his  uncle,  Abram  Asplin,  in  Yorkville  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  and  for 
several  other  farmers.  He  then  rented  farms  for  a  number  of  years,  until  he 
had  accumulated  enough  to  purchase  a  tract  of  100  acres  adjoining  Union 
Grove  on  the  west,  and  forty-four  acres  in  the  village.  This  he  improved,  and 
sold  it  in  1896.  He  then  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Somers  town- 
ship, Kenosha  county,  which  he  also  improved.  Air.  Hurn  also  owns  a  pretty 
home  in  Union  Grove,  and  several  lots. 

In  1863  Mr.  Hurn  married  Miss  Mary  Ann  Perkins,  daughter  of  John 
Perkins,  and  to  this  union  there  were  born  three  sons  and  three  daughters, 
all  of  whom  died  in  infancy  with  the  exception  of  the  oldest  son,  Walter,  who 
lives  in  Kenosha ;  he  married  Hattie  Bohannan,  and  has  one  daughter.  Mrs. 
Mary  Ann  Perkins  died  in  March,  1885.  In  1890  Mr.  Hurn  married  (sec- 
ond) Miss  Mary  Alice  Dixon,  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  Dixon,  and  one 
son  has  been  born  to  this  marriage,  Mark. 

Mr.  Hurn  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  having  joined  that  de- 
nomination over  thirty  years  ago.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  was 
road  commissioner  for  six  years.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Yorkville  town- 
ship for  thirty-eight  years,  and  during  all  that  time  his  actions  have  been  such 
as  to  win  for  him  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  has  come 
in  contact.  He  is  a  man  of  quiet  disposition,  but  sturdy  character,  and  is 
strong  and  rugged  for  one  of  his  years.  His  wife  belongs  to  one  of  the  early 
settled  families  of  Racine  county,  has  lived  nearly  all  of  her  life  here,  and  is 
justly  entitled  to  worthy  mention  for  the  part  she  has  played  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  country,  sharing,  with  her  husband,  the  respect  and  high  esteem 
of  neighbors  and  friends. 

HEXRY  HALTER,  a  well-known  agriculturist  of  Racine  county.  Wis., 
at  present  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  his  farm  on  Section  31,  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  was  born  in  Oak  Creek  township,  Milwaukee  county,  Oct.  13.  1855, 
son  of  Louis  and  Mary  (Kunselmann)  Halter,  natives  of  Alsace-Lorraine. 

Louis  Halter,  the'  paternal  grandfatlier,  was  a  native  of  Germany.  He 
came  to  America  in  1837,  and  to  Wisconsin  two  years  later,  locating  in  the 
town  of  Lake,  Milwaukee  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  There  he 
died  in  middle  life.  His  first  wife  passed  away  in  Germany  about  1825,  after 
which  Mr.  Halter  married  twice.     He  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Oak 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  199 

Creek  township,  and  owned  several   farms,   which  he  afterward  ga\e  to  his 
son. 

Frank  Kunsehiiann,  the  maternal  grandfather  uf  Henrv  Halter,  came  to 
America  from  Germany,  and  settled  in  Oak  Creek  township.  Milwaukee  coun- 
ty, where  he  followed  gardening.  He  died  there  in  middle  life,  while  his  wife, 
who  was  Catherine  Kilber  before  marriage,  lived  to  be  eighty-fnur  vears  old. 
The  mother  of  our  subject  was  their  only  child. 

Louis  Halter,  the  father  of  Henry,  was  a  cabinetmaker  in  Germany. 
Coming  to  America  when  about  fifteen  years  old,  he  lived  two  years  in  Al- 
bany. N.  Y.,  and  came  West  to  Milwaukee  at  an  early  day,  1839,  living  in 
Oak  Creek  township.  Milwaukee  county,  for  about  twenty  years.  He  then 
removed  to  Caledonia,  Racine  county,  and  there  lived  about  forty-two  years, 
dying  at  the  home  of  his  son  Henry%  Dec.  26,  1904,  aged  eighty-four  years, 
eleven  months,  sixteen  days.  Mr.  Halter  was  noted  for  his  generosity  and 
helpfulness.  He  made  it  his  business  to  see  to  the  w^elfare  of  strangers,  and 
even  the  Indians  came  to  him  for  advice.  He  was  bright,  active  and  strong 
to  the  last.  When  he  first  settled  in  Oak  Creek  township  he  was  obliged  to 
w^ade  the  streams  to  reach  Milwaukee,  but  later  he  was  active  himself  in 
building  good  roads  and  laying  out  the  country  generally.  His  wife  died  in 
1888,  aged  fifty-eight  years.  Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
Their  children  were:  Catherine,  the  wife  of  Charles  J.  Mohr.  of  Racine; 
Frank,  of  Mankato,  Minn.;  Louisa,  who  died  in  infancy;  Louisa  (2).  wife 
of  Jacob  Mohr,  of  Racine;  Henry,  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  Racine  county;  William, 
of  Painsville,  Wis. ;  August,  of  Caledonia  township.  Racine  county :  Alljert. 
of  the  same  township;  Carrie,  of  Austin,  Minn.,  wife  of  John  Broschel ;  and 
Bertha,  the  wife  of  Henry  Swantz,  of  Brighton  township,  Kenosha  county. 

Henry  Halter  was  reared  in  Milwaukee  county  on  his  father's  farm,  and 
attended  the  district  schools.  He  lived  at  home  until  nineteen  years  old  and 
then  began  learning  the  tinner's  trade,  which  he  followed  for  three  years.  He 
then  went  to  California  and  retnained  one  year,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
returned  to  Wisconsin,  settling  in  Caledonia  township.  Racine  county.  There 
he  resided  until  April,  1904,  in  which  year  he  purchased  a  finely  improved 
farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  about  four  miles  from  the  courthouse  in 
Racine. 

On  June  22.  1881,  ]\Ir.  Halter  married  Miss  Emma  Swantz.  daughter 
of  W'illiam  and  ^latilda  (Friday)  Swantz,  and  one  daughter  was  born  to 
this  union,  Emma,  who  married  Robert  W^est,  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  Mrs. 
Emma  Halter  died  in  1882,  aged  twenty-two  years,  and  ^Ir.  Halter  married 
(second)  in  May.  1891.  Miss  Fredericka  Scheckler.  daughter  of  John  G.  and 
Mary  (Birch)  Scheckler.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  this  marriage, 
Etna  and  Frank. 

Politically  Mr.  Halter  is  a  Republican,  and  was  roadmaster  for  twenty- 
two  years  and  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  thirteen  years :  liis  father  was 
a  member  of  that  board  for  twenty-five  years. 

Mrs.  Fredericka  Halter's  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  came  to 
America  about  1849,  settling  f^rst  in  Chicago.  They  then  removed  to  Two 
Rivers,  near  Manitowoc,  Wis.,  residing  there  a  short  time,  after  which  they 
removed  to  Racine  county,  spending  two  or  three  years  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
township.     They  then  removed  to  Somers  township,  where  they  reared  their 


200  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

family,  Mr.  Scheckler  owning  a  iio-acre  farm  there.  He  is  now  seventy- 
nine  years  of  age.  His  \vife  passed  away  in  1894,  aged  seventy  years,  her 
death  occurring  on  her  birthday.  Both  were  brought  up  German  Lutherans. 
He  served  durmg  the  last  year  of  the  Civil  war  as  a  soldier.  They  had  these 
children :  John ;  Fred,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Richard 
Kirchner,  of  Kenosha  county;  Fredericka,  Mrs.  Halter,  of  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Racine  Co.:  William,  of  Caledonia  township;  August,  of  Racine:  and 
Charles,  of  Somers  township,  Kenosha  county. 

SAMUEL  CURTIS  JOHNSON,  of  the  firm  of  S.  C.  Johnson  &  Son, 
manufacturers  of  parquetry  floors  and  floor  finishers,  Racine.  Wis.,  was  born 
Dec.  24,  1833,  at  Elyria,  Ohio,  a  son  of  Phineas  Miller  and  Orra  Ann  (Col- 
lins) Johnson. 

The  Johnson  family  is  of  English  stock  and  was  founded  in  the  Connecti- 
cut Valley  in  1626  by  Henry  Johnson,  whose  descendants  lived  on  one  farm 
for  180  years. 

John  Johnson,  who  died  Sept.  30,  1659,  married  (first)  Margery,  who 
died  June  9,  1653,  and  married  (second)  Grace  Fawer,  widow  of  Barnabas 
Fawer,  a  prominent  man  of  Roxbury,  Mass.,  who  came  to  this  country  in 
1630. 

Isaac  Jiihnson,  son  of  Jr}hn,  married  Jan.  20,  1637,  Elizabeth  Porter.  He 
was  killed  in  the  battle  with  the  Narragansett  Indians,  Dec.  19,  1675. 

Isaac  Johnson,  son  of  Isaac,  married  Dec.  26,  1669,  Mary  Harris,  and 
died  in  1720.     He  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  Middletown. 

Isaac  Johnson,  son  of  Isaac,  was  born  Dec.  19,  1670,  and  married  Mar- 
garet Miller.     He  lived  at  Middletown. 

Henry  Johnson,  son  of  Isaac,  married  Abigail  Hubbard,  and  they  had 
three  children.  Samuel,  David  and  Ashel. 

Samuel  Johnson,  son  of  Henry,  was  born  in  1740,  and  died  in  1795.  He 
married  Anna  Hopkins,  who  was  born  in  1745.  and  died  in  February,  181 6. 
They  had  seven  children,  viz.:  Samuel,  born  Nov.  10,  1765,  died  in  1796; 
Phineas,  born  Feb.  26,  1768,  married  Hannah  Miller;  Anna,  born  Jan.  31, 
1772,  married  Ashel  Kelsey;  Simeon,  born  Feb.  17,  1770,  married  Lucretia 
Ramsey  (his  family  have  resided  at  Albany  for  years)  :  Henry,  born  Dec.  14, 
1776,  married  Betsey  Spooner:  Abigail,  born  Jan.  14,  1783,  married  \\'\\\- 
iam  W'ebster;  and  Bethuel.  born  Sept.  26,  17 — ,  went  to  sea  and  never  re- 
turned. 

Phineas  Johnson  had  five  children,  namely :  Sophia  married  Samuel 
Brooks:  Hannah  married  Hezekiah  Brooks:  Julia  married  Edmund  West: 
Cornelia  married  (first)  Ira  Kimball  and  (second)  Dudley  Griswold :  Irene 
married  (first)  a  Strong  and  (second)  Nyman  Bruce. 

Of  the  family  to  which  the  father  of  our  subject  belonged :  William 
Johnson  married  Alma  Otis;  Lucretia  died  Aug.  23.  1823,  aged  eighteen: 
Isaac  married  (first)  Cornelia  INIussey  and  (second)  Mary  Hnll:  Delia  mar- 
ried Horatio  Gates:  and  Phineas  Miller  married  Orra  Ann  Collins. 

Henrv  Johnson  removed  from  Middletown  to  Berlin,  where  Samuel  John- 
son and  Phineas  were  both  born.  In  1819  the  Johnsons  removed  to  Ohio,  and 
it  took  them  six  weeks  to  make  the  trip. 


COMMEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  201 

Phineas  Miller  Johnson,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Berkshire, 
]\Iass.,  and  the  wife  and  mother  was  born  Dec.  3,  181 1,  on  an  Ohio  farm,  she 
benig  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Collins,  who  died  at  Berkshire,  N.  Y.,  June  27, 
1820.  By  trade  he  was  a  cooper.  His  children  were :  Bristol  Lisk,  born  May 
2b,  1809,  who  died  July  7,  1814;  Orra  Ann,  Mrs.  Johnson;  and  George  Bristol 
Lisk.  born  Dec.  19,  181 5.  Phineas  M.  and  Orra  Ann  (Collins)  Johnson  had 
thirteen  children,  eight  sons  and  five  daughters,  the  four  still  surviving  being : 
Samuel  C.  of  Racine;  William  H.,  of  Alpena,  Mich.;  George  B.,  of  Chicago; 
and  Anna  M.,  wife  of  F.  G.  Ensign,  of  Oak  Park,  Illinois. 

Phineas  Miller  Johnson  was  in  the  iron  business  at  Elyria,  Ohio,  for  some 
time,  and  moved  from  there  in  a  prairie  schooner  to  Niles,  Mich.,  in  1835,  and 
to  Chicago  in  1836,  there  conducting  a  hardware  store  on  Randolph  street  for 
some  time.  From  there  he  moved  to  Kishwaukee.  111.,  eight  miles  south  of 
Rockford,  being  the  pioneer  settler  there,  but  in  the  fall  of  1842  he  removed  to 
Elkhorn,  Wis.,  and  the  following  year  to  Grafton,  Wis.,  which  place  was  then 
known  as  Milwaukee  Falls.  There  he  owned  a  mill  and  engaged  in  lumbering. 
In  1849  I'ls  went  to  California,  by  way  of  Panama,  prospecting  for  gold,  and 
returned  two  years  later,  coming  through  Mexico  on  horseback.  After  his 
return  to  Wisconsin,  he  was  engaged  as  a  right-of-way  agent  for  the  Milwau- 
kee &  La  Crosse  Railroad  Company,  and  was  located  at  Grafton.  In  1863  he 
came  to  Kenosha  and  located  his  family  there,  but  he  went  to  northern  Mich- 
ig'an  to  inspect  pine  timber  land,  in  the  employ  of  lumber  syndicates  who  hired 
him  to  point  out  the  best  parts  from  which  to  obtain  good  timber.  He  after- 
ward went  to  Florida,  in  the  same  line  of  work,  and  died  there  of  fever  in  1868, 
■aged  sixty-nine  years.  His  wife  survived  until  1885,  when  she  died  at  the  age 
of  seventy-four  years.  She  had  been  a  patient  invalid  for  about  thirty  years. 
Mr.  Johnson's  religious  connection  was  with  the  M.  E.  Church,  but  Mrs. 
Johnson  was  a  Congregationalist.  At  one  time  he  was  a  memlier  nf  the  W^is- 
consin  Legislature. 

Mr.  Johnson,  through  his  grandmother,  is  a  descendant  of  the  Coe  family 
which  came  to  America  from  Sufifolkshire.  England.  The  earliest  notice  of 
the  family  is  found  in  Fox's  "Book  of  Martyrs."  which  states  that  Roger  Coe, 
of  Milford,  Suffolkshire.  was  burned  by  Queen  Mary,  in  September,  1555,  at 
Texford,  in  that  shire.  Little  is  known  respecting  the  family  until  the  removal 
of  Robert  Coe  to  this  country  and  he  is  accounted  as  belonging  to  the  first 
generation  here.  He  was  born  in  Sufifolkshire  in  1596  and  with  his  wife  Anna, 
born  in  1591,  and  their  three  sons,  he  sailed  from  Ipswich  in  company  with 
seventy-nine  others,  in  the  good  ship  "Francis,"  John  Cutting,  master,  April 
10,  1634.  They  reached  Boston  in  the  following  June,  only  six  years  from  the 
date  of  the  first  settlement  in  the  Massachusetts  Colony. 

Robert  Coe  settled  with  his  faniilv  at  Watertown  and  was  made  a  freeman 
there  Sept.  3,  1634.  He  later  removed  to  Pyquang  (Wethersfield).  He  had 
three  sons,  John,  Robert  and  Benjamin,  all  of  whom  liecame  prominent  men. 
Of  these  Robert  and  his  wife,  Hannah,  had  one  child,  John,  who  married 
Mary  Hawley  and  had  ten  children.  Benjamin,  born  in  1629.  married  Abi- 
gail Carmen  and  spent  the  latter  part  of  his  life  in  Jamaica.  His  grandson. 
Benjamin,  born  in  1702,  removed  to  Newark.  N.  T-.  and  died  in  1787.  He  had 
two  sons,  one  of  whom  was  killed  in  the  Revolutionary  war.    The  other,  Ben- 


202  COiSBIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

jamin,  was  born  in  173O,  and  died  in  1818.  leaving  two  sons,  .\aron  and  Laven. 
■J'lie  former  lived  at  Westfield.  X.  J.,  anil  the  latter,  born  April  26.  1772,  in 
Newark.     They  have  numerous  descendants  in  New  Jersey. 

Samuel  Curtis  Johnson  lived  with  his  father  during  the  years  of  pioneer- 
ing, and  his  earliest  recollection  is  of  coming  to  the  West  through  the  woods 
and  the  crossing  of  the  Maumee  river,  where  they  went  into  too  deep  water, 
and  had  to  stop,  unpack  and  diy  out  their  clothing.  Another  vivid  memory  is 
of  the  dog  "Towser"  tusseling  with  the  wild  boars  in  Michigan.  He  very 
easily  recalls  old  Fort  Dearborn,  Chicago,  and  can  remember  the  appearance 
of  the  military  guard  there.  The  family  lived  in  a  house  on  Randolph  street 
not  far  from  the  court  house.  He  can  tell  of  the  old  stage  coaches  and  the  mil- 
itary cry  as  the  guard  passed  in  the  night,  "Three  o'clock  and  all  is  well."  There 
is  little  doubt  that  residents  of  the  Windy  City,  in  some  parts,  would  feel 
more  secure  in  these  modern  days  did  the  guard  hourly  assure  them  that  "all 
is  well."  When  Mr.  Johnson  and  the  family  were_  moving  to  Kishwaukee  the 
father  would  go  on  ahead  and  pick  out  the  road  through  the  prairie  and  sound 
the  depths  of  the  various  water  courses  to  see  if  the  household  wagon  could 
safely  cross. 

Mr.  Johnson  obtained  his  early  education  in  the  old  log  schoolhouses  to 
be  founrl  wherever  a  pioneer  settlement  was  made,  attending  mainly  at  Graf- 
ton, \\'is.,  where  his  seat  was  a  split  log  or  puncheon.  Later  he  had  better  ad- 
vantages in  the  common  school  at  Oberlin,  Ohio.  His  first  real  venture  from 
home  was  to  become  office  boy  at  Milwaukee  in  the  service  of  the  old  ]Mil- 
waukee  &  La  Crosse  Railroad  Company.  It  was  his  duty  there  to  drum  up 
such  men  as  Moses  Kneeland,  James  K.  Kneeland.  E.  H.  Goodrich.  Byron 
Kilbourn,  for  board  meetings.  His  business  education  was  secured  in  that 
company  under  Levi  Burnell. 

In  1858  Mr.  Johnson  was  called  to  Kenosha  to  act  as  secretary  and  treas- 
urer of  the  Kenosha  &  Rockford  and  Rock  Island  Railroad  Company  (this  road 
then  being  in  course  of  construction),  until  it  was  sold  out  to  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railroad  Company,  a  period  of  several  years.  At  a  later  date 
he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Northwestern  Telegraph  Company,  until  it  was 
absorbed  by  the  Western  Union,  some  years  later.  In  1887,  being  out  of  em- 
ployment and  not  caring  to  work  longer  on  a  salary,  he  came  to  Racine  and 
made  a  contract  with  the  Racine  Hardware  Company,  to  manufacture  for  him 
inlaid  ornamental  hardwood  flooring,  the  same  article  he  is  now  manufactur- 
ing for  himself.  At  a  later  date  his  son,  Herbert  F.  Johnson,  who  had  been 
with  him  all  the  time,  was  admitted  to  partnership.  This  is  now  an  import- 
ant industrA'  of  Racine,  the  business  having  been  developed  successfully  on  the 
lines  inaugurated  by  Mr.  Johnson's  business  capacity. 

^Ir.  Johnson  was  married  in  October,  1861,  to  Miss  Carrie  Fisk.  daughter 
of  Sereno  and  Lucinda  B.  FisK,  of  Kenosha.  They  have  two  children,  a  son 
and  a  daughter,  viz. :  Herbert  F.  and  Jessie.  The  former  married  Miss  Helen 
Converse,  and  thev  have  two  children.  Hibbard  and  Henrietta.  Jessie  is  now 
the  wife  of  F.  P.  Lyman,  of  Kansas  City,  Tvlo..  and  they  ha\-e  three  children, 
Julia.  Helen  and  Fredric. 

Mr.  and  I\Irs.  Johnson  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.    Their  pleasant 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  203 

home  is  at  Xo.    1737  \\  iscoiisin  street.     They  are  among  the  most  highly 
esteemed  residents  of  Racine. 

CHARLES  K.  JOHNSON,  a  wealthy  farmer  and  leading  citizen  of 
Norway  township,  Racine  county,  with  .valuable  agricultural  property  in  Sec- 
tions 29  and  30,  was  born  in  that  township  March  18,  1850.  He  is  one  of 
nine  children  born  to  Knut  and  Bergetta  Johnson,  natives  of  Norway,  of 
whonr  the  following  five  grew  to  maturity  and  are  still  living :  John,  of 
Jackson  county,  Minn.;  Halvor  K..  of  Waterford  township;  Ole,  of  King 
county.  Wash. ;  Anna,  wife  of  August  W.  Garnetz,  of  Waterford  township, 
and  Charles  K. 

Knut  Johnson,  the  father,  was  a  shoemaker  in  Norway,  and  serverl  fi\'e 
years  in  the  regular  army  of  his  fatherland.  Having  saved  a  little  money  he 
came  to  America  in  1842,  located  in  Norway  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis., 
and  built  a  house  and  barn  on  the  fractional  forty  acres  which  he  had  pur- 
chased for  a  home.  Later  he  bought  another  forty  acres,  in  Waterford  town- 
ship, making  the  latter  his  homestead,  but  working  both  farms.  After  living 
there  for  many  years  he  went  to  reside  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Garnetz,  and 
died  at  her  home  in  1879,  aged  eighty-three  years.  His  wife  died  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two.  Both  were  lifelong  and  earnest  Luth- 
erans. Knut  Johnson,  in  fact,  assisted  in  the  erection  of  the  first  Norwegian 
Church  built  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  first  Norwegian  Lutheran  congregation  organized  within  its 
limits. 

The  paternal  grandfather,  John  Johnson,  was  a  farmer  in  Norway  and 
died  in  his  native  country,  when  well  advanced  in  years;  his  wife  also  lived 
to  an  old  age.  and  they  were  the  parents  of  a  large  family.  The  maternal 
grandfather,  Halvor  Oleson,  was  also  a  Norwegian-born  farmer,  and  died 
there  at  a  good  old  age.  He  was  twice  married,  his  second  wife  bearing  him 
several  children,  among  them  Bergetta,  the  mother  of  our  subject. 

Charles  K.  Johnson  remained  upon  the  family  homestead  until  he  was 
eighteen  years  of  age,  assisting  his  father  in  farming,  attending  the  district 
schools  and  learning  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  was  engaged  in  the  latter  vo- 
cation for  a  number  of  years  after  leaving  home,  purchasing  then  a  farm  of 
160  acres  in  Jackson  county,  Minn.  He  traded  the  Minnesota  property  for 
a  farm  of  seventy  acres  in  '\Vaterford  township,  upon  which  he  lived  for  five 
years.  After  selling  this  he  purchased  the  farm  of  140  acres  in  Norway 
township,  which  he  still  owns,  and  which  has  been  his  homestead  for  the  past 
twenty-three  years.  It  is  situated  three  miles  from  Waterford  village,  and 
is  so  finely  improved  and  so  advantageously  located  that  it  is  a  very  attractive 
and  \aluable  property.  He  also  is  the  owner  of  twelve  acres  in  Section  20. 
On  Jan.  2,  1875,  Charles  K.  Johnson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Live, 
daughter  of  Halvor  and  Margaret  (Oleson)  Nelson,  and  the  three  children 
born  to  them  are  Harvey  C,  Margaret  and  Carl  Edmund.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Johnson  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Johnson  is 
a  stanch  Republican,  and  he  has  been  honored  by  being  chosen  for  consider- 
able public  service,  having  been  supervisor  one  term  and  school  director  for 
a  number  of  terms. 


204  COMMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Johnson  were  natives  of  Norway,  came  to  America 
in  1^43  and  located  immediately  in  Norway  township.  Mr.  Nelson  became 
the  owner  of  two  farms,  and  died  on  the  old  homestead,  in  1893,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years.  He  was  married  three  times,  his  second  wife  bearmg 
him  six  children,  as  follows:  Nels,  Ole,  Halvor,  Live  (Airs.  Charles  K. 
Johnson),  Albert  and  John.  Mrs.  Johnson's  paternal  grandfather,  Nels  Nel- 
son, a  native  of  Norway,  emigrated  to  America  at  an  early  day,  and  died  in 
\'ernon  township,  Waukesha  Co.,  Wis.,  after  he  had  lived  a  few  days  beyond 
ninety-nine  years.  His  wife.  Tone  Nelson,  was  about  seventy-seven  at  the 
time  of  her  death.  They  had  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  all  of  whom 
reached  maturity  and  themselves  raised  large  families.  Ole  Oleson,  the  ma- 
ternal grandfather  of  Mrs'.  Live  Johnson,  died  in  his  native  Norway,  far  ad- 
vanced in  years,  and  the  father  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Three  of 
the  children  came  to  America,  Helga,  Annie  and  Margaret ;  Annie  married 
Ole  Evenson,  of  Vernon  township,  \\'aukesha  Co.,  Wisconsin. 

JOHN  F.  JOHNSON  is  president  and  manager  of  the  Johnson  &  Field 
Manufacturing  Company,  of  Racine,  of  which  large  and  flourishing  industry 
he  has  had  the  full  manag'ement  and  direction  since  its  inception,  in  1876. 
During  the  thirty  years  which  have  since  elapsed  the  efforts  of  the  manage- 
ment ha\e  been  centered  in  the  manufacture  and  improvement  of  grain  and 
seed  cleaners  and  separators  which  should  embody  the  essential  points  ot 
durability,  large  capacity  and  thorough  work.  This  aim  has  been  so  com- 
pletely accomplished  that  not  only  has  the  manufactory  developed  into  one  of 
the  great  industries  of  Racine,  but  the  so-called  Racine  fanning  mills,  turned 
out  by  the  Johnson  &  Field  IManufacturing  Company,  are  used  by  farmers 
and  grain  and  seed  men,  from  Maine  to  California  and  from  Alaska  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  as  well  as  in  Mexico,  Central  and  South  America,  the  grain- 
producing  countries  of  Eurpoe,  Asia  ]\Iinor.  India,  Morocco,  South  Africa 
and  Australasia.  The  larger  portion  of  the  company's  sales  is  in  the  grain- 
growing  sections  of  the  L'nited  States,  some  of  the  mills  sold  in  the  southern 
States  and  in  some  of  the  foreign  countries  being  fitted  for  cleaning  rice  and 
coffee.  By  means  of  a  variety  of  attachments — sieves,  screens  and  graders — 
the  mills  are  adapted  to  cleaning  wheat,  barley,  oats,  corn,  rye,  peas,  beans 
and  flax,  as  well  as  timothy,  clover  and  all  kinds  of  grass  seeds ;  separating 
oats  from  wheat  and  wild  from  domestic  oats ;  cleaning  onions :  removing 
dirt,  foreign  substances,  weeds,  etc..  from  the  merchantable  grains  and  grass 
seeds,  and.  in  general,  thoroughly  cleaning  the  material  for  marketing  and 
sowincf. 

The  specialties  manufactured  by  the  Johnson  &  Field  Company  are  farm 
and  warehouse  fanning  mills,  dustless  grain  and  seed  cleaners  and  separators, 
land  rollers,  chaffing  machines  and  broadcast  seeders,  all  of  which  are  known 
practically  the  world  over.  They  were  awarded  the  gold  medal  at  the  Omaha 
Exposition  of  1898:  highest  award  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition, 
1803:  the  gold  medal  at  the  New  Orleans  Cotton  Exposition,  and  a  high 
award  at  the  recent  Paris  Exposition. 

In  1876  Mr.  Johnson  started  this  manufactory  in  an  old  small  two-story 
frame  building,  on  Sixteenth  and  Junction  streets,  being  associated  in  the 


COM.MEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  205 

enterprise  w  ith  Mr.  Field,  who  acted  as  president  of  the  company.  Air.  Juhn- 
son  had  the  responsibihty  of  the  office  work,  acting  as  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  the  company,  and  having  full  management  'of  the  same.  The  building 
was  rented  and  the  business  started  in  debt,  with  a  manufacturing  force  of 
three  hands.  There  was  no  material  expansion  until  1880,  when  Mr.  Johnson 
began  to  act  as  outside  salesman  and  general  promoter.  At  that  time  the 
plant  consisted  of  a  small  frame  building,  40x80  feet.  As  Mr.  Johnson's 
acquaintance  on  the  road  was  large  and  his  business  ability  unquestioned, 
even  at  that  early  day,  the  effect  of  his  work  was  soon  manifest  in  an  increase 
of  sales  and  in  additions  and  improvements  to  the  manufactory  and  its  output. 
The  plant  gradually  expanded  until  it  now  covers  about  three  acres  of  ground, 
and  employment  is  given  to  some  forty  people,  its  annual  output  being  from 
3,500  to  5.000  mills  annually.  The  business  was  incorporated  as  the  John- 
son &  Field  Manufacturing  Company  July  i,  1898,  it  being  formerly  kiiowrt 
as  the  Johnson,  Field  Company.  From  the  time  the  business  was  first  started, 
in  1876.  after  it  was  incorporated  in  1880,  and  until  1905,  Mr.  Johnson  held 
the  position  of  secretary-treasurer  and  general  manager,  Mr.  Field  acting  as 
president  until  Mr.  Johnson  bought  his  interest,  in  1899.  From  that  time 
Mr.  Johnson  practically  had  the  entire  responsibilities  of  the  business  until 
1905,  when  he  associated  with  him  Mr.  James  Wellman,  a  young  man  who 
assumed  the  duties  he  himself  had  formerly  discharged,  becoming  secretary 
and  treasurer.  The  same  year  Mr.  Johnson  was  elected  president  of  the 
Johnson  &  Field  Manufacturing  Company,  as  it  is  still  known.  .\  few  per- 
sonal facts  regarding  the  head  of  the  business  are  now  given  below. 

John  F.  Johnson  was  born  in  Palmyra,  Jeft'erson  Co.,  Wis.,  May  2,  1845, 
son  of  Lars  Johnson  Lee  and  Bertha  (Takla)  Johnson  Lee.  natives  of  Voss, 
near  Bergen.  Norway.  His  paternal  grandfather  was  John  Lee.  a  native  of 
Norway,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation,  who  died  in  his  native  country  well 
advanced  in  years.  He  and  his  wife,  Sigvor  Lee,  had  two  sons  and  three 
daughters.  On  the  maternal  side  John  F.  Johnson  is  a  grandson  of  Lars 
Kindem  Takla.  a  farmer  of  Norway,  who  attained  advanced  age.  He  and 
his  wife  Ingeborg  Talka  had  two  daughters  and  two  sons. 

The  father,  Lars  Johnson  Lee.  was  a  farmer  in  his  native  country,  and 
he  continued  that  occupation  after  emigrating  to  America  and  locating  in 
Palmyra,  Jefferson  county.  There  he  spent  two  or  three  years,  after  which 
he  moved  to  LaGrange.  Walworth  county.  In  i860  he  settled  in  Leeds,  Co- 
lumbia county,  and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  at  the  age  of 
sixty-four  years.  His  widow  still  survives  and  has  attained  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years.  She  is  a  Lutheran,  as  was  her  husband.  He  was  prominent  politi- 
cally and  held  various  township  ofifices,  among  them  being  that  of  treasurer 
of  A\  alworth  county.  He  always  took  a  great  interest  in  school  matters,  and 
erected  the  first  log  school  house  in  Walworth  county.  He  was  a  well  edu- 
cated man  and  a  great  mathematician.  He  and  his  wife  had  five  children, 
four  of  whom  now  survive :  John  F.,  of  Racine :  Sarah,  the  widow  of  Knut 
Erickson.  of  Madison,  Wis. ;  Lizzie,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Lee,  of  Leeds.  Wis. ; 
and  Lewis,  of  DeForest.  Wisconsin. 

John  F.  Johnson  was  reared  in  LaGrange.  Walworth  county,  and  there 
remained  until  fifteen  years  of  age.    He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  attended 


2o6  COAIAIEMORATI\"E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

the  district  schools,  also  going  to  the  high  school  at  Madison.  He  graduated 
troni  the  Eastman  Business  L<jllege,  in  i^hicago,  and  then  for  a  time  engaged 
in  newspaper  soliciting.  He  clerked  in  a  clothmg  and  men's  furnishing  goods 
house  tor  a  time,  and  then  hecame  clerk  and  later  assistant  to  the  chief 
engineer  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  Company,  being 
stationed  at  Madison.  He  removed  to  Racine  when  the  railroad  purchased 
the  Western  Union  Line,  being  in  the  offices  here  for  a  year  and  a  half.  He 
then  went  into  the  manufacturing  business  with  his  father-in-law,  A.  P. 
Dickey,  continuing  with  him  for  five  years,  at  the  conclusion  of  which  periou 
he  established  the  manufactory  with  which  he  has  since  been  identified  as  the 
leading  figure. 

On  Dec.  26,  1870,  John  F.  Johnson  married  Miss  Sarah  Arabelle  Dickey, 
born  in  Racine  June  i,  1850,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Albert  P.  and  Sarah 
(Balicock)  Dickey.  Her  father,  the  Racine  pioneer  in  the  manufacture  of 
fanning  mills,  was  descended  from  Scotch  and  Irish  ancestors,  but  is  a  native 
of  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  where  he  was  born  May  24,  1817.  When  three  years 
of  age  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Livingston  county,  N.  Y.,  and  after  the 
limited  education  and  usual  training  on  a  farm,  in  1834  he  became  a  salesman 
for  his  brothers,  who  were  engaged  in  the  fanning  mill  business.  Later  he 
was  admitted  into  partnership  with  his  brother.  Oilman  Dickey,  and  for  twelve 
years  they  conducted  at  Price  Hill,  N.  Y.,  a  successful  manufactory  of  mills. 
For  six  years  while  a  resident  of  that  place  he  was  colonel  of  the  164th  Regi- 
ment, National  Guard.  In  1844  he  sold  his  interests  and  opened  a  shop  in 
Chicago,  but,  on  account  of  sickness,  in  the  following  year  removed  to  Racine, 
where  he  embarked  in  the  same  line  of  manufacture.  His  establishment,  which 
was  the  first  of  its  kind  in  Racine  and  one  of  the  pioneer  factories  in  the 
western  State,  became  one  of  the  most  prominent  industries  of  the  Belle  City, 
his  products  taking  medals  at  the  international  expositions,  and  meeting  with 
a  wide  sale  in  the  United  States.  After  his  death,  Oct.  23,  1880,  his  widow 
and  second  wife  (nee  Lucy  A.  Patterson),  in  connection  with  E.  H.  Pease, 
continued  the  business  for  five  years,  wdien  Mr.  Pease  withdrew  and  the  firm 
became  the  A.  P.  Dickey  Manufacturing  Company,  the  management  being 
in  the  hands  of  her  son-in-law  and  George  H.  Dickey.  Albert  Prescott 
^Dickey  w-as  first  married  at  Alba.  Genesee  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  19.  1840,  to  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Babcock,  a  native  of  that  county,  by  whom  he  had  five  children. 
She  died  Sept.  11,  1854,  and  he  was  married  (second)  Feb.  24,  1856.  to  Miss 
Lucy  A.  Patterson,  by  whom  he  had  tliree  children,  and  who  passed  away 
Nov.  10,   1890. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  F.  Johnson  are  both  meniliers  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  highly  esteemed  throughout  the  city.  For  more  than  thirty 
years  they  have  resided  in  their  pleasant  residence  at  No.  1025  Lake  avenue, 
which  Mr.  Johnson  erected  in  1875. 

Politically  Mr.  Johnson  has  always  been  a  Repulilican,  public-spirited  and 
alive  to  the  best  interests  of  the  communitv,  although  he  has  never  aspired 
to  political  office.  He  is  identified  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  K.  of  P.  and  T.  P.  A. 
of  A.  Of  the  last  named  he  was  director  of  the  National  T.  P.  A.  of  America 
for  two  years,  and  for  several  years  its  vice-president. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  207 

EZRA  BEARDSLEY,  well  known  as  a  prominent  agriculturist  of 
Waterford  township,  Racine  county,  is  carrying  on  operations  on  Section  17. 
He  was  born  in  Caledonia  township,  Racine  county,  April  i,  1839,  son  of 
Elam  and  Naomi  (McMillan)  Beardsley,  natives  respectively  of  Delaware 
and  Ohio.  Elam  Beardsley  came  to  Racine  county  and  settled  in  Cale- 
donia township  in  1834,  the  Indians  still  being  there  at  this  time.  He  took 
up  government  land,  a  tract  of  160  acres,  and  this  he  improved.  After  a  stay 
of  eight  years  he  sold  out,  and  purchased  a  farm  of  200  acres  in  Waterford 
township,  where  his  children  were  raised,  and  where  he  died  in  June,  1877, 
aged  seventy-two  years.  His  first  wife,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  died  April 
I,  1839,  in  the  faith  of  the  Congregational  Church,  which  he  also  attended. 
Their  children  were :  Martin,  deceased ;  Nancy,  who  is  the  widow  of  Eliza 
Buttles,  who  lives  in  Waterford  township;  and  Ezra.  Mr.  Beardsley  held 
various  township  offices,  and  was  assessor  and  supervisor.  He  married  for 
his  second  wife,  Elizabeth  Simonton,  and  two  children  were  Ix^rn  to  this 
union:  Marcellus,  deceased;  and  Frances,  the  wife  of  John  Kelley,  of 
Beloit. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Ezra  Beardsley,  a  native 
of  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  and  when  a  young  man  a  school  teacher.  He 
afterward  became  a  farmer,  and  came  to  Wisconsin  among  the  pioneers, 
dving  in  Waterford  township,  when  about  sixty-five  years  of  age. 

Ezra  Beardsley,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  has  lived  in  Waterford  town- 
ship since  he  was  five  years  old,  a  period  of  sixty-two  years.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  district  schools,  and  lived  at  home  until  reaching  matur- 
ity. He  then  commenced  working  out  by  the  month,  at  which  he  continued 
for  several  years,  and  he  then  purchased  a  part  of  the  old  homestead,  on 
which  he  still  lives,  owning  220  acres  of  finely  improved  land.  Mr.  Beards- 
ley was  married  Dec.  27,  1867,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Fox,  daughter  of  James 
and  Mary  (Ofield)  Fox,  and  eight  children  were  born  to  this  union:  Del- 
bert  George,  Mary  Gertrude,  Hattie  Irene,  Lizzie  Frances,  Elam  James, 
Olive  Nancy,  Grace  Victoria  and  Althea  Leone.  Delbert  George  is  a  farmer 
in  Nodaway  Co.,  Mo.,  near  Parnell.  He  married  May  Jeleff,  and  they  have 
six  children,  Nellie,  Esther.  Elam.  George,  Ida  and  Blanche.  Mary  Ger- 
trude married  James  Greeley,  of  Waterford  township,  and  they  have  three 
children.  Medora,  Mildred  and  Ezra.  Hattie  Irene  married  Walter  Clark, 
of  Adams,  Walworth  county,  and  they  have  two  children,  Doris  and  Sidney. 
Lizzie  Frances  married  Frank  Behling,  of  Waterford  township,  and  they 
ha\-e  four  children:  Emery,  Oscar,  Frances  and  Elsa;  and  the  other  four 
children  of  our  subject  are  at  home.  Politically  Mr.  Beardsley  is  a  Repub- 
lican, 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Beardsley  were  natives  of  England.  Her  mother 
had  been  previously  married,  her  first  husband  being  William  Rush,  by  whom 
she  had  four  children :  Charlotte,  wlio  married  George  Foat,  and  lives  in 
Grand  Meadow,  'Slum. :  John,  of  Spring  Brook,  Ore. ;  Wihiam,  of  Rochester, 
Wis.,  and  George,  deceased.  \\'illiam  Rush,  the  father  of  these  children, 
died  in  Canada,  whither  they  had  emigrated.  His  \vidow  afterward  married 
James  Fox.  of  near  Hamilton.  Canada,  and  they  came  to  \^'isconsin  among 
the  early  pioneers  of  Waterford  township.     They  had  these  children  :     Fran- 


208  CO.M.MEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD 

ces,  born  in  Canada,  who  became  the  wife  of  Martin  FHnt,  and  now  resides 
at  Lake  Beniidji,  Minn.;  EHzabeth  Ann,  Mrs.  Beardsley,  who  was  born  in 
Canada,  and  who  has  spent  fifty-nine  years  in  Waterford  township;  and 
Harriet  the  widow^  of  Solon  Cook,  residing  in  Florida. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Beardsley  was  William  Fox,  a  native 
of  England,  where  he  died  in  middle  life.  He  had  one  son,  William,  the 
father  of  Mrs.  Beardsley.  Mr.  Fox  died,  and  his  widow  married  a  Air. 
Hewitt,  by  whom  she  had  two  children:  Hannah,  who  married  a  Mr.  Conk- 
lin;  and  Frances,  who  married  a  Mr.  Ward.  Mr.  Hew'itt  died,  and  his 
widow  married  for  her  third  husband,  Richard  Burns,  and  they  ha\e  one 
daughter,  Jane,  who  married  Theodore  Gibson. 

JOHN  P.  DAVIES.  president  of  the  Racine  Alalleable  &  Wrought  Iron 
Company,  is  one  of  the  jxipular,  enterprising  and  public-spirited  men  of  the 
city  of  Racine.  His  birtli  occurred  Jan.  31,  1853,  in  Racine,  but  his  parents, 
William  and  Ann  (Pugh)  Davies,  were  natives  of  Wales. 

William  Davies  was  a  locomotive  engineer  in  his  native  country,  and 
on  coming  to  America  located  in  Racine,  Wis.,  where  he  followed  stationary 
engineering  for  several  years  in  the  lumber  mills.  He  then  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad  Company,  in  the  shops 
at  Racine,  and  there  continued  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1872.  He 
married  Ann  Pugh,  who  survived  him  until  April  2,  1901,  passing  away  aged 
seventy-one  years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Welsh  Congregational  Church. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davies  had  six  children  born  to  them,  of  whom  three  are  now 
living,  namely:  John  P..  of  Racine;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  T.  M.  Jones,  of 
Racine;  and  Grace,  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Rothermel,  of  Chicago. 

John  P.  Davies  was  reared  in  Racine,  and  attended  the  public  and  high 
schools.  He  began  learning  telegraphy  when  about  sixteen  years  of  age  in 
the  Western  Union  Telegraph  office  at  Racine,  and  the  first  office  of  which  he 
had  charge  was  in  that  city.  He  then  worked  one  year  in  Chicago  and  six 
months  in  Oshkosh,  at  the  end  of  that  time  entering  the  employ  of  the  Chi- 
cago &  Northwestern  Railroad  Companv.  for  which  he  was  the  operator  and 
ticket  clerk  at  the  Racine  depot  for  several  years.  He  then  purchased  an  in- 
terest in  the  Jansen  Manufacturing  Company,  and  became  one  of  the  or- 
ganizers, secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company,  which  was  later  reorganized, 
the  name  being  changed  to  the  Racine  Malleable  &  W'rought  Iron  Company ; 
as  such  it  has  continued  since.  Mr.  Davies  was  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
company  for  a  few  years,  and  then  was  elected  president  and  general  man- 
ager, which  offices  he  still  retains.  About  325  people  are  employed  in  the 
plant,  where  all  kinds  of  saddlery  hardware  and  special  castings  are  manu- 
factured. The  establishment  was  destroyed  by  fire  Julv  13.  i8q8,  at  which 
time  it  was  located  on  Milwaukee  avenue  and  West  street.  In  this  conflagra- 
tion Mr.  Davies  personally  lost  $75,000  in  about  thirty  minutes.  The  com- 
pany chose  a  new  location.  Twenty-first  and  Clark  streets,  known  as  Lake- 
side, and  at  once  rebuilt  the  works.  In  the  new  plant  there  are  six  large 
buildings  and  several  smaller  ones,  liuilt  of  brick,  on  modern  plans.  Mr. 
Davies  is  also  president  of  the  Reliance  Iron  &  Engine  Comjiany.  which  is 


dit^c^^    Qy     c>Cja^(^-c^ 


'^2*/-t6^ 


C0MME:\I0RATIVE    biographical    record.  209 

one  of  the  new  industries  of  Racine,  for  the  manufacture  of  gas  and  gasohne 
engines  and  castings  of  all  kinds. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Davies  is  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason,  belonging  to 
Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Orient  Chapter  No.  12,  R.  A.  M. ;  Raciue 
Commandery,  No.  7,  K.  T.,  of  which  he  is  a  past  commander,  and  Tripoli 
Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and 
served  as  police  commissioner  one  term,  and  as  a  member  of  the  board  of 
education  for  the  same  length  of  time. 

On  May  12,  1884,  Mr.  Davies  married  Miss  Cora  A.  Crane,  daughter 
of  Mri>.  Jennie  (Burch)  Crane,  and  she  died  eleven  months  after  marriage, 
of  typhoid  fever.  Mr.  Davies  married  (second)  Sept.  17,  1889,  Miss  Lillie 
E.  Case,  daughter  of  DeWayne  and  Eliza  (Greenhow)  Case,  and  to  this 
union  have  been  born  four  children :  John  P.,  Jr.,  Anna  E.,  and  Frank  Case 
and  Clinton  William,  twins.  The  family  resides  at  No.  744  College  avenue. 
Mr.  Davies  is  genial  and  affable  and  possesses  a  kind  heart.  Domestic  in  his 
tastes  and  habits,  he  love?  his  home,  and  it  is  there  he  may  be  found  after  a 
busy  day  at  his  ofifice.  Notwithstanding  his  heavy  loss  of  a  few  years  ago 
Mr.  Davies  is  far  from  discouraged,  and  hopes  for  better  fortune  in  the  fu- 
ture. He  is  rapidly  recovering  from  his  financial  embarrassment,  the  busi- 
ness growing  in  dimensions  every  day,  and  the  Ra'cine  Malleable  &  Wrought 
Iron  Company  promises  to  laecome  one  of  the  leading  industries  of  the  State. 
Not  only  is  the  company  itself  benefited  by  its  success,  but  also  its  employes 
and  the  city  of  Racine,  and  Mr.  Davies,  as  its  able  president  and  general  man- 
ager, to  whom  much  of  the  company's  success  is  due,  is  admittedly  a  puljlic 
benefactor. 

GEORGE  WASHINGTON  STONE,  Sr..  a  retired  blacksmith  of 
Burlington,  Wis.,  and  an  honored  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Burlington  ever  since  1871.  He  was  born  March  7,  1821,  in  Car- 
roll Co.,  Md.,  son  of  John  and  Eva  (Nagel)  Stone,  natives  of  Maryland. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  of  German  descent  and  was 
undoubtedly  a  soldier  in  the  Hessian  army  which  came  to  America  to  parti- 
cipate in  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  also  a  Ger- 
man, but  both  grandparents  died  so  long  ago  that  all  record  of  them  has 
been  lost. 

John  Stone  was  a  mason  and  a  farmer,  and  also  followed  school  teach- 
ing and  blacksmithing.  He  died  in  Maryland,  aged  about  sixty-seven  years, 
while  his  wife  survived  him  some  years,  passing  away  when  between  the  ages 
of  seventy  and  eighty  years.  She  belonged  to  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church. 
John  Stone  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  181 2.  was  a  man  of  note,  had  con- 
siderable correspondence  with  prominent  men,  and  taught  several  languages. 
He  and  his  wife  had  thirteen  children,  live  sons  and  eight  daughters,  all  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity,  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age. 

George  W.  Stone,  Sr.,  left  home  when  twelve  years  of  age  to  make  ln"s 
own  way  in  the  world.  He  worked  on  a  farm  for  a  few  years,  and  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  years  began  learning  the  blacksmith's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  fifty  years.  He  learned  the  trade  on  the  Virginia  line,  in  Wash- 
ington Co.,  Pa.     He  left  Virginia  New  Year's  morning,   1842,  and  went  to 


210        comme:\iorative  biographical  record. 

Lockport,  N.  Y.,  remaining  there  until  1846,  when  he  came  to  Wisconsin. 
He  settled  in  East  Troy  in  1850,  and  resided  there  nineteen  years,  whence  he 
went  to  Waterford,  Racine  county,  and  in  1871  came  to  Burlington,  having 
made  this  city  his  headquarters  ever  since,  with  the  exception  of  one  year 
spent  in  LaCrosse  county.  Mr.  Stone  enlisted  in  Company  A,  First  Heavy 
Artillery,  during  the  Civil  war,  and  served  a  little  over  five  months,  being  in 
the  defences  at  Washington,  but  his  age  made  the  work  too  heavy  for  him. 
After  the  war  he  returned  to  Wisconsin. 

On  Aug.  25,  1841,  Mr.  Stone  married  Miss  ]\Iary  Lestina  Flanders, 
■daughter  of  John  L.  and  Martha  (Tibbets)  Flanders,  and  the  record  of  their 
■children,  besides  one  daughter  who  died  in  infancy,  is  as  follows :  (  i ) 
Matilda  married  James  Calder,  and  they  live  in  Seattle.  Wash.  They  have 
four  children,  ]Minnie,  William,  Xellie  and  Lestina:  (2)  Lafayette,  de- 
ceased, married  Hattie  Chapman,  daughter  of  one  of  Waterford's  prominent 
lawyers,  and  they  had  two  children,  one  of  whom,  Lura,  is  now  living. 
Mrsi  Hattie  Stone  married  again,  her  second  husband  being  a  Mr.  Turn- 
baugh,  and  they  live  in  Mt.  Carroll,  111. ;  one  son,  Joseph,  has  been  born  to 
them.  (3)  Emma  married  Henry  Boss,  and  they  live  in  Seattle,  Wash. 
They  have  three  children,  Eugene,  Carrie  and  Earl.  (4)  Clara,  widow  of 
Dwight  Rooker,  lives  in  Sparta,  Wis.,  and  has  four  children,  Lemoine. 
Mamie,  Alice  and  Joseph.  (5)  Alice  married  James  Boss,  a  cousin  of 
Henry  Boss,  and  they  live  in  Seattle.  Wash.  (6)  George  died  when  three 
or  four  years  okl.  (7)  George  W.  (2)  learned  the  blacksmithing  trade, 
and  later  became  a  veterinary  surgeon.  He  lives  in  Burlington,  where  he 
married  Margaret  ]McKenzie.  They  have  two  children,  Charles  and  Grace. 
(8)  Martha  married  Laverne  Stiles,  now  deceased,  by  whom  she  had  two 
children,  Frances  and  Burnett:  she  married  (second)  Dr.  J.  F.  Roe.  a  meat 
inspector  in  Milwaukee,  and  they  have  two  children.  Fremont  and  Bonita, 
{g)  Elihu  B.  married  .Vnna  \'line,  and  has  two  sons,  Lafayette,  a  professor 
of  music:,  and  George.  (10)  Frank  is  a  veterinary  surgeon  and  lives  in 
Burlington.  He  married  (first)  Bertha  Schale,  by  whom  he  had  three  chil- 
dren. Charles.  ]\Iarie  and  Florence:  he  married  (second)  Mrs.  Mary  Nor- 
ton. (II)  Bertha  Lillian  married  Peter  Sechrist.  by  whom  she  had  one 
son.  Percival :  she  married  (second)  Melvin  Sanford,  and  lives  in  Pasadena, 
California. 

Mrs.  Mary  Lestina  Stone  died  Xo\-.  17,  1894,  aged  seventv-four  vears. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church  to  which  Mr.  Stone  belonged  a 
number  of  years  ago.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has  been  attending  the  Con- 
gregational Church  in  Burlington,  because  there  was  no  Methodist  Cliurcli 
here.  Politically  he  is  independent.  He  was  originally  a  Democrat,  cast 
his  first  Presidential  \ote  for  Clay  and  Frelinghuysen.  the  ^^'hig  candidates, 
then  voted  for  the  Republican  candidates  until  1S84.  and  then  voted  for  the 
Prohibitionists.  ^Ir.  Stone  never  consented  to  hold  political  office.  He  is  a 
member  of  Luther  Crane  Post,  No.  201,  G.  A.  R. 

At  one  time  'Mr.  Stone  took  up  the  study  of  veterinary  medicine,  being 
a  correspondent  of  Dr.  George  H.  Dodd,  D.  V.  S..  and  was  the  first  man  to 
advocate  the  principle  of  a  flat  shoe  for  horses.  He  is  the  oldest  surviving 
veterinary  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  having  followed  that  profession  for 
over  fiftv  vears. 


COAOIE^IORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  211 

FREDRICK  AIALSCH,  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  an  enter- 
prising and  progressive  business  man  of  Racine,  Wis.,  whose  meat  market 
was  situated  at  No.  1300  North  Wisconsin  street,  was  born  in  Baden,  Ger- 
many, Oct.  26,  1850,  son  of  August  and  Rosa  (Dotterer)  Malsch,  also  na- 
tives of  the  Fatherland. 

August  Malsch  was  a  butcher  by  trade,  and  on  coming  to  America,  in 
1855,  located  in  Racine,  where  he  engaged  in  business  from  1858  until  1873. 
From  the  latter  year  until  his  death,  in  1881,  he  lived  retired.  Mrs.  Malsch 
died  in  1853.  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  to  which  Mr.  Malsch  also 
adhered.     Of  their  three  children  Fredrick  is  the  only  one  alive. 

Fredrick  Malsch  was  but  five  years  old  when  he  located  with  his  parents 
in  Racine,  and  that  city  has  been  his  home  continuously.  He  attended  the 
public  and  commercial  schools,  and  when  a  boy  learned  the  butcher's  trade  of 
his  father.  On  the  death  of  the  latter  Mr.  Malsch  succeeded  him  to  the  busi- 
ness, which  was  located  at  No.  1300  North  Wisconsin  street.  The  new  pro- 
prietor continued  to  carry  a  full  line  of  plain  and  fancy  meats,  and  the  excel- 
lence of  his  goods  and  the  straightforward  methods  he  invariably  used  in  his 
business  won  and  retained  the  confidence  of  the  public,  thereby  giving  Mr. 
Malsch  a  large  and  ever-increasing  trade.  He  continued  to  prosper  until, 
on  account  of  failing  health,  he  retired  from  active  business  in  June,  1905. 

On  July  15.  1873,  Mr.  Malsch  married  Miss  Marion  Griswold,  daugh- 
ter of  Nelson  and  Jane  (Wilson)  Griswold,  and  to  this  union  has  been  born 
one  daughter,  Rose  E.'  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Malsch  are  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  He  is  identified  with  Racine  Lodge  No.  8,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  p()liti- 
cally  is  a  Repubiicaii. 

Mr.  Malsch  comes  from  intelligent  German  ancestry,  and  was  long  one 
of  t'  e  successful  business  men  of  Racine.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  that 
city  for  half  a  century,  and  has  witnessed  its  progress  and  development  from 
a  small  village  to  its  present  status  as  one  of  the  leading  manufacturing  cities 
of  Wisconsin.  He  is  one  of  the  old  settlers,  although  comparatively  a  young 
man,  and  highly  regarded  for  his  integrity,  possessing  many  of  the  sterling 
traits  of  his  father,  who  was  universally  esteemed  by  the  citizens  and  early 
residents  of  the  community.  Mr.  Malsch  owns  a  fine  home,  and  having  done 
his  share  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  interests  of  the  city,  is  n(iw  reaping  the 
benefits  of  his  years  of  industry  and  good  business  management. 

ARCHIBALD  COOPER  (deceased),  for  many  years  one  of  the 
prominent  farmers  of  Racine  county,  Wis.,  carried  on  agricultural  opera- 
tions in  Waterford  township.  He  was  born  May  10.  1810.  at  Palatine, 
Montgomery  Co.,  N.  Y..  son  of  Samuel  and  Esther  (Reed)  Cooper,  natives 
of  Ireland. 

Samuel  Cooper,  the  father  of  Archibald,  on  coming  to  America  settled 
in  Montgomery  county,  N.  Y..  and  afterwards  came  to  Wisconsin  among  the 
early  settlers  of  Racine  county.  He  located  in  Waterford  township,  where 
he  died,  when  just  past  middle  life.  His  wife  also  passed  away  here.  They 
had  seven  children :  James  S.,  Andrew,  Archibald,  Samuel,  John,  Rachel 
and  Margery. 

Archibald  Cooper  was  reared  in  Montgomery  county,  N.  Y.,  there  re- 
ceiving his  earlv  education.     He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  September,  1836,  and 


212  CO:^IMEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  W'aterford  township,  to  whicli  he  afterward 
added  forty  acres,  and  later  another  like  amount,  owning  240  acres  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  On  locating  on  this  land  Mr.  Cooper  first  built  a  log  cabin, 
which  was  afterwards  replaced  by  a  large  and  handsome  frame  house,  and  he 
added  barns,  outbuildings  and  other  miprovements.  He  was  a  thorough, 
practical  farmer,  and  his  farm  was  one  of  the  finest  and  best  kept  in  the  town- 
ship. 

In  1839  ^Ir.  Cooper  was  married,  in  Honey  Creek,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis., 
to  Miss  Sally  Ann  \\  hitman,  daughter  of  Seely  and  Anna  Whitman.  ]\Irs. 
Cooper  died  some  three  years  later,  leaving  one  daughter,  Ellen  AL,  now  of 
Rochester,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.  In  March,  1846,  Mr.  Cooper  married  Miss 
Emily  Palmer,  daughter  of  Elias  and  Anna  (Bemis)  Palmer,  and  three  chil- 
dren were  born  to  this  union,  Hugh  Reed,  Fred  and  John.  Hugh  Reed  mar- 
ried Adelaide  M.  Orvis,  and  they  live  in  Waterford  village ;  Fred  is  now  liv- 
ing retired  in  Waterford,  Wis.,  and  John,  who  is  now  a  prosperous  farmer 
in  Rock  county,  Wis.,  married  Anna  Duthie,  and  has  three  children,  Mary 
Emily,  Judd  and  Burr. 

Archibald  Cooper  died  Dec.  2,  1885,  aged  seventy-five  years,  six  months. 
The  ten  last  years  of  his  life  he  was  afflicted  with  blindness,  but  bore  the  loss 
of  his  sight  with  wonderful  cheerfulness,  and  appeared  to  enjoy  life  to  its 
fullest  extent.  He  was  a  robust,  hearty  man,  very  fond  of  a  joke  or  good 
story,  and  no  place  in  the  section  was  better  known  for  its  genial  hospitality 
than  was  his  home.  He  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  Masons  of  his  lo- 
cality, having  filled  most  of  the  offices  of  Temple  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
retired  as  past  master;  was  also  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  belonged  to  Racine 
Chapter,  and  a  member  of  the  Knights  Templar,  Racine  Commandery.  He 
■was  a  most  active  and  consistent  worker  in  Masonry,  and  the  large  attend- 
ance at  his  funeral  evidenced  the  high  esteem  and  brotherly  love  felt  for  him. 
In  his  death  the  community  lost  a  valued  and  respected  citizen  and  one  of  its 
early  pioneers,  to  whom  the  present  generation  is  deeply  indebted  for  helping 
to  hew  the  way  to  civilization.  He  did  much  for  his  town,  county  and  State, 
and  to  his  family  and  relatives  his  place  can  never  be  filled.  Mr.  Cooper's 
memory  will  long  be  cherished  by  his  old  associates  and  friends. 

Mrs.  Archibald  Cooper's  father  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  her 
mother  of  Massachusetts,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  seven  children :  Al- 
bert, deceased ;  Phoebe,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Daniel  White ;  Oliver, 
deceased ;  Anna  C,  deceased  w-ife  of  Madison  C.  Babcock ;  W'illiam,  de- 
ceased; Garner  C,  who  now  lives  at  Albion,  Erie  Co.,  Pa.,  and  Emily,  the 
widow  of  our  subject. 

Elias  Palmer,  being  a  patriotic  citizen,  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  Later 
he  was  a  manufacturer  of  potash  and  pearlash  and  also  followed  farming  in 
Chenango  county,  N.  Y.  He  lived  to  be  nearly  one  htindred  years  old,  and 
his  wife,  Anna  (Bemis)  Palmer,  lived  to  be  ninety-three  years  of  age. 

Mrs.  Emily  Cooper  was  born  in  the  town  of  Columbus,  Chenango  Co., 
N.  Y.,  June  11.  1824.  In  1845  she  came  to  Wisconsin,  where  she  has  made 
her  home  ever  since.  She  and  her  husband  began  their  married  life  in  a 
small  log  cabin,  and  underwent  the  usual  experiences  and  hardships  of  pio- 
neer life.     jMrs.  Cooper  is  now  eighty-two  years  old,  and  is  very  well  pre- 


C0MA1E:^I0RAT1YE    biographical    record.  213 

served  for  one  of  her  age.  Her  memory  and  eyesight  are  still  excellent,  and 
her  C(>n\'ersation  is  both  interesting  and  pleasing.  She  resides  on  the  Cooper 
farm,  which  is  situated  two  miles  west  of  the  village  of  Waterford,  and  which 
was  one  of  the  first  settled  in  the  township. 

MARS  MYRUP,  city  editor  of  the  Daily  Times,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  has 
held  that  position  since  1898,  and  is  a  newspaper  man  of  many  years"  ex- 
perience. He  was  born  in  Denmark,  near  the  city  of  Thisted,  Aug.  23.  1849, 
son  of  Peter  C.  and  Elsie  (Ramsgaard)  Myrup,  natives  of  Denmark.  The 
paternal  grandfather  was  a  fisherman  and  died  in  Denmark,  while  the  ma- 
ternal grandfather,  Christian  Madse  Ramsgaard,  was  a  farmer  of  that  coun- 
try, where  he  died  when  over  eighty  years  of  age.  His  wife  survived  him  for 
some  time,  and  died  aged  ninety-four  years. 

Peter  C.  and  Elsie  Myrup  had  fourteen  children,  only  three  of  wlnjm 
are  now  living:  Mars,  our  subject;  Andrea,  the  wife  of  James  Jensen,  of 
Racine,  and  Lauritz,  of  Copenhagen.  Peter  C.  Myrup  was  a  fisherman  in 
his  youth,  but  later,  getting  an  opportunity  to  study,  became  a  schoolmaster, 
and  was  elected  to  the  congress  of  his  native  country,  serving  in  the  Lower 
House  four  years.  He  then  returned  to  school  teaching,  which  vocation  he 
followed  for  many  years,  and  was  finally  retired  on  a  pension.  He  died  in 
1902,  aged  eighty-five  years.  Peter  C.  Myrup  was  four  times  married,  his 
wife  Elsie,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  dying  in  1855. 

Jvlars  Myrup  lived  in  Denmark  until  1869,  and  studied  in  the  seminary 
of  Ranum.  On  coming  to  America  he  located  in  Racine,  and  followed  farm- 
ing for  a  time,  meanwhile  learning  the  American  language.  He  then  took 
up  decorating  and  sign  painting,  which  he  followed  until  1876,  when  he  be- 
gan issuing  a  Danish  weekly  paper,  the  Folkcts  A-vis.  in  which  he  is  still  in- 
terested. In  the  fall  of  1891  he  started  in  as  a  reporter  for  the  Racine  Daily 
Times,  and  in  1898  became  its  city  editor,  a  position  he  still  retains. 

On  Nov.  8,  1877,  Mr.  Myrup  married  Miss  Bertha  Emelie  Berthelsen, 
daughter  of  P.  Christian  and  Jensine  Berthelsen,  and  to  this  union  have  been 
born  sevai  children:  Agnes.  Alfred.  Emmett,  Richard,  Bert,  Chris  and 
\'ictor.  Politically  Mr.  Myrup  is  a  Republican.  Until  recently  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Public  Library  Board  of  Racine.  He  was  on  of  the  first 
members  of  the  Dania  Society,  a  social  and  benevolent  organization  of  which 
he  was  president  for  two  terms,  and  he  was  also  the  founder  of  the  Dania 
Male  Chorrs,  and  a  director  of  same  for  many  years. 

ODLE  LOUIS  CRABB.  a  well  known  carpenter  of  Union  Grove,  was 
born  in  Stamford,  Fairfield  Co.,  Conn.,  April  Jj.  1833.  and  is  descended 
from  Revolutionary  ancestry. 

Mr.  Crabb's  paternal  grandfather  came  to  Connecticut  from  England 
before  the  Revolution  and  took  up  arms  for  the  Colonies.  He  married  a 
Miss  Spellam,  by  whom  he  had  seven  sons  and  one  daughter,  and  both  li\-ed 
to  advanced  old  age.  The  maternal  grandfather  also  died  in  Connecticut, 
but  any  further  knowledge  of  his  history  or  family  is  lost. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Crabb  were  Richard  and  Jane  W.  (Boughton)  Crabb. 
Tiiey  had  six  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  Odle  L.  was  the  youngest, 


214  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

anil  he  is  the  only  one  living.  The  father  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  vol- 
unteered as  a  private  in  the  war  of  1812.  His  death  occurred  in  Connecticut 
in  1849,  '*t  the  age  of  sixty  years,  after  the  demise  of  his  wife. 

Oclle  Lewis  Crabb  grew  up  in  Connecticut  and  received  his  education 
there.  He  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  and  followed  it  about  twenty-five 
years,  and  then  took  up  carpentering,  which  has  been  his  occupation  ever 
since.  He  came  West  about  1855,  locating  in  Rochester,  Racine  Co.,  Wis., 
and  worked  foV  Richard  Ely  a  short  time,  offer  which  he  went  to  Raymond 
township  and  bought  a  farm  of  forty  acres.  This  purchase  he  made  in  part- 
nership with  his  brother  Noah,  and  they  also  worked  other  land.  He  lived 
there  till  1862,  and  then  moved  to  Waterford,  Wis.,  where  he  lived  for  three 
years,  returning  to  Raymond,  where  he  remained  until  April,  1870.  Since 
that  time  he  has  made  his  home  in  Union  Grove,  where  he  has  been  somewhat 
prominent  in  village  afifairs.  Politically  a  Republican,  he  has  been  much  in- 
terested in  questions  of  public  moment  and  has  Ijeen  a  member  of  the  town 
board.  He  also  served  as  supervisor  of  the  village  of  L'nion  Grove  for  six 
years  and  in  1904  was  elected  village  treasurer.  Sociallv  he  belongs  to 
Union  Grove  Lodge.  No.  288,  F.  &  A.  M. 

Mr.  Crabb  was  united  in  the  bonds  of  matrimony  June  28,  1857,  to  Miss 
Emma  Louisa  Mills,  daughter  of  Charles  K.  and  Elizabeth  (Roberts)  Mills. 
There  have  been  two  children  born  to  this  union,  Loretta  J.  and  Charles  L. 
The  former  married  Ardene  A.  Conner,  who  died  in  1903,  and  makes  her 
home  in  LTnion  Grove.  Charles  L.  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  public  works 
in  Racine ;  he  married  Miss  Nettie  L.  Stratton,  and  has  two  children.  Emma 
Loretta  and  Ethel  May.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crabb  are  members  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  in  which  he  serves  as  trustee. 

Mrs.  Emma  L.  (Mills)  Crabb,  wife  of  our  subject,  was  Ijorn  in  Bridge- 
port, Conn.,  April  27,  1842.  but  left  there  when  si.x  years  old  for  Poughkeep- 
sie,  where  she  grew  to  womanhood.  She  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1856.  with 
her  uncle,  James  Jackson,  and  settled  in  Raymond  township,  whither  her 
mother  had  preceded  her.  She  was  married  there  to  Mr.  Crabb.  Her  par- 
ents were  natives  of  England,  who  came  to  America  when  they  were  small, 
and  grew  up  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  where  they  married.  They  had  three 
children,  one  of  whom,  Charles  W.  Mills,  lives  in  Racine.  The  father, 
Charles  K.  Mills,  died  in  Bridgeport.  Conn..  May  22,  1847,  aged  thirty-four 
vears.  His  wife  lived  until  1880,  when  she  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years. 
He  was  an  Episcopalian,  while  Mrs.  Mills  was  a  Methodist.  The  paternal 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Crabb,  Charles  Mills,  was  a  native  of  England,  and  died 
Feb.  3,  1829.  His  wife,  Sophia,  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  They  had  thirteen 
children.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  Jonathan  Roberts,  born  Sept.  27, 
1777,  a  native  of  England  and  a  weaver  by  trade.  \Vith  his  wife.  Ann  Rob- 
erts, he  came  to  America  and  settled  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y..  where  he  died 
Aug.  21.  1849,  fisred  seventy-one  years  and  ele\en  months.  He  was  the 
father  of  eight  children,  two  sons  and  six  daughters. 

In  the  thirty-five  years  that  Mr.  Crabb  has  lived  in  LTnion  Grove  he  has 
won  a  firm  place  in  the  esteem  of  those  about  him.  He  can  look  back  unon  a 
long  life,  well  spent,  and  has  seen  the  historv  of  his  country  unroll  itself  for 
nearly  three-quarters  of  a  century.     He  is  fa]l  of  interesting  reminiscences. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  215 

and  renienibers  clearly  the  o\d  flint-lock  ninsket  which  his  grandfather  car- 
ried in  the  Rexuhition  and  wjiich  in  his  own  Ijuyhood  it  was  his  chief  delight 
to  fire  off. 

LOUIS  NOLL,  Sr.,  of  the  well-known  firm  of  Louis  Noll  Company, 
dealers  in  general  merchandise,  drugs,  medicines,  real  estate,  loans,  etc.,  of 
Waterford,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Baden,  Germany,  born  in  Sulzfeld,  the  seat  of 
Eppingen,  May  31,  1834,  son  of  Frederick  and  Catharina  (Ege)  Noll,  na- 
tives of  that  country,  yis  grandfather,  wdio  died  in  Germany  in  middle  life,  in 
1807,  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade.  His  wife,  who  bore  him  three  children,  at- 
tained the  remarkable  age  of  ninety-three  years.  Caspar  Ege,  Mr.  •  Noll's 
maternal  grandfather,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  lived  to  an  advanced 
age,  as  did  his  wife,  Catherine.     They  left  a  large  familv. 

Frederick  Noll,  the  father  of  Louis  Noll,  w^as  the  only  son  of  his  parents. 
Reared  to  the  pursuits  of  a  farmer,  he  followed  that  occupation  in  his  native 
country,  and  on  coming  to  America,  in  1853,  settled  on  a  farm  of  forty  acres 
in  Waterford  township,  which  he  continued  to  cultivate  until  1881,  when  he 
died  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years.  His  first  wife  passed  away  in  1846,  when 
forty-three  years  of  age,  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  to  which  he 
also  belonged.  Mr.  Noll  married  for  his  second  wife  a  Mrs.  L^belie.  He 
was  very  prominent  in  public  affairs  in  his  native  country,  and  held  various 
positions  of  honor  and  trust.  The  children  of  Frederick  and  Catharina 
(Ege)  Noll  were  twelve  in  number,  but  four  of  whom,  however,  still  sur- 
vive: Louis  E.,  of  Waterford;  Charles,  of  Waterford;  Jacob,  of  Sturgeon 
Bay,  Wis.,  and  William,  of  Milwaukee. 

Louis  E.  Noll  received  his  education  in  his  native  country  and  there  re- 
sided until  eighteen  years  of  age.  In  Germany  he  had  been  a  shepherd,  and 
on  coming  to  America,  in  1852,  went  to  work  on  a  farm  six  miles  north  of 
Milwaukee,  at  Good  Hope,  receiving  as  remuneration  only  four  dollars  per 
month,  though  he  had  to  work  eighteen  hours  a  day.  There  he  remained  for 
six  months,  and  he  then  removed  to  Waterford,  where  he  learned  the  cooper's 
trade,  at  which  he  worked  for  about  twelve  years.  During  most  of  this  time 
Mr.  Noll  operated  a  shop  of  his  own.  and  also  conducted  a  hotel,  where  he 
boarded  the  men  who  were  in  his  employ.  Mr.  Noll  was  drafted  into  ser- 
vice during  the  Civil  war,  but  was  fortunate  enough  to  secure  a  substitute. 
In  1865  he  opened  a  general  store  in  Waterford,  on  a  small  scale,  and  here 
he  has  continued  ever  since,  his  business  having  grown  to  remarkable  pro- 
portions. On  account  of  his  strict  integrity  Mr.  Noll  has  become  very  popu- 
lar and  prominent  in  business  circles,  and  he  has  the  confidence  of  those  with 
whom  he  has  to  deal.  In  addition  to  his  mercantile  interests  Mr.  Noll  owns 
about  eight  hundred  acres  of  excellent  farming  lands  in  Waterford,  Roches- 
ter, Dover  and  Norway  townships.  He  has  done  more  teaming  tlnn  any 
other  man  in  Wisconsin.  In  the  strictest  sense  of  the  word  he  is  a  self-made 
man.  deserving  all  he  has  gained,  both  in  the  way  of  means  and  prestige. 

On  Nov."  IS,  1857,  Mr.  Noll  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Raab,  and  five 
children  were  born  to  this  union:  Charles,  who  married  Louisa  Johnson, 
and  has  two  children,  .Alfred  and  Cora;  and  Louis  L.,  Tuliana.  Oswald  and 
Elizabeth,  all  unmarried.     All  the  children  are  associated  with  their  father  in 


2i6  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

his  various  business  interests.  ]Mrs.  Xoll  died  Jan.  3,  1904.  aged  sixty-nine 
years,  six  months,  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  to  w  hich  her  husband 
and  children  also  adhere.     Politically  Mr.  Noll  is  a  Democrat. 

WALTER  CURTIS  PALMER,  attorney-at-law.  at  Racine,  Wis.,  a 
member  of  the  well-known  law  linn  of  Palmer  &  Gittings,  was  born  at  Water- 
ford,  Racine  Co.,  W'is.,  Oct.  8,  1858,  son  of  Nelson  H.  and  Sarah  N.  (Curtis) 
Palmer,  both  born  in  the  State  of  New  York.  Their  children  were  seven  in 
number,  two  sons  and  five  daughters,  as  follows:  Charles  N..  of  Clyde,  111.; 
Walter  C. ;  Minnie,  wife  of  Dr.  James  F.  ?sIalone,  of  West  Allis.  Wis. ;  Nel- 
lie B.,  widow  of  Chauncy  Lahatchka,  of  Racine;  Satie  K..  wife  of  Samuel  E. 
Chapman  of  Payette,  Idaho ;  Miss  Mattie.  of  Racine :  and  ]Miss  Lelia  also  of 
Racine. 

]\Ir.  Palmer's  paternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  he 
came  to  the  West  in  pioneer  days,  devoted  his  life  to  agriculture,  and  died  at 
Waterford.  far  advanced  in  years.  He  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  The 
maternal  grandfather  was  \\'illiam  Curtis,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  who 
moved  to  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  and  was  a  contractor  there.  He  married  Betsey 
Galpin  and  they  came  West  to  visit,  and  during  this  time  he  died  in  Wisconsm. 
The  widow  finally  decided  to  make  Racine  county  her  home,  and  lived  at  Wa- 
terford until  the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years.  Air.  Curtis  built  the  early  Kings- 
ford  Starch  Factory,  the  beginning  of  a  millionaire  enterprise,  and  constructed 
many  buildings  for  public  and  private  enterprises,  as  long  as  he  lived  at  Os- 
wego.   His  sons  worked  with  him  and  all  were  men  of  substance. 

Nelson  H.  Palmer  worked  in  a  woolen  mill  for  a  time  in  New  York,  and 
in  1838  came  to  Waterford.  Wis.,  where  he  worked  for  a  short  time  as  a  car- 
penter, and  then  carried  on  a  milling  business,  subsequentlv  becoming  a  mer- 
chant. He  died  in  November.  1899,  aged  eighty-one  years.  His  widow  still 
survives  and  resides  at  Racine.  At  various  times  he  was  elected  to  offices  of 
responsibility,  and  at  all  times  he  was  a  man  respected  and  esteemed.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

AValter  C.  Palmer  was  reared  at  W'aterford.  where  he  attended  the  public 
schools.  Later  he  \vas  a  student  in  Rochester  Seminary,  and  then  entered  the 
University  of  Wisconsin  at  Madison,  where  he  was  graduated  in  law  in  1881. 
and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  the  same  year.  His  law  reading  and  study 
had  been  under  the  supervision  of  Jvistice  John  B.  Winslow.  who  is  now  one 
of  the  Associate  Judges  of  the  Wisconsin  Supreme  Court.  After  completing 
his  law  course  ]\Ir.  Palmer  returned  to  his  home,  assisted  his  father  in  his  mer- 
cantile business,  and  also  began  the  practice  of  his  profession.  In  the  fall  of 
1886  he  was  elected  county  clerk,  a  position  of  responsibility  he  held  for  four 
years.  Air.  Palmer  entered  into  partnership.  Jan.  i.  1891.  with  C.  C.  Git- 
tings. under  the  firm  name  of  Palmer  &  Gittings.  and  this  association  has  con- 
tinued until  the  present.  The  firm  is  one  held  in  very  high  regard  at  Racine, 
having  ably  handled  a  large  part  of  the  important  litigation  coming  before  the 
courts  here  for  some  vears. 

On  Alarch  12.  1889.  Mr.  Palmer  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Abi- 
gail H.  Williams,  who  was  born  in  New  York,  daughter  of  John  and  Eleanor 
(Jones)  Williams,  natives  of  Wales.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  came  to  Wis- 


fe/Zen  (^-r^u..^.^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  217 

consin  some  thirty  years  ago  and  settled  at  Racine,  where  Mr.  Wilhanis  worked 
as  a  carpenter  for  several  years,  when  he  died.  His  wife  survived  him  for  a 
number  of  years  and  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter.  Besides  Mrs.  Palmer, 
they  had  a  son,  William  R.  Williams,  now  a  resident  of  Portland,  Oregon. 

In  addition  to  attending  to  a  large  and  increasing  practice,  Mr.  Palmer 
has  many  other  interests  of  an  important  character.  He  is  president  of  the 
White  Buck  Hardware  Co.,  a  well-known  business  corporation.  He  was  one 
of  the  original  incorporators  of  the  Racine  Building  &  Loan  Association,  and 
has  been  its  secretary  since  April,  1895.  It  is  an  enterprise  wdiich  has  a  souna 
financial  standing.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Racine  Shoe  Company,  and  also 
in  the  Citizens  Telephone  Company.  He  owns  a  considerable  amount  of  valu- 
able property,  including  his  handsome  home  at  No.  1426  College  avenue,  and 
a  tract  of  seven  acres  of  land,  upon  which  is  a  substantial  residence,  within  the 
limits  of  the  city.  He  is  also  interested  in  several  lead  and  zinc  mines  in  south- 
western Wisconsin,  being  a  director  in  the  Trio  Mining  Company,  of  Linden, 
Wisconsin. 

Mrs.  Palmer  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  In  political  sentiment 
Mr.  Palmer  is  a  Republican,  and  is  an  active  worker  in  the  ranks  of  the  party. 
He  has  numerous  fraternal  connections,  joining  the  Masons  as  a  member  of 
Waterford  Lodge,  but  now  being  affiliated  w'ith  Belle  City  Lodge  No.  92,  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.  He  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  32,  Knights  of  Pythias ;  is  a  char- 
ter member  at  Racine  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  Lakeside  Camp 
No.  379 ;  and  is  also  connected  with  the  Royal  Arcanum,  Racine  Lodge  No. 
220.  He  has  an  honorary  membership  in  the  Racine  Club,  and  has  a  national 
reputation  as  a  whist  player.  For  many  years  he  has  been  president  of  the 
Horlick  Whist  Club,  which  in  1904  won  the  championship  of  the  United 
States  at  New  York  City.  As  will  be  inferred  from  the  foregoing  facts  he 
secures  a  lead  in  wdiatever  field  he  ventures  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
financial  forces  of  Racine,  as  well  as  among  its  most  prominent  and  popular 
professional  gentlemen. 

CAPT.  HALVOR  WILLIAMSON,  a  wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in 
hardwood  lumber,  has  been  a  resident  of  Racine  for  over  thirty  years,  and  is 
one  of  that  city's  most  enterprising  and  progressive  business  men.  He  was 
born  in  Kragero,  Norway.  June  17.  1846.  son  of  William  Halvorson  and 
Helen  Johnson,  natives  of  Norway.  The  paternal  grandfather.  Halvor  Tur- 
geson,  was  a  native  of  Norway,  where  both  he  and  his  wife,  Anna  Turgeson, 
died.  The  maternal  grandfather,  one  Hendrickson.  was  also  a  native  of 
Norway,  was  a  sea  captain,  and  died  w^ell  advanced  in  years.  His  wife  was 
Ranguill  Hendrickson. 

William  Halvorson.  our  subject's  father,  was  a  ship  carpenter  and  a 
shipbuilding  master  for  eighteen  years ;  in  his  native  country  he  drafted  and 
built  ships.  He  came  to  America  about  1871.  settling  in  Racine  with  his  son 
Halvor.  and  dying  at  the  home  of  his  son  John,  in  1883.  in  his  sixty-fourth 
^•ear.  His  wife  passed  away  in  Norway  in  1852.  Both  were  Lutherans. 
They  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  both  the  daughters  dying  in  early 
^vomanhood.  The  sons  were  Halvor,  our  subject,  and  John,  who  died  in  Ra- 
cine in  1902. 


2i8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Olaris  Johnson,  Capt.  Williamson's  uncle,  was  a  well  educated  man,  held 
various  offices  in  his  native  country,  and  although  he  sailed  to  a  number  of 
foreign  ports  never  needed  an  interpreter,  as  he  spoke  a  number  of  languages. 

Capt.  Halvor  Williamson  was  reared  in  Norway,  where  he  received  his 
schooling.  He  came  to  America  in  1861,  and  sailed  on  vessels  to  different 
countries  until  1867,  being  also  captain  of  vessels  on  Lake  Michigan.  He 
then  went  to  California,  being  on  the  coast  for  a  while,  after  which  he  pur- 
chased a  hay  press  and  pressed  hay  for  some  time  in  that  State.  In  1868  he 
removed  to  Alaska,  and  he  was  the  ninth  white  man  to  locate  in  that  country, 
E.  R.  Henning  being  the  first.  He  remained  in  Alaska  six  vears,  being  first 
engaged  on  the  coast  in  a  trading  schooner,  and  later  becoming  agent  for  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company,  operating  several  stores  for  them.  In  1874 
he  returned  to  the  United  States  and  located  in  Racine,  becoming  a  captain 
on  Lake  Michigan,  and  continuing  as  such  until  1888,  when  he  left  the  Lake 
and  established  his  present  lumber  business.  He  furnishes  lumber  for  large 
contracts  and  supplies  many  large  factories,  running  two  vessels  of  his  own, 
and  employing  on  an  average  from  thirty  to  thirty-five  men.  His  offices  are 
located  at  the  north  end  of  Mead  street  bridge.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
Citizens"  Telephone  Company,  and  owns  some  fine  propertv  besides,  including 
his  lumber  yards  on  Root  river. 

Capt.  Williamson  was  married  in  December,  1875,  to  ]iliss  Eliza  Marie 
Johnson,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary  Johnson,  and  to  this  union  were  born 
five  children :  One  that  died  in  infancy ;  Helen,  who  married  Lorris  Jacob- 
sen,  and  lives  at  Wakonda,  S.  Dak. ;  Alorris  and  Henrv,  in  the  empiov  of 
their  father;  and  Myra  Ethel,  at  school.  Mrs.  Williamson,  the  mother  of 
these  children,  died  in  1895,  "i  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  Church.  On  Dec. 
22.  1896,  Capt.  Williamson  married  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Marie  Thress- 
ing,  daughter  of  Ole  and  Oleanna  Thressing.  Capt.  Williamson  and  his  wife 
are  Lutherans.  The  Captain  owns  a  beautiful  home  at  No.  944  Main  street. 
Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  Racine  Lodge,  No.  92.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  the 
Royal  Arcanum.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

CARL  J.  RYGH,  a  prosperous  and  enterprising  agriculturist  and  rep- 
resentative citizen  of  Section  36.  Norwav  township,  was  born  in  that  town- 
ship March  26.  1866,  son  of  Samuel  S.  and  Hellena  (Skarie)  Rygh.  The 
parents  were  natives  of  Norway,  and  the  paternal  grandfather  was  Swein 
Rygh,  who,  after  the  death  of  his  wife  in  Norway,  came  to  America.  He 
was  a  farmer  in  this  country,  and  died  aged  eightv-one  vears. 

Samuel  S.  Rvgh,  father  of  Carl  J.,  came  to  America  when  a  voung  man, 
and,  settling  in  Norway  townshiD.  purchased  100  acres  of  land  which  he  im- 
proved and  still  owns,  and  to  which  he  has  added  120  acres,  now  having  220 
acres  in  Norway  township.  He  also  owned  at  one  time  fortv-nine  acres  at 
W^ind  Lake,  Racine  county,  which  he  sold  some  years  ago.  He  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Politically  he  is  a  RpDublic^n.  and  he 
was  for  a  number  of  vears  sunervisor  and  town  treasurer.  Mr.  Rveh  married 
Hellena  Sknrie.  dauehter  of  Hans  Julson  Bleeen.  and  thev  h^d  the  following 
named  children:     Hans  S. :  Carl  J-:  ^larv  Ann.  wife  of  Andrew  G.  Oleson : 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  219 

Martha  A.,  wife  of  Harvey  E.  Britton ;  Henrietta,  wife  of  Herman  Erickson ; 
Samuel  E.,  and  Frederick  W. 

Hans  Julson  Blegen  ( father  of  Mrs.  Hellena  Rygh)  was  a  son  of  Jul 
and  Martha  Blegen.  who  lived  on  a  farm  in  Norway.  They  had  three  sons 
and  one  daughter,  of  whom,  the  daughter  married  and  had  two  daughters. 
One  son  married  and  left  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Hans 
Julson  Blegen  married  Mary  Skarie,  and  touk  the  name  Skarie  from 
the  homestead  of  his  father-in-law  in  Norway,  where  he  lived  after  his  mar- 
riage. Coming  to  America  he  settled  at  North  Cape,  Wis.,  and  there  engaged 
in  farming  until  his  death,  in  his  sixty-ninth  year.  He  and  his  wife  had  six 
children  who  lived  to  maturity,  Jul,  Paul,  Even,  Hellena,  ]\Iary  and  Hans  Ble- 
gen Skarie.  Mary  Skarie,  wife  of  Hans  Julson  Blegen  Skarie,  was  the 
daughter  of  Paul  and  Hellena  Skarie.  Their  ancestors  were  from  Toten,  in 
Norway.  They  were  engaged  in  farming  in  Halland,  Norway.  They  had 
four  daughters,  Mary,  Martha,  Ragnild  and  Anna  Skarie,  of  whom  Anna 
married  Hans  Lauvbrotten  and  came  to  America,  settling  on  a  farm  in 
Winneshiek  county,  Iowa.  They  died  there,  and  left  five  daughters  and  one 
son. 

Carl  J.  Rygh  was  reared  in  Norway  township  on  his  father's  farm,  and 
attended  the  district  schools.  He  lived  at  home  until  grown  to  manhood,  and 
then  went  to  Milwaukee  and  worked  as  a  carpenter  for  the  Chicago,  Mil- 
waukee &  St.  Paul  Railway  Company,  later  becoming  a  member  of  the  police 
force  for  fourteen  months.  He  then  became  assistant  superintendent  of  the 
Racine  County  Insane  Asylum,  where  he  continued  for  five  "years,  at  the  end 
of  that  time  settling  on  his  father-in-law's  farm  at  North  Cape,  where  he  has 
resided  ever  since.  Mr.  Rygh  farms  200  acres  of  fine  land,  and  deals  exten- 
sively in  fine  cattle.  He  has  been  successful  in  his  business,  and  he  and  his 
wife  are  highly  esteemed  throughout  the  community. 

On  March  7,  1894,  Mr.  Rygh  married  Miss  Ellen  .\ndsion.  daughter 
of  Peter  M.  and  Sophia  (Spillum)  Andsion,  and  one  daughter  has  been  born 
to  this  union.  Maggie  A.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rygh  are  members  of  the  Lutheran 
Church.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  anfl  lie  was  town  treasurer  for  one 
term. 

The  first  of  the  Andsion  family  of  whom  we  have  record  was  Paul  And- 
sion. of  Tommeraas,  in  Fyraas,  Sweden.  In  1731.  after  his  crops  had  failed 
for  thirteen  consecutive  years,  he  and  his  wife  with  their  twelve  children 
walked  across  the  mountains  to  a  place  called  Gr^nd  Aune.  a  few  miles  dis- 
tant from  the  Andsion  farm,  where  they  settled.  Peter  Paulson  Andsion,  son 
of  this  Paul,  was  the  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Rygh.  He  and  his  wife  lived 
on  the  Andsion  farm,  and  were  industrious  farming  people.  His  first  wife 
died,  and  he  married  again,  and  by  the  two  marriaees  he  had  the  following 
children :     Ole  Peterson.  Paul,  Lars.  Lorns.  Peter.  Ellen  and  Panilla. 

Ole  Peterson  Andsion.  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Rvgh,  was  born  in  Norway, 
where  he  passed  all  his  life.  He  married  Beret,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Morten  Paulson  Andsion,  and  took  up  farming  on  the  adjoining  farm.  Thev 
had  two  daughters.  Merit  and  Rebecca.  ]\Ierit  Andsion  married  Peter  Liin 
Spillum,  and  they  had  one  son,  Ole,  who  married   Karen   Steendal  and  had 


220  COAIME^IORATl\E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

ten  chililren;  they  lived  un  the  farm  called  Liin,  at  Spillum,  near  Namsos, 
Norway,  and  there  died.  Rebecca  Andsion  married  Carl  E.  Savig  and  re- 
moved to  a  small  farm  called  Gaasnesset;  they  had  one  daughter,  Ellen  B., 
who  married  Tobias  Gaasnesset,  and  they  lived  on  her  father's  place,  and  had 
one  son.  Carl.  Ole  P.  Andsion's  wife  Beret  died,  and  he  then  married  her 
niece,  Ingeborg  Bergen,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Staal  Bergen.  To  this 
union  were  born  five  children,  viz. :  Beirut,  Gullianna,  Sophia.  Peter  Meier 
and  Ovidia.  Of  these,  ( i )  Bernt  Andsion  and  his  wife,  Paulina,  had  two 
sons,  Ole  and  Jorgen.  Ole  came  to  America  and  walked  from  Portland, 
Maine,  to  North  Cape.  Later  on  he  married  a  widow,  Mrs.  Olson,  in  Mil- 
waukee, and  subsequently  moved  to  Omaha,  Neb.  (2)  Gullianna  Andsion 
married  Andreas  Hals,  and  lived  on  the  farm  called  Hals.  They  had  one 
daughter,  Josephine,  who  married  Andrew  Nelson,  son  of  Nels  Katmoen. 
They  had  one  son,  Norman,  wdio  lives  on  the  old  home  at  Hals.  (3)  So- 
phia' Andsion  married  Joel  Aune,  and  they  had  six  children,  Alex,  Martin, 
Justena,  Johan  P.,  Elise  J.  and  Carl  R.     Alex  Aune  came  to  America  and 

worked  first  as  photographer.     Then  he  married  Ann  and  settled  on 

a  farm  near  Baldwin,  St.  Croix  Co.,  Wis.  He  died  leaving  four  children. 
Carl  R.  Aune  married  Indianna  Alte,  and  coming  to  America  settled  on  a 
farm  near  Baldwin,  St.  Croix  Co.,  Wis.  To  them  six  sons  were  born,  four 
of  whom  are  living.  One  son,  Hans  Aune,  is  county  superintendent  of  St. 
Croix  county.  Wis.  (4)  Peter  ]Meier  Andsion  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Rygh. 
(5)  Ovidia  Andsion  married  Jacob  Hals,  and  they  spent  their  lives  on  a  farm 
in  Norwav.  They  had  seven  children.  Johan,  Laurits,  Olise,  Gusta,  Anne, 
Sophie  ("who  married  Carl  Olson  and  lives  at  Denver,  Colo.)  and  Ole. 

Peter  Andsion,  son  of  Peter  Paulson  Andsion,  married  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Flak,  and  to  them  were  born  two  children,  Lorns  Peter  and 
Margrethe.  Lorns  married  Julianna,  daughter  of  Halvor  and  Ellen  Berge 
Geisness,  and  to  them  were  born  five  children,  Peter  Albert,  Helnier  C,  Ed- 
ward J..  Charles  E.,  and  Julia.  They  came  to  America  and  settled  on  al 
farm  in  St.  Croix  county.  Wis.,  near  Baldwin.  In  1880  Helmer  C.  married 
Julia  Andsion.  daughter  of  Peter  M.  and  Anne  Sophia  Andsion.  They  kept 
a  hotel  at  Baldwin,  Wis.  On  Sept.  3,  1885,  he  was  drowned  in  Battle  Lake, 
Minnesota. 

Panilla  Andsion,  daughter  of  Peter  Paulson  Andsion.  married  Mr.  Hol- 
stad.  and  their  son  Ditlov.  with  wife  and  children,  came  to  America  and  set- 
tled in  Goodhue  county.  Minnesota. 

Peter  Meier  Andsion.  father  of  Mrs.  Rygh.  was  a  native  of  Norway,  and 
there  married,  on  May  25.  184=;.  Anne  Sophia  Spillum.  daughter  of  Elling 
H.  and  Maren  (Katmoen)   Spillum. 

The  first  of  the  Katmoen  family  of  whom  we  have  record  w-as  Ole  Kat- 
moen. of  Overhalden.  in  Norwav.  He  had  one  sister  and  one  brother.  Chris- 
toi)her.  Ole  married  Chersti  Tetli.  and  they  had  twelve  children,  seven  of 
whom  grew  up.  Nels.  Karen.  Johan.  Anne.  Maren,  Hellena  and  Swein  Kat- 
moen. who  later  took  the  name  Rygh.  Of  these,  (i)  Nels  Katmoen.  the  old- 
est, and  his  wife  Siri.  lived  at  the  old  home.  They  had  five  children,  of  whom 
one  son,   Andrew,  married  Josephine  Hals,  daughter  of  Andreas  and  Gul- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRArHICAL    RECORD.  221 

lianna  (Andsion)  Hals,  and  lived  un  her  parents'  farm.  They  had  one  son, 
Norman,  and  both  died  in  Norway.  Another  son,  Swain  Nelson  Katmoen, 
married  and  came  to  America,  and  was  editor  of  a  large  Norwegian  paper 
in  Chicago,  called  Skaiidi)iaz'cii.  (2)  Karen  Katmoen  married,  and  later 
on  both  she  and  her  husband  died  in  Norway.  (3)  Johan  Katmoen  married 
a  widow,  Margret  Vernbuen,  with  two  children,  and  to  this  union  three  chil- 
dren were  born.  They  died  on  their  farm.  (4)  Anne  Katmoen  married  Mr. 
Galgauften,  and  lived  on  the  farm.  They  had  two  children.  One  daughter, 
Olea,  married  Andreas  Valskraa,  after  he  returned  from  America.  (5)  Ma- 
ren  Katmoen,  after  working  three  years  with  her  brother  for  thirty-six  pounds 
of  barley  a  year  (for  money  had  lost  its  \-alue),  married  Elling  H.  Spillum, 
and  they  first  settled  on  his  father's  farm.  Their  children  who  lived  were 
Ole,  Hendrick,  Anne  Sophia  and  Michael.  (6)  Hellena  Katmoen  became  en- 
gaged to  a  widower,  Mr.  Melus,  and  after  a  fourteen  years'  engagement  she 
died  while  preparing  for  the  wedding.      (7)    Swein  Katmoen  Rygh  and  his 

first  wife,  Anne ,  had  two  chiklren,  Lovisa  and  Ole.     She  died,  and  later 

he  married  a  widow,  also  named  Anne.  She  died  without  a  family.  He  then 
married  Karen  Veglo,  and  they  had  two  children,  Samuel  S.  Rygh  (father  of 
Carl  J.  Rygh)  and  Tilla.  Tilla  married  Joakim  Melen,  and  had  a  small  farm. 
Their  family  consisted  of  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  They  all  reside  in 
Norway  except  the  youngest  son,  George  J.  Melen,  who  came  to  .\merica 
and  resides  at  or  near  North  Cape. 

Elling  H.  and  Maren  (Katmoen)  Spillum  came  with  three  sons  from 
their  native  Norway  to  America  in  1846,  and  settled  near  North  Cape,  in 
Raymond  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  Mr.  Spillum  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land.  He  also  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Norw-ay  township,  com- 
prised in  the  late  home  of  "his  daughter  and  son-in-law,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  And- 
sion. paying  $1,000  for  both  farms,  including  the  crops  thereon.  In  1849  l^^ 
purchased  eighty  acres  in  Section  25,  town  of  Norw-ay.  He  died  in  1850,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-one  years,  on  his  farm,  and  his  w'ife  died  in  1864,  when  sev- 
enty-six and  a  half  years  old.  They  had  five  children,  four  of  whom  grew 
up  and  came  to  Racine  county.  Mr.  Spillum  was  a  well  known  man  in  his 
native  country,  and  held  offices  there. 

The  first  of  the  Spillum  family  of  whom  we  have  record  is  Elling  Spil- 
lum. He  and  his  w'ife  Beret  lived  at  the  farm  called  Spillum,  across  the  bay 
from  the  village  of  Namsos.  They  had  one  son,  who  was  drowned  while  out 
fishing.  They  also  had  two  daughters,  Ellen  and  Maren.  Elling  died  when 
a  little  past  forty  years  old  but  his  wife  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age.  Ellen  later 
on  married  Hendrik  Hoy,  and  lived  on  the  homestead.  They  had  one  son, 
Elling  H.  Spillum  (grandfather  of  Mrs.  Ellen  A.  Rygh),  and  two  daughters, 
Ellen  and  Anne.  Elling  H.  Spillum  married  Maren  Katmoen  and  lived  on 
the  homestead.  They  had  four  children,  Ole,  Hendrik.  Anne  Sophia  and 
Michael  Spillum.  In  1852  the  oldest  son,  (i)  Ole.  married  Betsy  Adland, 
daughter  of  Mons  and  Ellen  Adland,  and  settled  on  his  father's  farm.  They 
had  four  daughters  and  one  son.  but  only  three  daughters  grew  u]"),  Martha, 
Magdalena  and  Anna  Spillum.  Of  these.  Martha  married  Paul  Gunderson 
Aakvig,   a  grandson   of  Lendsmand   Paul   .\nflsion,   from  Vigten.    Norway. 


222  COMMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

They  run  a  farm  and  he  is  machine  agent  at  Porter,  Yellow  Meditine  Co., 
.Minn.  They  have  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  Magdalena  married  Jerry- 
Fries  and  lives  at  Toronto,  S.  Dak.,  He  runs  a  bank.  They  have  two  sons 
and  a  daughter.  Anna  Spillum  married  Christ  Ebert.  They  run  a  store  at 
Tacoma,  Wash.  In  1868  Betsy  (Adland)  Spillum  died,  and  Ole  married  Anne 
Olson  Klat.  To  this  union  were  born  four  children,  three  living  at  present, 
Henry,  Bertha  and  Ole.  (2)  Hendrik  Spillum,  second  son  of  Elling  H.  and 
Maren  Spillum,  married  Lucy  Anderson,  also  a  native  of  Norway.  He  was 
blind,  but  worked  as  a  carpenter,  cabinetmaker  and  wagonmaker.  They  died 
without  a  family.  (3)  Michael  Spillum,  the  youngest,  married  Lovisa  Rygh 
and  lived  on  eighty  acres  in  Section  25,  Norway  township.  He  was  also 
blind.  They  had  four  children,  Edward,  Andrew,  ]Matheus  and  Sanna  C, 
wife  of  B.  J.  Bendickson.  (4)  Anne  Sophia  (Spillum)  Andsion  was  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  Ellen  A.  Rygh.     She  led  an  industrious  Christian  life. 

Maren  Spillum,  the  other  daughter  of  Elling  Spillum,  married  Jonas 
Spillum  the  same  day  her  sister  Ellen  was  married  and  each  received  one- 
half  of  their  father's  farm.  Their  children  were  Rachel,  Beret,  Ingeborg  and 
Ole.  Ole  married  Gunnil  Solum,  and  settled  on  the  homestead.  They  had 
three  children,  Johan  Andreas,  Tilla  and  George  Spillum,  who  came  to 
America  and  has  run  a  store  at  North  Cape  for  over  thirty  years. 

All  the  relatives  mentioned  in  this  biography  are  Lutherans  and  nearly 
all  are  Republicans.  Ellen,  daughter  of  Ellen  and  Hendrik  Hoy  Spillum, 
married  Halvor  Berge  Geisness.  They  were  engaged  in  farming.  They  had 
four  children,  Andrew,  Hendrik,  Carl  and  Julianna,  who  married  Lorns  Pe- 
terson Flak,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  Helmer  C.  Peterson,  who  mar- 
ried Julia  Andsion  May  20,  1880.  The  Geisness  family  resided  near  Bald- 
win, St.  Croix  Co.,  Wisconsin. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  M.  Andsion  remained  in  Norway  until  1849.  and 
on  coming  to  this  country  settled  in  Raymond  township,  Racine  county,  about 
a  half  mile  south  of  North  Cape,  with  Mrs.  Andsion's  parents.  There  they 
remained  five  years,  and  then  came  to  their  present  farm  in  Norway'  town- 
ship, the  one  Elling  H.  Spillum  had  purchased  some  years  before.  Mrs.  Spil- 
lum stayed  among  her  children  and  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter.  Mrs. 
Andsion.  Mr.  Andsion  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade  and  followed  that  calling 
for  many  years,  together  with  his  farming.  He  became  prominent  in  public 
afifairs  and  in  religious  work,  holding  church  offices  and  various  township 
offices,  among  them  that  of  chairman  of  the  town  of  Norway  for  several 
terms.  Mr.  Andsion  died  Jan  23,  1904,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one,  just  eleven 
days  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  who  was  seventy-nine  and  a  half  years  old. 
They  were  memters  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  in  politics  Mr.  Andsion  was 
a  Republican.  They  had  four  children:  Edward  J.,  who  died  in  1850:  Mar- 
garetta.  who  married  James  Frederickson  and  died  in  1890.  leaving  three  chil- 
dren:  Julia,  widow  of  Helmer  C.  Peterson,  of  Baldwin,  Wis.,  who  was 
drowned  at  Battle  Lake.  Minn.,  Sept.  3,  1885;  and  Ellen  A..  Mrs.  Rygh. 

MATTHEW  CUNNINGHAM,  one  of  Burlington's  substantial  busi- 
ness men,  who  is  engaged  in  dealing  in  clothing,  drv  goods,  shoes,  etc..  was 


co:\i:memorative  biographical  record.        223 

born  in  County  Longford,  Ireland,  May  19,  1841,  son  of  Patrick  and  Ann 
(Donlon)  Cunningham,  also  natives  of  the  Emerald  Isle.  Daniel  Cunning- 
ham, the  grandfather,  died  in  Ireland,  aged  about  fifty  years.  He  was  a 
farmer.  He  and  his  wife,  Ann  Eagan,  had  a  good  sized  family.  On  the  ma- 
ternal side,  grandfather  Dunlon  li\ed  to  a  good  old  age,  as  did  also  his  wife, 
Mary  Shanley. 

Patrick  Cunningham  came  to  America  in  1847,  and  located  four  miles 
east  of  Burlington,  wliere  he  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  to  which  he 
added,  from  time  to  time,  until  it  contained  240  acres.  There  he  died  in  1877, 
aged  seventy-two  years,  while  his  wife  survived  him  until  1888,  being'  sev- 
enty-eight years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Mr.  Cunningham  held  the 
office  of  town  supervisor  for  some  years.  Eight  children  were  born  to  Pat- 
rick and  Ann  Cunningham,  three  of  whom  are  still  living :  Matthew,  of  Bur- 
lington; Maria,  the  wife  of  Michael  Gleason,  of  Dover,  Wis.,  and  Annie,  wife 
of  Robert  O'Neill,  of  Burlington. 

Matthew  Cunningham  was  a  little  over  five  years  old  when  he  came  to 
America  with  his  parents,  and  he  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm.  He  at- 
tended the  district  schools  and  lived  at  home  until  he  reached  maturity,  after 
which  he  began  clerking  in  a  clothing'  store  in  Milwaukee,  where  he  remained 
seven  years.  In  1870  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  in  1880  located  in  Burlington, 
forming  a  partnership  with  Leonard  Smith  and  buying  out  his  father-in-law, 
the  firm  being  Smith  &  Cunningham.  Tliis  firm  continued  until  1891,  when 
Mr.  Cunningham  bought  Mr.  Smith's  interest,  and  he  has  continued  alone 
ever  since.  On  Feb.  4,  1880,  Mr.  Cunningham  married  Miss  Annie  Smith, 
daughter  of  Valentine  and  Genevieve  Smith.  Ten  children  were  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cunningham,  four  sons  and  six  daughters :  Clara,  Mary,  Nancy, 
Laura,  Katie,  Julia,  Alfred,  Leonard,  Joseph  and  Raymond.  Politically  Mr. 
Cunningham  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  for 
three  years.  He  is  one  of  the  substantial  merchants  of  Burlington,  where  he 
has  conducted  his  present  business  for  ovev  twenty-five  years.  He  is  honored 
and  respected  for  his  straightforward  business  methods,  not  only  by  his  pat- 
rons but  by  the  citizens  in  general. 

Mrs.  Cunningham's  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  came  to 
America  about  1850,  locating  in  New  York  City  for  a  short  time.  They  then 
came  West  to  Burlington,  where  Mr.  Smith  died  in  July,  1899.  His  widow 
still  survives.  Of  their  children,  three  are  still  surviving:  Leonard,  Mrs. 
Cunningham  and  Louisa. 

JAMES  BROOK,  a  well-to-do  farmer  of  Brighton  township,  Kenosha 
county,  is,  like  so  many  residents  of  that  section,  of  English  descent,  and  was 
himself  born  in  England,  although  his  life  since  boyhood  has  been  spent  in 
Wisconsin. 

James  Brook  was  named  after  his  paternal  grandfather,  who  died  in 
his  native  England  when  about  ninety  years  old.  He  married  Miss  Sallie 
Fairbanks,  who  lived  to  nearly  the  same  age.  and  they  had  a  family  of  six 
sons  and  four  daughters.     They  were  farming  people. 

William  Brook,  son  of  the  above,  was  a  weaver  and  manufacturer  of 
alpaca.     He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1847,  landing  at  Southport.  now  Kenosha, 


224  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  \-erv  soon  settleil  in  Brighton  township,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres  of 
land,  lie  addetl  to  this  till  he  owned  290  acres,  all  of  which  he  improved 
from  its  wild  state,  and  lived  there  till  his  death,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five.  He 
married  Miss  Mary  Taylor,  and  she  survived  him  until  1886,  passing  away 
when  seventy-three  years  old.  She  was  a  daughter  of  William  and  Betsey 
(Wilson)  Taylor,  natives  of  England,  and  farming  people,  who  died  in  Eng- 
land aged  eighty  and  seventy  years  respectively.  Their  family  consisted  of 
two  sons  and  four  daughters.  Mrs.  Brook  and  her  husband  both  belonged  to 
the  Church  of  England.  Of  the  five  sons  and  four  daughters  born  to  them 
si.x  are  still  living,  viz. :  James ;  William,  of  Brighton  township ;  Sarah. 
widow  of  Henry  Martin,  of  Brighton  township;  Hannah  Mary,  Harriet  Ann 
and  Amelia,  all  residing  in  that  same  township.  One  son,  Edward,  of  Com- 
pany H,  1st  Wis.  V.  C,  died  while  a  prisoner  at  Andersonville. 

James  Brook  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  Jan.  17,  1838,  and  was 
a  boy  of  nine  years  when  his  father  brought  the  family  to  America.  Most  of 
his  education  was  acquired  in  the  Wisconsin  district  schools,  and  after  finish- 
ing his  studies  he  devoted  himself  to  farming.  He  remained  at  home  until  he 
was  forty-one  years  old,  taking  part  of  the  charge  of  his  father's  place.  At 
last  he  began  for  himself  on  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  which  his  father  gave  him 
and  he  has  added  to  this  till  he  is  the  owner  of  300  acres,  located  in  Section 
29.  He  has  made  many  extensive  improvements  on  his  farm  and  has  one 
of  the  best  in  the  region,  being  one  of  the  representative  men  of  his  township. 

The  marriage  of  James  Brook  to  Miss  Charity  Gulick  occurred  April  10, 
1879,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with  four  children,  namely:  William 
Henry,  a  lawyer  in  Ontario,  Oregon ;  James  Walter ;  Lulu  Bell ;  and  Lucy 
Loretta.  Mr.  Brook  in  his  religious  views  is  an  Episcopalian,  and  his  wife  a 
Presbyterian.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

GILBERT  M.  SIMMONS  (deceased)  and  Gilbert  M.  Simmons  Li- 
brary. The  lamented  son  of  Hon.  Z.  G.  Simmons,  who  passed  quietly  away 
in  his  native  city  of  Kenosha,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  15th  of  January,  1890. 
was  a  thoroughly  educated  gentleman,  an  active  and  broad-minded  business 
man,  intensely  devoted  to  the  public  welfare  of  Kenosha,  and  in  his  death  the 
city  lost  one  of  its  most  popular  and  sincerely  mourned  residents.  It  was  univer- 
sally recognized  that  a  warm,  pure,  strong  character  had  been  taken  from  the 
community,  and  the  grief  was  the  more  widespread  and  deep  in  that  the  de- 
ceased was  only  in  his  thirty-eighth  year,  having  scarcely  readied  the  prime 
of  his  best  endeavors. 

Gilbert  M.  Simmons  was  born  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  July  2,  1852,  the  son  of 
Hon.  Zalmon  G.  and  Emma  E.  Simmons.  In  1875  he  graduated  from  the 
Northwestern  University,  Evanston,  and  in  the  following  year  formed  a  mer- 
cantile partnership  at  Kenosha  with  Charles  C.  Brown,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Simmons  &  Brown.  At  college  he  was  an  athlete,  a  member  of  the  boat  crew, 
a  good  student,  and  popular  with  both  students  and  professors.  He  carried  his 
energetic  and  attractive  qualities  into  business  life,  and  as  he  was  thorough, 
honest  and  a  natural  executive,  he  was  soon  conceded  to  be  the  most  popular 
of  Kenosha's  citizens,  and  one  in  whom  the  public  had  unqualified  confidence. 
In  1 888  he  became  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank,  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death  was  also  a  director  in  several  local  corporations. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  225 

On  March  30,  1877,  Mr.  Simmons  was  united  in  marriage,  at  Evanston, 
111.,  to  Miss  Juliet  Clarkson,  and  to  this  union  were  born  three  children,  Eliza- 
beth, Clarkson  and  Margaret.  Of  the  children,  Elizabeth  only  survives,'  Clark- 
son  having  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years,  and  Margaret  at  twenty  months.  The 
widow  resides  at  Kenosha.  In  politics  the  deceased  was  a  stalwart  Republican, 
and,  as  in  all  other  fields  into  which  he  entered,  an  active  and  influential  worker. 

The  library  erected  to  his  memory  by  his  devoted  father  stands  in  Cen- 
tral Park,  Kenosha,  and  is  an  imposing  and  beautiful  tribute  of  paternal  af- 
fection. Its  style  is  pure,  simple  and  Grecian  classic,  the  building  being  of 
stone,  with  a  stately  dome  and  colonnaded  entrance,  and  was  completed  in  July,. 
1900,  at  a  cost  of  $200,000 — the  building  and  decorations  on  the  grounds.  Its 
dimensions  on  the  ground  are  175x72  feet.  The  interior  is  of  marble.  Besides 
bearing  the  expense  of  the  erection  of  the  building  Mr.  Simmons  contributed 
$20,000  for  the  purchase  of  books,  the  library  containing  about  17,000  volumes 
with  a  considerable  sum  still  unexpended. 

This  memorial  to  a  beloved  son  and  munificent  donation  to  Kenosha  stands 
in  the  center  of  the  beautiful  grounds,  comprising  four  acres,  located  in  the 
heart  of.  the  city  and  formerly  known  as  the  Village  Commons.  They  are 
bounded  on  the  west  by  Chicago  street,  north  by  Park  Place,  east  by  Park  ave- 
nue, and  south  by  Deming  street.  The  artistic  and  imposing  Soldiers  Monu- 
ment presented  by  Mr.  Simmons  to  the  Civil  war  patriots  of  Kenosha  county 
is  also  on  the  library  site,  facing  Park  Place. 

Gilbert  M.  Simmons  Library  is  the  splendid  culmination  of  a  movement 
in  favor  of  a  public  institution  of  this  character  which  had  been  in  progress 
for  several  years.  To  condense  from  the  first  annual  report  of  the  president, 
William  W.  Strong,  in  1895  a  number  of  citizens,  feeling  that  a  public  librarj' 
was  not  only  a  desirable  institution  for  the  city  of  Kenosha,  but  was  indeed  a 
necessity,  for  the  further  advancement  of  the  mental  and  moral  welfare  of  the 
community,  held  a  meeting  in  the  parlor  of  the  "Hotel  Grant,"  in  the  evening 
of  November  14.  At  an  adjourned  meeting  held  Jan.  6.  1896,  the  committee 
previously  appointed  to  perfect  an  organization  reported  a  plan  by  which  tlie 
proposed  library  should  be  supported  by  a  system  of  annual  dues,  the  payment 
of  which  constituted  membership  in  the  Kenosha  Library  Association.  Messrs. 
Zalmon  G.  Simmons,  George  Yule,  James  Cavanagh,  William  W.  Strong, 
George  W.  Johnston,  Joseph  Bendt,  John  O'Donnell,  E.  C.  Thiers  and  Emory 
L.  Grant  were  chosen  directors,  and  later  Mr.  Simmons  was  elected  president. 
Mr.  Yule,  vice-president,  Mr.  Johnson,  secretary,  and  Mr.  Bendt,  treas- 
urer. Mr.  Simmons  found  it  impossible  to  accept  and  Mr.  Strong  was  elected 
president  in  his  place.  In  December,  1898,  Mr.  Johnston  removed  from  the  city 
and  Mr.  Thiers  was  chosen  secretary.  A  room  for  the  library  was  secured 
from  Mr.  Simmons,  and  many  citizens  contributed  books,  as  well  as  the  Uni- 
tarian Society,  which  presented  its  collection  of  800  volumes.  Not  a  few  also 
made  liberal  donations  in  money,  among  others  Messrs.  George  Yule  and  Ed- 
ward Bain,  who  each  gave  $1,500.  Soon  after  the  organization  Mrs.  Clara 
P.  Barnes  was  selected  as  librarian,  and  she  still  holds  that  position. 

To  quote  from  the  report  of  President  Strong : 

"The  work  of  the  Kenosha  Public  Library  continued  in  its  modest  way. 
attracting  to  its  notice  the  teachers  in  the  schools  and  members  of  the  various 
library  societies  of  the  citv,  until  in  i8gg  its  friends  were  surprised  and  de- 
lighted 1)V  the  announcement  made  bv  Mr.  Zalmon  G.  Simmons  of  his  munifi- 


226  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

cent  offering  to  tlie  city  of  Kenosha.  Soon  after  this  announcement  was  made 
the  directors  of  the  Kenosha  Pubhc  Library  held  a  meeting  and  passed  the 
foHowing  resokitions : 

"Whereas  :  There  has  appeared  in  the  public  press  a  proposition  made  by  Honorable  Z.  G. 
Simmons,  in  which  he  offers  to  erect  in  the  Central  Park  of  this  city,  a  library  building  and  to 
place  the  park  in  condition  to  make  a  beautiful  setting  for  the  building;  to  install  in  the  building  a 
carefully  selected  library  of  25,000  volumes;  and  when  the  same  is  completed,  to  present  it  to  the 
city  of  Kenosha  on  condition  that  it  is  to  be  called  "Gilbert  M.  Simmons  Library;"  therefore,  be  it 

"AVi-o/jrrf,  That  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Kenosha  Public  Library  hereby  offers  to  the 
reading  public  its  hearty  congratulations  upon  being  the  recipient  of  this  most  generous  ofier  of 
Mr.  Simmons. 

"A\'so/Tcd,  That  the  Board  of  Directors  hereby  requests  the  Common  Council  of  the  City 
of  Kenosha  to  accept  without  hesitation  this  munificent  offer. 

"A'fxo/i'fd,  That  when  the  proposed  liorary  is  completed,  that  the  Kenosha  Public  Library 
Association  be  called  together  for  the  purpose  of  offering  its  collection  of  books  to  Gilbert  M.  Sim- 
mons Library. 

"On  March  ig.  1900.  Mayor  James  Gorman,  in  a  message  to  the  Common 
Council  of  the  City  of  Kenosha,  named  the  following  as  members  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  Gilbert  M.  Simmons  Library,  viz. :  Zalmon  G.  Sim- 
mons, George  Yule,  James  Cavanagh,  William  W.  Strong,  Joseph  Behdt,  John 
O'Donnell,  Charles  C.  Brown,  Edward  C.  Thiers,  Emory  L.  Grant  and  Prof. 
Elvin  C.  Wiswall.  Shortly  after  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  office  of  Mr.  Sim- 
mons and  bv  ballot  officers  were  chosen  as  follows :  William  W.  Strong,  pres- 
ident; George  Yule,  vice-president;  Edward  C.  Thiers,  secretary;  and  Joseph 
Bendt,  treasurer. 

"About  July  ist,  1900,  Mr.  Simmons  announced  that  the  library  was  ready 
to  receive  the  books  of  the  old  association  (numbering  nearly  5,000)  and  the 
books  and  other  property  were  taken  to  the  magnificent  building  and  placed  on 
the  shelves.  On  July  19th  the  first  book  was  taken  out,  and  since  that  time 
until  now  the  book  lovers  of  Kenosha  have  constantly  availed  themselves 
of  the  opportunity  to  feast  their  minds  upon  the  productions  of  the  world's 
greatest  thinkers." 

LOUIS  MILTON  THIERS,  at  one  time  a  photographer  of  Kenosha, 
residing  at  No.  426  Park  avenue,  was  born  in  that  city  July  8,  1858,  son  of 
David  and  Louisa  K.  (Capron)  Tliiers. 

The  Thiers  family  is^  of  French  origin.  The  first  ancestor  in  America 
was  a  noted  Huguenot  who  fled  from  the  south  of  France  during  the  persecu- 
tion following  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  in  1685.  He  fled  first  to 
Frankfort-on-the-]Main  and  then  to  America.  Its  representatives  in  \Yisconsin 
came  from  the  State  of  New  York,  where  Mr.  Thiers'  grandfather,  George 
Thiers,  was  born  June  26.  1781.     His  grandmother  was  Mary  Bodine  Thiers. 

David  Thiers  was  born  July  28,  1820.  In  his  early  manhood  he  was 
employed  for  some  years  in  looking  after  the  interests  of  his  brother-in-law. 
Horace  Capron,  in  Maryland,  and  then  in  1850,  soon  after  his  marriage,  he 
moved  to  Kenosha.  He  remained  there  only  a  brief  period,  however,  and 
until  1854  was  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising  on  a  large  farm  whicli 
he  conducted  near  Alden,  McHenry  Co.,  111.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  re- 
turned to  Kenosha,  went  into  the  flour  and  feed  business  for  a  number  of 
years  and  later  ran  a  grocery  store.     He  died  in  March,  1875,  leaving  a  wife 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  227 

ami  fijur  children.  One  daughter,  Ella,  died  in  infancy,  the  Withers  heing: 
Herbert  M.,  of  Chicago;  Emma  \V.,  wife  of  Charles  Ouarles,  of  Milwaukee; 
Edward  C,  of  Kenosha;  and  Louis  Milton,  of  Kenosha.  Mr.  Thiers  and  his 
wife  were  both  Congregationalists.  He  was  a  school  commissioner  for  some 
time. 

Mrs.  Thiers,  whose  maiden  name  was  Louisa  K.  Capron,  is  still  living, 
and  makes  her  home  with  her  daughter  in  Milwaukee.  She  was  a  grand- 
daughter of  Elisha  and  Abigail  (Makepeace)  Capron  and  a  daughter  of  Dr. 
Seth  Capron,  a  physician,  of  English  descent,  and  a  native  of  Massachusetts 
and  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  He  married  Miss  Eunice  Mann,  a  first  cousin 
of  Horace  Mann,  and  they  had  five  children.  One  of  the  sons,  Horace,  was  a 
general  in  the  Rebellion  and  became  commissioner  of  agriculture  under 
Grant's  administration.  He  was  afterward  employed  by  the  Japanese  gov- 
ernment to  go  over  there  and  introduce  manufactures  and  American  methods. 
Dr.  Seth  Capron  passed  away  when  upward  of  seventy  years  old.  At  one 
period  in  his  life,  besides  practicing  his  profession,  he  erected  the  first  cotton 
mills  built  in  New-  York  State  and  the  foundation  of  the  present  York  Mills. 
His  wife  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-six  and  died  in  Kenosha. 

Louis  Milton  Thiers  grew  to  maniiood  in  Kenosha  and  received  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  the  city,  completing  the  high  school  course.  He 
attended  the  University  of  Michigan,  at  Ann  Arbor,  for  a  short  time,  but 
soon  took  up  instead  the  study  of  photography  in  Kenosha.  After  a  year's 
work  there  he  went  to  Chicago  and  for  five  years  worked  in  the  studio  of  Max 
Platz,  one  of  the  leading  photographers  there.  An  interval  of  a  year  followed 
during  which  he  was  in  the  office  of  N.  R.  Allen's  Sons'  tannery,  and  then 
began  his  connection  with  the  Scotford  Manufacturing  Company,  manufac- 
turers of  brass  novelties.  Mr.  Thiers  was  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
company  till  1891,  in  which  year;  because  of  ill  health,  he  was  obliged  to  re- 
sign. A  year's  travel  in  Europe  restored  his  strength,  and  on  his  return  he 
became  bookkeeper  for  the  Kenosha  Novelty  Company  for  a  while.  In  i8g6 
he  turned  his  attention  again  to  photography  and,  as  junior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Hollister  &  Thiers,  opened  a  studio  in  Kenosha.  This  association 
with  Mr.  E.  H.  Hollister  continued  for  six  years,  but  in  1902  Mr.  Thiers  sold 
out  his  interest  and  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in  looking  after  some  landed 
interests  in  Kenosha  county  and  in  Minnesota. 

Tune  n;,  1888,  witnessed  the  union  of  Louis  M.  Thiers  to  Miss  Marv 
Elizabeth  Lamb  Stanbridge,  daughter  of  William  Stanbridge.  No  children 
have  been  born  to  this  union,  but  they  have  an  adopted  daughter,  Natalie 
Elizabeth.  Mrs.  Thiers'  mother  was  Miss  Mary  Anna  Lamb,  only  daughter 
of  John  and  Anne  Mary  (Wilcox)  Lamb.  Mr.  Lamb,  a  large  landowner 
and  real  estate  dealer,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Kenosha  county,  com- 
ing thither  from  Kington,  Herefordshire,  England.  He  lived  to  be  eighty-six 
years  old.  Anne  M.  (Wilcox)  was  Mr.  Lamb's  second  wnfe.  the  first  being 
Miss  Elizabeth  Stephens,  whom  he  married  in  England.  ■  Of  the  three  chil- 
dren born  to  that  first  union,  two,  William  and  Elizabeth,  lived  and  dierl  in 
Kenosha. 

HENRY  M.  0\"ERSOX.  who  is  carrving  on  agricultiu'al  operations 
on  his  fine  piece  of  land  in  Section  i,  Dover  township,  is  a  native  of  Racine 


228  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

count V,  biirn  in  Norway  township  July  24,  1859.  His  parents,  Frank  and 
Betsey  (Peterson)  Overson,  were  natives  of  Norway.  The  grandfather  diea 
in  Norway  township  in  middle  life,  and  his  wife,  Isabel,  lived  to  be  upward 
of  seventy  years  of  age.  They  had  five  children.  On  the  maternal  side,  our 
subject's  grandfather  was  Ole  Peterson,  a  native  of  Norway,  who  died  in 
that  country  in  middle  life,  meeting  his  death  by  drowning  while  following 
his  occupation,  fishing.     His  wife  was  Angeline  Peterson. 

Frank  Overson,  the  father  of  our  subject,  came  to  America  in  1840  and, 
with  his  parents,  settled  in  Norway  township.  He  took  up  Government  land 
on  growing  to  manhood,  and  at  one  time  owned  445  acres.  There  he  lived 
until  1904,  when  he  divided  his  farm  among  his  children,  now  making  his 
home  with  his  son-in-law  and  daughter,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Pierce,  in  Do- 
ver township.  His  wife  died  in  1880,  aged  forty-two  years,  eleven  months. 
■Mr.  Overson  is  a  Lutheran,  to  which  faith  his  wife  also  adhered.  They  had 
ten  children :  Henry  M. ;  Inga  Maria,  the  widow  of  James  Nelson,  living  in 
Racine;  Angeline,  the  wife  of  Grant  Nelson,  of  Racine;  Isabel,  the  wife  of 
Edward  Pierce,  of  Dover  township ;  Thomas  Overson,  who  is  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Norway  township;  Ellen  Josephine,  of  Racine;  Ole  Edmund,  of 
Dover  township ;  James,  a  lawyer  of  Kokomo,  Ind. ;  Frank  Ezra,  of  Racine, 
ex-manager  of  the  Racine  County  Insane  Asylum:  and  John  B..  of  Norway 
township. 

Henry  ]\I.  Overson  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Norway  t(^wnship, 
and  attended  the  district  schools.  He  has  always  followed  farming  with  the 
exception  of  two  years  spent  in  Milwaukee  and  one  year  in  Burlington.  \\'hen 
he  left  home  he  had  but  fourteen  dollars  in  his  pocket,  but  he  owned  a  team 
of  horses,  with  which  he  did  teaming  for  one  year.  He  then  rented  a  farm 
for  one  year,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  purchased  his  present  120-acre  tract 
of  land,  to  which  he  has  added  from  time  to  time,  his  property  now  compris- 
ing 280  acres. 

On  June  14,  1893,  Mr.  Overson  married  Miss  Caroline  D.  Stalbaum, 
daughter  of  Frederick  and  Catherine  (Snider)  Stalbaum,  and  five  children 
have  been  born  to  this  union:  Frank  Leslie,  Stanley  Frederick,  Paul  Harold, 
\\'esley  John  and  Violet  Grace.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Overson  are  members  of  the 
Christian  Science  Church.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

John  Stalbaum,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Overson.  was  a  native 
of  Mecklenliurg.  Germany,  and  married  Katherine  Nuremburg.  They  came 
to  America,  being  among  the  early  settlers  of  Norway  township,  and  engaged 
in  farming.  Here  both  died,  leaving  five  children.  On  the  maternal  side, 
Mrs.  Overson's  grandfather  was  Conrad  Snider,  who  on  coming  to  America 
settled  in  New  York,  whence  he  came  West  at  an  early  day.  He  and  his  wife. 
Magdalena  (Raab)  Snider,  lived  to  advanced  age.  They  had  l:)ut  one  child, 
the  mother  of  Mrs.  Overson. 

Mrs.  Overson's  father  was  a  native  of  Mecklenburg.  Germany,  and  com- 
ing to  America  lived  in  New  York  for  a  time.  After  marriage  he  and  his 
wife  came  to  Racine  county,  being  among  the  early  settlers  of  Norway  town- 
ship, where  they  still  reside,  Mr.  Stalbaum  owning  about  five  hundred  acres 
of  land.      Thev   had   five  children,    as   follows:    Elizabeth,   who   is   at   home; 


COMMEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPPilCAL    RECORD.  229 

Caroline  D..  wife  of  ]\Ir.  Overson;  In-cclerick,  deceased:  Sarah  Julia  (Nellie)  ; 
and  Louis,  at  home. 

RICHARD  PEAT,  a  skilled  patternmaker  employed  in  the  plant  of  the 
y.  I.  Case  Threshing  2^Iachine  Company,  Racine,  Wis.,  has  been  a  resident 
of  that  city  for  over  thirty  years.  Mr.  Peat  was  born  May  22,  1849,  i"  Mont- 
gomeryshire. North  Wales,  son  of  Richard  and  Ann  (Peat)  Peat,  natives  of 
that  country. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  also  named  Richard  Peat, 
and  he  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  had  a  good-sized  family.  The  maternal  grand- 
father, Robert  Peat,  a  native  of  Wales,  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and  he  died 
aged  about  eighty-twq  years.  His  wife,  Margaret,  also  lived  to  an  advanced 
age,  and  she  and  her  husband  were  the  parents  of  a  large  family. 

Richard  Peat  (2),  son  of  Richard,  and  father  of  our  subject,  was  a 
weaver  by  trade,  and  died  in  Wales  atout  1863,  aged  fifty-two  years, 
his  wife  passing  away  about  six  months  later.  They  were  members  of  the 
Congregational  Church.  Richard  and  Ann  (  Peat)  Peat  had  these  children : 
Robert,  of  Lima,  Ohio:  Elizabeth,  wife  of  L  R.  Tudor,  of  Van  Wert,  Ohio: 
Richard,  of  Racine:  William,  of  Gomer,  Ohio:  and  Edward,  M.  D.,  deceased. 

Richard  Peat,  the  third  in  direct  line  to  bear  the  name,  lived  in  his  native 
shire  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  attended  the  common  schools.  He  then 
came  to  America  and  lived  at  Gomer.  Ohio,  for  four  years,  and  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  years  began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade.  From  Gomer  he  removed 
to  Delphos,  and  thence  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  from  the  latter  place  went  to 
Chicago,  111.  About  1874  ]\Ir.  Peat  located  in  Racine,  and  went  to  work  in 
the  St.  Paul  railroad  shops,  remaining  seven  and  one-half  years.  He  then 
entered  the  employ  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  and  after 
fourteen  years  with  that  company  he  engaged  with  the  Racine  ^Malleable  Iron 
Company,  where  he  continued  for  nine  years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he 
returned  to  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  and  there  he  has 
since  remained,  being  employed  as  a  patternmaker,  making  patterns  for  all 
kinds  of  new  machinery. 

Mr.  Peat  was  married  Jan.  6,  1876.  to  Miss  Margaret  Pugh.  daughter 
of  James  and  Jeannette  (Hughes)  Pugh,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born 
two  children :  Annie,  who  married  Albert  Fink,  of  Milwaukee ;  and  James, 
cashier  in  the  Internal  Revenue  Office,  Milwaukee,  who  was  formerly  em- 
ployed in  the  Manufacturers  Bank  of  Racine.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peat  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  he  is  a  "-'eacon.  Fraternally  Mr. 
Peat  is  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Politicallv  he  is 
a  Republican.  His  fine  home  at  No.  842  Park  avenue,  was  built  by  him  in 
1894. 

We  quote  the  following  sketch  of  Miss  Annie  Peat  (now  ^Irs.  Albert 
Fink)  from  the  Cambrian,  a  Welsh  monthlv  magazine: 

"It  is  with  pleasure  that  we  present  with  this  issue  a  sketch  of  one  of  the 
most  popular  lady  musicians  in  the  L^nited  States,  and  one  who  is  known  to 
thousands  of  Eisteddfodwyr  all  over  this  vast  continent.  Her  ability  is  so 
well  known,  and  has  been  so  favorably  commented  on  by  some  of  the  noted 
critics  of  the  musical  world,  that  any  further  reference  on  our  part  to  her 


22,0  CO.M-ME-AIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

sterling  qualities  as  a  musician,  as  well  as  her  ability  to  perform  on  her  chosen 
instruments — the  piano  and  organ — wouia  be  superfluous.     We  refer  to  Aliss  - 
Annie  Peat,  of  Racine,  Wisconsin. 

■'.Miss  Peat  was  born  in  Racine,  Oct.  i8,  1876.  She  is  the  daughter  or 
Richard  and  Alargaret  Peat.  Mr.  Peat  is  a  native  of  Llanbrynmair,  North 
Wales,  while  the  mother  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  was  born  in  Racine, 
being  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Pugh,  who  gained  prominence  owing 
to  being  the  first  Welsh  couple  ever  married  in  that  thriving  town  on  Lake 
Michigan.  Miss  Peat's  talent  for  music  is  hereditary,  as  her  father  is  a  well- 
known  musician,  and  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  most  successful  conduc- 
tors in  the  locality  in  which  they  reside.  She  commenced  the  study  of  the 
piano,  for  which  she  showed  much  aptitude,  when  but  a  mere  child,  her  sub- 
sequent teachers  being  Frederick  Nelson  and  Miss  Merrick,  of  Chicago,  and 
Charles  W.  Dodge,  of  Milwaukee,  who  is  noted  for  his  excellent  qualities  as 
an  instructor.  By  faithful  study  and  practice  she  made  such  rapid  progress 
as  to  exceed  the  most  earnest  expectations  of  her  many  admirers,  who 
watched  her  with  strong  feelings  of  hopefulness  for  future  success.  Since  the 
commencement  of  her  career  she  has  studied  music  and  piano  playing  with 
such  etlect  that  she  has  developed  into  a  substantial  concert  player,  and  her 
methods  of  technique  and  of  musical  interpretation  have  enabled  her  to  give 
some  highly  satisfactory  renderings  of  the  works  of  the  great  masters.  Her 
playing  is  characterized  with  poetic  and  sympathetic  qualities  of  expression 
sustained  power  and  brilliancy.  She  has  given  numerous  recitals  throughout 
the  West  with  much  success,  and  received  very  flattering  encomiums  from 
the  press. 

"Possibly  it  is  an  organist  that  Miss  Peat  is  best  known.  After  a  three 
years'  course  of  study  with  Harrison  M.  Wild,  director  of  the  Apollo  Club, 
of  Chicago,  as  w-ell  as  organist  of  Grace  Episcopal  Church,  of  the  same  city, 
supplemented  bv  another  course  under  that  noted  performer  and  instructor, 
Herr  Wilhelm  Middleschulte,  organist  of  St.  James'  Episcopal  Church,  Chi- 
cago, and  Theodore  Thomas'  Orchestra,  it  is  hardly  to  be  wondered  at  that 
the  critics  rave  over  her  playing.  One  of  the  leading  organists  of  this  coun- 
trv.  on  hearing  Miss  Peat's  interpretation  of  Guilmant's  'Marche  Religieuse' 
at  a  recent  concert,  remarked :  'She  will  some  day  reach  the  pinnacle  of  fame, 
and  be  classified  with  the  leading  organists  of  the  w-orld.'  Such  commenda- 
tion from  one  so  able  to  judge  fully  repays  a  person  for  a  whole  life  of  study. 
At  the  Eisteddfod  held  at  Cincinnati,  O.,  Jan.  i,  1900.  where  Miss  Peat  was 
engaged  in  rendering  several  selections  on  the  grand  pipe  organ  in  Music 
Hall,  she  won  unstinted  praise.  Professor  Homan,  mucisal  critic  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati Commercial  Tribune,  referred  publicly  to  her  rendering  of  Bach's 
Tocatto  and  Fugue  in  D  minor,  as  follows :  'Her  reading  was  given  with  the 
genuine  Bach  spirit,  clean-cut  phrasing  and  finely  accentuated  periods.  She 
has  a  facile  command  of  facile  registration,  and  her  pedaling  is  excellent.' 
Miss  Peat  has  given  a  large  number  of  organ  recitals.  Her  first  occurred  at 
Racine.  April  2.  1894.  when  but  seventeen  years  of  age.  Since  that  time  she 
has  appeared,  among  other  places,  in  Van  Wert.  O..  where  at  the  ]\Iay  Fes- 
tival in  1897  she  played  the  accompaniments  of  Handel's  'Judas  Maccabeus' 
on  the  organ ;  a  recital  at  Pabst  Theatre,  Milwaukee,  at  the  Ben  Davies  Con- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  231 

cert,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Ariun  Musical  Club;  and  at  the  recent  Eistedd- 
fod ni  Lmcumati,  U.,  ni  each  place  wmnnig  the  highest  praise  ut  lier  auaitors 
and  critics. 

"Miss  Peat  is  an  ardent  Eisteddfodist,  having  officiated  in  many  festi- 
vals as  an  accompanist.  In  this  role  her  services  are  in  great  demand,  as  she 
is  a  superb  reader  and  in  complete  sympathy  with  the  singer,  points  which  are 
necessary  in  an  ideal  accompanist.  For  several  years  she  officiated  as  an  ac- 
companist of  the  Orpheus  Llub  of  Racine,  under  the  directorship  of  Profes- 
sor Daniel  Protheroe,  Mus.  Bac,  of  Milwaukee,  to  the  utmost  satisfaction  of 
all,  and  has  also  accompanied  such  artists  as  Mrs.  G.  Clarke  Wilson,  Chi- 
cago ;  Frederick  Carberry,  H.  Evan  Williams,  Albert  Fink,  and  others,  with 
gratifying  success.  Miss  Peat's  experience  as  a  competitor  in  Eisteddfodau, 
while  not  a  very  lengthy  one,  proved  of  great  benefit  to  her.  She  first  com- 
peted at  Central  Music  Hall,  Chicago,  Jan.  i,  1890,  where  she  was  awarded 
first  prize.     In  all  her  subsequent  competitions  she  was  eminently  successful. 

"At  present  Miss  Peat  presides  at  the  organ  in  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  Racine,  a  position  she  has  held  continuously  for  the  past  seven  years 
[now  thirteen  years].  She  also  devotes  a  large  portion  of  her  time  to  teach- 
ing, having  under  her  instruction  at  the  present  time,  a  large  class  of  stu- 
dents, who,  it  is  hoped,  will  appreciate  their  opportunity  of  having  for  an  in- 
structor one  so  ciualified  in  every  respect  for  the  imparting  of  knowledge  to 
those  fortunate  enough  to  be  placed  under  her  careful  tuition.  Racine  people 
are  naturally  proud  of  their  talented  townswoman,  and  well  they  might  be. 
Miss  Peat  was  born  and  raised  in  Racine,  was  graduated  from  the  local  high 
school,  and  is  at  present  one  of  the  leaders  in  musical  circles  in  that  com- 
munity. 

"The  Caiuhnau  congratulates  Miss  Peat,  and  is  pleased  with  the  oppor- 
tunity of  presenting  a  cut  of  her  genial  features  in  its  columns,  hoping  that 
her  past  successes  will  be  as  a  trifle  in  comparison  with  what  the  future  has 
in  store  for  her. — lorwerth  ap  Rhys." 

Mrs.  Fink  was  appointed  by  the  State  of  Wisconsin  to  preside  at  the 
mammoth  organ  on  Wisconsin  Day  at  the  Pan-American  Exposition.  The 
Buffalo  (N.  Y.)  Sunday  Nczvs.  July  28,  1901.  said:  "Miss  Annie  Peat,  an 
accomplished  organist  of  Racine.  Wis.,  played  a  selection  on  the  organ.  Miss 
Peat's  playing  proved  a  very  delightful  feature  of  the  programme  and  she 
showed  herself  to  be  an  artist  of  rare  accomplishment  and  ability."  On  the 
same  date  the  Milwaukee  Sunday  Scntind  reported :  "Miss  Peat  gave  a 
magnificent  rendition  of  Bach's  Tocatto  and  Fugue  in  D  minor,  and 
showed  her  unquestionable  mastery  of  the  great  instrument  by  the  exquisite 
interpretation  of  Guilmant's  first  Sonata.  Her  playing  was  most  enthusias- 
tically received." 

Mrs.  Fink  is  the  only  woman  organist  to  give  a  recital  on  the  great  organ 
in  the  Tabernacle  at  Salt  Lake  City.  Under  date  of  Aug.  23,  1902,  the  Salt 
Lake  Telegram  says :  Mrs.  Annie  Peat  Fink,  who  is  visiting  in  Salt  Lake, 
conducted  the  organ  recital  at  the  Tabernacle  yesterday  afternoon  and  stir- 
prised  her  audience  by  a  masterful  performance.  She  possesses  individuality 
in  her  style,  combined  with  splendid  understanding  of  the  registration  and 
technique  worthy  of  any  artist." 


232  COMMEAIORATR-E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

JAAIES  CAVANAGH.  Among  the  leading;  lawyers  of  Kenosha  none 
js  better  known  or  stands  higher  in  his  profession  than  James  Cavanagh,  who 
by  his  own  ability  and  untiring  industry  has  pushed  his  way  steadily  upward 
to  his  present  assured  position.  He  was  born  in  Kenosha  Jan.  23.  18^3,  of 
Irish  parentage  and  descent.  Nothing  of  his  paternal  grandfather  is  now 
known  except  that  he  died  in  Ireland. 

James  Cavanagh,  Sr..  was  born  in  County  Roscommon,  Ireland.  He 
married  JMiss  Catherine  Cox,  daughter  of  a  farmer  and  drover  in  ^^'estmeath, 
Ireland,  who  bought  and  sold  cattle.  Three  children  were  born  to  James  and 
Catherine  Cavanagh :  James,  Jr.,  and  Mary  and  Elizabeth,  who  both  died  in 
early  childhood.  In  Ireland  the  father  was  engaged  principahy  in  farming, 
but  after  he  came  to  America  in  1842  he  worked  at  landscape  gardening,  and 
spent  several  years  at  that  employment  in  Kenosha.  He  tlien  purchased  eightv- 
six  acres  of  land  in  Bristol  township,  and  gave  his  entire  attention  to  culti- 
vating it  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  His  death  occurred  there  in  November.  1861, 
when  he  was  about  sixty  years  of  age.  His  wife,  who  was  born  in  1828,  sur- 
vived him  until  1893.     They  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

James  Cavanagh.  Jr.,  grew  up  on  the  farm,  meeting  the  usual  experiences 
of  a  farmer's  son.  After  exhausting  the  opportunities  for  studying  at  the  dis- 
trict schools  he  went  to  the  Oshkosh  Normal  School  to  prepare  himself  for 
teaching.  For  six  years — partly  before  and  partly  after  his  graduation  from 
that  institution — he  taught,  but  still  operated  the  farm,  which  his  father's 
death  had  left  to  his  management,  during  the  summer  vacations.  For  some 
time  Mr.  Cavanagh  read  law  by  himself,  and  in  that  way  covered  much  of  the 
necessary  ground,  but  in  July,  1876,  he  entered  the  law  office  of  J.  V.  and  C. 
Ouarles.  at  Kenosha,  and  began  his  formal  preparation  for  admission  to  the 
Wisconsin  Bar.  He  passed  the  required  examinations  in  November  of  the 
same  year,  and  in  the  following  March  entered  upon  the  active  practice  of  his 
profession.  He  went  first  to  Stevens  Point,  Wis.,  but  after  one  year  there  re- 
turned to  Kenosha  and  has  been  permanently  established  there  ever  since.  Be- 
sides being  the  attorney  for  several  large  corporations,  Mr.  Cavanagli  has 
various  business  interests  of  his  own,  and  is  president  of  the  Kenosha  Gas  81 
Electric  Company,  director  of  the  Northwestern  Loan  and  Trust  Company, 
and  president  of  the  Kenosha  Home  Telephone  Company.  His  political  views 
have  led  him  into  the  ranks  of  the  Republicans,  and  for  four  years  he  held  the 
position  of  district  attorney.  He  was  also  superintendent  o'f  the  city  schools 
for  a  period  of  eight  years. 

On  April  25,  1877,  Mr.  Cavanagh  was  married  to  Miss  Nellie  Pratt  Park- 
inson, daughter  of  Reuben  and  Chloe  (  Pratt)  Parkinson,  of  Oshkosh.  To  this 
union  three  children  have  been  born,  namely:  Walter  James,  for  three  years 
a  student  in  the  L^niversity  of  Chicago,  at  oresent  in  the  employ  of  the  Simmons 
Manufacturing  Company  at  Kenosha:  Richard  P.,  attending  the  State  LTni- 
versitv  at  Madison:  and  James,  who  lived  but  two  and  one  half  years.  The 
family  resides  at  No.  370  Prairie  avenue,  which  property  ]\Ir.  Cavanagh  owns 
in  addition  to  the  old  home  farm  in  Bristol  township.  Mrs.  Cavanagh  is  an 
Episcopalian,  but  her  husband  adheres  to  the  faith  of  his  fathers. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  233 

HENRY  F.  JOHXSOX.  One  of  the  fine  farms  of  Racine  county  is 
that  owned  by  Henry  F.  Johnson,  in  Section  12,  Norway  township.  Mr. 
Johnson  was  born  on  this  farm  March  5,  i860,  son  of  Ole  and  Juha  (Beck- 
jord)  Johnson,  natives  of  Norway. 

Mr.  Johnson  attended  the  district  schools  of  iiis  nati\'e  locahty,  and  there 
grew  to  manhood.  At  his  father's  death  he  inherited  a  share  of  the  old  home- 
stead, and  later  purchased  a  sister's  interest,  now  owning  a  finely  improved 
tract  of  160  acres.  The  father  gave  each  of  the  other  sons  a  farm.  Not  only 
is  Mr.  Johnson  well  known  as  an  enterprising  and  practical  agriculturist,  but 
as  a  town  and  county  official  as  well.  He  is  influential  in  the  ranks  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  for  twelve  years  he  served  as  supervisor,  being  chairman 
of  the  board  for  seven  years.  He  was  elected  school  treasurer  July  5,  1885, 
and  so  efficiently  performed  the  duties  appertaining  to  that  office  that  he  has 
been  re-elected  continuously,  term  after  term,  to  the  present  time.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  the  State  convention  on  Gov.  LaFollette's  first  nomination,  and 
has  been  to  many  county  conventions  as  well.  He  is  now  one  of  the  trustees 
of  the  Racine  County  Asylum  for  the  Chronic  Insane.  Mr.  Johnson  served 
for  many  years  as  a  director  of  the  Dover  and  Norway  Township  Farmers' 
Insurance  Company.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
He  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  United  Order  of  Foresters. 

On  Oct.  5,  1887,  Mr.  Johnson  married  Miss  Carolina  A.  Nelson,  daugh- 
ter of  Nels  H.  and  Betsy  (Sanderson)  Nelson,  and  four  children  were  born 
to  this  union:  Orville  Newton,  Benjamin  Julian,  Nelson  Harold  and  Clar- 
ence Hulbert. 

Mrs.  Johnson's  parents  were  natives  of  Norway  and  early  settlers  of 
Raymond  township,  Racine  county,  where  Mr.  Nelson  owned  a  tract  of  156 
acres,  another  of  seventy-three,  and  one  of  sixty  acres  in  Norway  township. 
He  improved  the  first  farm,  and  there  continued  to  reside  until  his  death, 
Feb.  2,  1899,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years,  ten  months,  sixteen  days.  His 
widow  still  survives  and  lives  at  the  old  home  place.  She  was  bom  Oct.  21, 
1840.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  to  which  Mr.  Nelson  also 
belonged.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children :  Carolina  A., 
wife  of  Henry  F.  Johnson;  Herman  A.,  of  Rolfe,  Iowa;  Ellen  S.,  the  widow 
of  Syver  Goli,  of  Perry,  Dane  Co.,  Wis.;  Emma,  unmarried,  who  is  at  home; 
Anna  Matilda,  wife  of  Gustave  A.  Dawson,  of  Rolfe,  Iowa;  Bertha  Jose- 
phine, wife  of  Percy  Dawson,  of  Raymond  township;  Nellie  Louise,  wife  of 
John  B.  Overson.  of  Norway  township ;  Adolph  N.,  who  is  on  the  old  home- 
stead, and  Alfred  S.,  at  home. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Carolina  A.  Johnson  was  Hermo  Nel- 
son, a  native  of  Norway,  and  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Raymond  township, 
where  he  followed  farming  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  He 
and  his  wife,  Karie  (Tufte)  Nelson,  who  was  seventy  years  old  at  the  time  of 
her  death,  were  the  parents  of  four  children :  Sarah,  who  was  the  wife  of 
Rev.  Filing  Eilson ;  Betsy,  who  was  the  wife  of  O.  B.  Dahle;  Nels  H. ;  and 
Julia,  widow  of  Thomas  Adland. 

Mrs.  Nelson's  maternal  grandfather  was  Andrew  Sanderson,  an  early 
settler  of  Dane  county.  Wis.,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  and  his 
wife,  Agatha,  had  a  large  family,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living,  as  follows : 


234  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Betsy,  Mrs.  Nelson;  Sander,  of  Dane  county,  Wis.;  Turina,  wife  of  Xels 
eleven,  of  South  Dakota;  Caroline,  unmarried,  of  South  Dakota;  Carl,  of 
Perry,  Dane  county ;  Olaus,  of  South  Dakota ;  and  Adolph,  of  South  Dakota. 

THOMAS  WEST,  an  influential  and  prosperous  agriculturist  of  Sec- 
tion lo,  Raymond  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Ontario  county, 
Ontario,  Canada,  born  Dec.  29,  1826.  His  parents,  Thomas  and  Hannah 
Rebecca  (Phillips)  West,  were  natives  of  ^^lassachusetts  and  Pennsylvania, 
respectively. 

Thomas  West,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  born  in  ^Massachusetts,  of 
English  descent,  his  father  having  been  the  founder  of  this  branch  of  the 
family  in  America,  whither  he  was  sent  as  a  missionary.  He  lived  not  far 
from  Montpelier,  and  was  in  the  dairy  and  milk  business  there.  He  later 
went  to  Canada,  spending  the  better  portion  of  his  life  in  West  Gwillimbury, 
Ontario,  Canada,  and  thence  moving  to  Wisconsin  spent  the  latter  part  of 
his  life  in  Franklin  township,  Milwaukee  county.  He  w-as  buried  in  Raymond 
township,  Racine  county.  He  and  his  wife,  Mary  (Davis)  West,  had  ten 
children:  Julian,  Deborah,  Thomas,  Benjamin,  Eliza,  George,  Quincy.  Al- 
fred, Derrick  and  David. 

On  the  maternal  side.  Mr.  West  is  the  grandson  of  William  Phillips,  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  of  Quaker  stock,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He 
and  his  wife  died  in  Canada.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  children.  Owen, 
Mary,  Hannah  Rebecca  and  Gideon. 

Thomas  West,  the  father  of  our  suliject,  was  always  a  farmer.  When 
quite  a  young  man  he  went  to  Canada,  whence  he  came  to  Milwaukee,  landing 
there  Oct.  25,  1848,  and  at  once  removed  with  his  family  to  Raymond  town- 
ship, where  he  purchased  740  acres,  to  which  he  later  added  more.  This  he 
improved.  He  died  in  Iowa  when  almost  eighty  years  of  age,  and  his  wife 
died  in  February,  1876,  aged  seventy.  Mr.  West  was  a  member  of  the  Wis- 
consin State  Assembly  in  the  early  days.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents 
of  eleven  children :  Thomas,  William  and  Timothy,  deceased ;  George,  of 
Raymond  Center,  Wis. ;  Gideon  and  David,  deceased ;  Owen,  of  Raymond 
township;  Derrick,  deceased:  Stephen  and  Benjamin  of  Raymond  township; 
and  Rebecca  H.,  who  died  when  twenty  years  of  age. 

Thomas  West,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch,  was  reared  in  Can- 
ada, and  there  received  a  common-school  education.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
two  years  he  came  to  the  United  States,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  Raymond 
township  since  1848.  He  lived  at  home  until  1850,  and  then  began  farming 
for  himself  on  eighty  acres  of  land,  to  which  he  added  fifty-three  acres, 
which  he  continued  to  cultivate  until  1894,  when  he  sold  the  eighty  acres. 
now  conducting  operations  on  the  fifty-three  acres  in  Section  10,  Raymond 
township. 

On  June  16,  1850.  Mr.  West  married  Aliss  Charlotte  Ferris,  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  (Callahan)  Ferris,  and  children  as  follows  were  torn  to 
this  union :  Rebecca,  George.  Myron,  Mary,  Eliza,  Thomas,  Elmer,  Char- 
lotte, Myra  and  Cora.  Rebecca  married  John  McAdams,  and  they  live  in 
Racine;  they  have  four  children.  Ethel.  Charles,  Daisy  and  Olive  Ernestine. 
George  and  Thomas  died  in  early  childhood.     Mary  married  Rev.  Ephraim 


COM.ME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  235 

Corey,  and  thev  live  in  Bellaire,  Mich. ;  they  have  children — Evangeline, 
Ralph,  John,  Morris,  Dotty  and  Mabel.  Eliza  married  Sherman  Brice,  and 
lives  on  the  old  home  place  of  her  father.  Charlotte  married  Walter  G. 
Shumway,  of  Raymond  township,  and  they  have  two  children.  Linus  and 
Charlotte.  ]Myra  married  Fred  Hermas,  of  Racine,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren, Elmer  Ross,  Charlotte  Theresa  and  Cora  Almira.  Cora  marrieil  El- 
bert Shumway,  of  Raymond  township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  West  are  Methodists  in  religious  belief,  but  are  not  iden- 
tified with  any  church  at  present,  as  there  is  no  church  of  that  faith  located 
near  their  home.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  as  town  treas- 
urer for  one  term,  one  or  two  terms  on  the  board  of  supervisors,  and  two-  or 
three  times  as  assessor.  He  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for  many 
years. 

Mrs.  West's  parents  were  natives  of  Ireland,  her  father  of  County  An- 
irim,  and  her  mother  of  County  Cavan,  and  both  went  to  Canada  when  quite 
voung.  and  were  there  married.  They  located  in  the  United  States  in  1849, 
settling  in  Raymond  township.  Racine  county,  one-half  mile  west  of  Ray- 
mond Centre,  and  there  engaged  in  farming.  Mr.  Ferris  died  in  1898,  aged 
over  ninety-eight  years,  and  his  wife  in  1886.  when  about  seventy  years  old. 
They  had  a  family  of  eight  children :  Charlotte.  JNIrs.  West :  George,  de- 
ceased; Caroline,  wife  of  Newton  Alexander,  of  Milwaukee;  Alfred,  of 
northern  IMichigan;  Anna,  deceased,  who  was  first  the  wife  of  Matthew  Lee, 
and  afterward  of  Benjamin  Dory;  Elizabeth,  widow  of  Darius  Parsons,  and 
now  living  in  Delevan,  Wis.;  William,  deceased;  and  Susan,  wife  of  John 
Hav.  of  North  Cape.  Wis.  Mr.  William  Ferris,  the  father  of  these  chil- 
dren, was  a  soldier  in  the  rebellion  of  1837  in  Canada. 

ORLA  M.  CALKINS,  a  retired  business  man  of  Kenosha,  has  been  a 
resident  of  the  city  for  more  than  forty-five  years  and  has  witnessed  its  de- 
velopment from  a  small  village  to  its  present  proportions.  His  own  for- 
tunes have  grown  with  those  of  the  city,  so  that  he  ranks  among  its  substan- 
tial citizens.     He  resides  at  No.  504  Durkee  avenue. 

Mr.  Calkins  is  descended  on  both  sides  of  the  house  from  Connecticut 
stock.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Luther  Calkins,  was  a  native  of  that  State, 
and  was  of  Welsh  lineage.  He  was  a  farmer  and  died  in  early  manhood, 
leaving  a  wife,  Cynthia  (Wood)  Calkins,  who  lived  to  be  over  eighty,  and  a 
family  of  nine  children.  On  the  maternal  side  the  grandfather  was  Peleg 
Davis,  who  moved  from  his  native  State  to  Washington  county.  N.  Y..  and 
later  to  Oswego  county,  where  he  died  when  seventy-six  years  old.  His  wife. 
Hearty  (Crandall)  Davis,  died  while  still  a  voung  woman,  leaving  se\'en  chil- 
dren. 

Stephen  W.  Calkins,  father  of  Orla  M.,  was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1810. 
and  spent  his  earlier  life  in  farming.  He  moved  to  Washington  county.  N. 
Y..  in  an  early  day,  and  thence  to  Oswego,  where  he  died  in  1852.  He  con- 
ducted a  grocery  in  that  city.  He  married  Miss  Eliza  Davis,  who  lived  but 
a  vear  after  her  husband,  passine  away  when  forty-one  years  old.  Both  were 
Weslevan  Methodists.  Their  children  were  five  in  number,  namelv :  Luther 
E.,  of  Oswego  county,  N.  Y. ;  Orla  M. ;  Jtiliette  V..  deceased  wife  of  A.  G. 


236  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Courtney;  Ellen  A.,  wife  of  William  Croniack,  of  Ruuseville,  Pa.;  and  Me- 
dora  E..  who  married  the  late  William  Ball,  of  Mexico,  Oswego  Co  New 
York. 

Orla  ]M.  Calkins  was  born  in  Oswego  county,  N.  Y.,  July  20,  1836. 
He  remained  there  until  i860,  receiving  his  education  in  the  public  schools, 
and  assisting  his  father  on  the  farm  and  in  his  grocery  store.  When  twenty- 
four  years  old  he  came  west  and  settled  permanently  in  Kenosha.  For  the 
first  eight  years  he  continued  in  the  grocery  line,  as  clerk,  and  then  traveled 
for  Sprague,  Warner  &  Co.,  of  Chicago,  during  a  period  of  ten  years.  In 
1878  he  again  went  into  the  grocery  business  in  Kenosha,  and  continued  it 
until  he  retired,  in  1891.  Mr.  Calkins  had  amassed  a  large  property,  and  is 
the  owner  of  more  than  a  dozen  store  buildings  in  Kenosha.  His  handsome 
residence,  built  by  United  States  Senator  Charles  Durkee,  was  purchased 
over  thirty-five  years  ago  by  Mrs.  Calkins  and  has  been  occupied  ever  since  as 
the  familv  residence. 

Mr.  Calkins  was  married  Feb.  13,  1868,  to  IMiss  Avis  Myers,  daughter 
of  Harmon  and  Margaret  (Mulford)  Myers,  of  Bennington,  Vt.,  but  Mrs. 
Calkins  lived  only  eleven  months  after  her  marriage.  On  June  i,  1874,  Mr. 
Calkins  became  the  husband  of  Miss  Elizabeth  M.  O'Neill,  daughter  of 
Charles  and  Mary  Elizabeth  (Douglas)  O'Neill.  One  son  was  born  to  this 
union,  but  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Calkins  are  both  members  of  St. 
Matthew's  Episcopal  Church,  of  Kenosha,  where  he  was  confirmed  thirty- 
five  years  ago,  and  his  wife  fifteen  years  earlier,  although  Bishop  Kemper 
ofticiated  at  the  rite  in  both  cases.  Mr.  Calkins  is  now  senior  warden  of  the 
church.  Over  forty  years  ago  he  became  a  Mason,  and  belongs  to  Kenosha 
Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Kenosha  Chapter,  No. 
3,  R.  A.  M.  Politically  he  has  been  a  Republican  from  the  day  when  he  cast 
his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  he  has  been  an  active  worker  in  the 
party  ranks.  For  one  term  he  was  alderman  from  the  Second  ward,  and 
served  as  w-ater  commissioner  for  six  years.  Mr.  Calkins  commands  the  re- 
spect of  the  entire  community,  and  represents  the  best  type  of  an  American 
citizen. 

DAVID  LAWTON,  a  dealer  in  flour,  feed,  seeds  and  building  material, 
vi^hose  place  of  business  is  located  at  No.  219  Fifth  street,  Racine.  Wis.,  is  one 
of  the  prominent  and  enterprising  mercliants  of  that  city.  His  birth  occurred 
in  Leigh.  Lancashire,  England,  Nov.  26,  18^;.  and  his  parents.  John  and 
Margaret  (Allen)  Lawton,  were  also  natives  of  England.  Joseph  Lawton,  the 
p-randfather.  was  a  farmer  in  England,  where  he  died  aged  about  eighty-one 
years.     He  married  Margaret  Lawton,  and  thev  reared  a  large  familv. 

John  Lawton  followed  farming  in  his  native  country,  and  coming  to  the 
United  States  in  1842  located  at  Sylvania,  nine  miles  from  Racine,  in  Racine 
county,  \\'is.,  on  land  purchased  from  the  .sovernment.  on  which  he  lived  manv 
vears.  For  a  few  years  prior  to  his  death  he  resided  in  Racine,  where  he  died 
in  1890,  aged  eighty-one  years.  His  wife  had  passed  away  two  years  prior, 
aged  seventy-seven  vears.  Both  were  Episcopalians.  Mr.  Lawton  held  sev- 
eral offices  of  trust  in  his  native  country,  and  filled  a  number  of  township  of- 
fices in  Racine  county.     He  and  his  wife  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  are 


"cK/z^C^  '^<C^:Z^Jrti;^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  237 

still  living:  Joseph,  of  Grand  Crossing,  Chicago;  David,  of  Racine;  f.  Allen, 
of  San  Diego,  Cal. ;  Thomas  J.,  of  Rockford,  111. ;  Albert  S.,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
and  Louisa  A.,  of  Racine. 

David  Lawton  was  seven  years  old  when  brought  to  Wisconsin  by  his 
parents,  and  he  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm  and  obtained  his  education  in  the 
common  schools.  This  bare  statement  of  facts,  however,  conveys  little  idea  of 
the  peculiar  conditions  which  prevailed  in  this  region  during  his  boyhood,  or 
of  the  disadvantages  under  which  the  residents  of  Wisconsin  worked  in  those 
days.  When  he  came  here  with  his  parents  Wisconsin  was  a  Territory,  only 
recently  surveyed,  and  the  country  was  absolutely  new  so  far  as  civilizing  in- 
fluences were  concerned.  The  Indians  left  the  country  about  a  year  after  the 
Lawtons  arrived.  The  land  for  the  most  part  still  belonged  to  the  Government 
subject  to  entry  at  $1.25  an  acre,  and  was  in  its  primitive  condition.  Prairie 
fires  ran  over  the  country  at  frec^uent  intervals,  threatening  to  undo  the  work 
the  settlers  had  accomplished  by  such  toijsome  means.  Horses  were  almost 
unknown,  oxen  being  used  for  teaming  and  farm  work,  and  it  was  no  un- 
usual experience  to  be  obliged  to  drive  twenty-five  miles  to.  mill  with  an  ox- 
team,  and  watch  a  windmill  for  days,  counting  the  hours  the  sails  revolved. 
When,  owing  to  bad  weather  or  impassable  roads,  a  trip  to  mill  had  to  be 
postponed,  the  corn  was  ground  in  a  coffee-mill.  Money  was  scarce,  in  fact 
almost  unobtainable,  business  being  done  principally  by  trading.  The  posses- 
sion of  more  than  one  suit  of  clothes  was  out  of  the  question.  $12.50  a  month 
for  farm  hands  was  considered  high  wages,  and  fifty  cents  was  a  very  good 
day's  pay  for  labor.  Few  people  of  the  present  day  realize  the  hardships  that 
were  endured  as  a  part  of  the  every-day  life  of  the  early  settlers,  and  there 
are  few  still  living  who  have  themselves  experienced  those  hardships  as  Mr. 
Lawton  has,  and  who  like  him  have  watched  the  progress  of  this  region  from 
the  occupancy  of  the  Indians  through  the  wonderful  period  of  transformation 
which  has  brought  about  present  conditions. 

On  reaching  manhood  Mr.  Lawton  engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count in  the  neighborhood  in  which  he  was  reared,  and  was  also  quite  active 
in  public  affairs,  serving  as  treasurer  and  justice  of  the  peace  in  his  township. 
He  came  to  Racine  in  April,  1865.  since  which  time  he  has  made  his  home  here. 
He  first  engaged  in  a  provision  business  and  then  bought  out  a  flour  and  feed 
establishment,  later  adding  implements  to  his  stock,  and  building  material.  Mr. 
Lawton  has  remained  in  that  business  continuously  to  the  present  time,  with 
the  exception  of  two  or  three  years.  For  twelve  years  he  also  carried  on  the 
manufacture  of  agricultural  implements,  organizing  and  establishing  the  Belle 
City  Manufacturing  Company.  He  erected  and  owns  the  building  in  which 
he  is  now  situated. 

Mr.  Lawton  was  married,  Nov.  13.  1856,  to  Miss  Deborah  Yates,  of 
England,  daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Conway)  Yates,  and  to  this  union 
were  born  three  children,  Kate  L..  Mary  E.  and  Fanny  L.  Kate  L.  married 
A.  M.  Forrester,  and  they  live  in  Washington,  D.  C.  They  have  two  children. 
Abraham  C.  and  David  L.  Mary  E.  married  James  E.  Keelyn.  and  they  live 
at  Evanston,  111. ;  they  have  one'  child,  James  L.  Fanny  L.  married  F.  L. 
Botsford,  who  died  in  December,  1903. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lawton  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  in  which  he 


238         co:\ime:^iorati\'e  BiOGRArnicAL  record. 

was  \estryman  and  treasurer  for  many  years,  and  was  also  church  clerk;  he 
was  a  delegate  to  the  State  Council  many  times.  Fraternally  he  belongs  to  the 
Odd  Fellows,  the  Royal  Arcanum,  the  Knights  of  Honor,  the  Elks,  St. 
George's  Society,  and  the  Episcopal  Men's  Club.  Since  coming  to  Racine  he 
base  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  eight  years  and  a  member  of 
the  committee  on  schools  in  the  council  for  four  years.  Mr.  Lawton  lives  at 
No.  1 136  Main  street,  where  he  purchased  the  residence  in  1873. 

GEORGE  W.  ROWNTREE,  one  of  the  prominent  and  esteemed  cit- 
izens of  Dover  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  who  resides  on  his  farm  in  Section 
7,  was  born  in  that  township  Jan.  15,  1852,  one  of  the  two  sons  of  Christopher 
and  Jane  (Sollitt)  Rowntree,  both  natives  of  Yorkshire,  England.  James  C, 
the  other  son,  lives  in  Rochester  township,  Racine  county. 

Christopher  Rowntree  was  a  farmer  all  his  life.  In  1848  he  came  to 
America,  and  landed  in  New  York  on  July  4th,  but  did  not  remain  there  to 
assist  in  the  demonstration  of  national  independence,  coming  directly  to  the 
West.  Traveling  by  way  of  the  Erie  canal  and  the  Great  Lakes,  he  reached 
]\lilwaukee.  and,  with  his  father,  traveled  over  much  of  Wisconsin  in  order 
to  find  land  on  which  they  could  feel  satisfied  to  make  a  permanent  home. 
Finally  in  August,  of  that  year,  they  selected  Dover  township,  and  in  the 
following  year  he  bought  a  farm  of  eighty  acres.  This  he  improved,  and  he 
continued  to  add  to  it  until  he  had  520  acres.  He  reared  his  children  here, 
and  he  died  in  this  home  on  Aug.  28,  1898,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years. 
His  widow  still  survives,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years,  making  her  home 
with  her  children.  j\lr.  Rowntree  was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church — 
the  church  of  his  fathers — to  which  his  widow  belongs.  Christopher  Rown- 
tree was  an  important  man  in  his  locality,  and  he  held  various  town  oiTlces, 
being  a  supervisor  for  years  and  holding  other  positions  of  responsibility. 
With  P.  G.  Cheves  he  organized  the  first  township  insurance  company  in 
Dover  and  Norway  townships. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  suljject.  also  named  Christopher  Rown- 
tree, was  born  in  Yorkshire.  England,  and  came  to  America  in  1848  with 
his  wife  and  eleven  children.  These  were :  Christopher,  William,  John, 
Charles.  Cecilia,  Alice  Jane  (wife  of  Henry  Peacock),  Sarah.  Elizabeth, 
Annie,  Susan  and  Jessie.  He  died  in  Dover  township  within  two  months 
after  landing  at  New  York,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years,  the  long  travel 
over  the  State  with  his  son  in  the  endeavor  to  select  a  desirable  location  for  a 
home,  probably  exhausting  his  vital  powers.  His  widow,  Susan  (Ramshaw) 
Rowntree,  survived  him  until  1855,  dying  aged  sixty-five  years.  His  father 
was  also  named  Christopher  Rowntree. 

On  the  maternal  side  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Rowntree  was  James  Sol- 
litt,  who  was  born  in  Yorkshire.  England,  where  he  died  aged  forty-eight 
years. '  He  was  a  marble  cutter  and  a  builder.  His  wife  survived  him  for 
ten  years,  and  also  died  in  England.  His  sons  who  came  to  this  country 
were :  John.  James,  \\"illiam  and  Thomas,  and  the  daughters  were :  Jane 
and  Annie.  Of  the  sons,  John  Sollitt,  was  a  noted  architect  and  builder,  and 
he  constructed  many  of  the  large  business  houses  in  early  Chicago.  Thomas 
Sollitt  was  a  large  builder  and  contractor  of  that  city,  until  his  retirement  a 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  239 

few  years  ago.  He  was  the  builder  of  both  the  old  and  the  new  "Palmer 
House,"  and  was  chief  builder  for  Potter  Palmer  as  long  as  he  was  in  busi- 
ness.    His  three  sons  succeeded  him. 

We  are  permitted  to  make  use  of  a  few  items  from  a  sketch  of  John 
SoUitt  which  was  written  by  himself,  and  they  are  interesting  as  pertaining 
to  the  family  and  to  the  upbuilding  of  one  of  the  great  cities  of  the  country. 
They  read  as  follows : 

"I  was  born  Nov.  19,  1813,  of  Huguenot  ancestry,  in  Stillington,  ten 
miles  from  York,  Yorkshire,  England.  In  my  youth  I  was  sent  to  live  with 
my  grandfather,  John  Cass,  who  was  a  carpenter  and  taught  me  his  trade. 
I  sailed  for  America  in  May,  1834." 

Mr.  Sollitt  settled  for  a  year  in  Haniiltnn,  Canada,  and  in  1838  went  to 
Chicago,  where  he  afterward  became  a  partner  with  Ezra  Peck  and  Peter 
L.  Updike,  the  firm  becoming  the  principal  builders  in  Chicago.  He  goes 
on  to  say : 

"One  of  our  jobs  was  the  woodwork  on  the  old  'Tremont  Hotel.'  Peck 
died  in  1846  and  Updike  in  1849.  I  was  left  alone.  I  made  lots  of  money 
as  a  contractor,  one  of  the  buildings  I  erected  being  the  old  courthouse  with- 
out wings.  I  then  retired  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  Will  county.  When  the 
Eastern  Illinois  was  built  through  there  I  paid  the  company  $1,000  to  locate 
the  depot.  They  named  it  Sollitt  and  there  is  quite  a  village  there  now. 
In  iSsi  the  county  and  city  decided  to  build  a  new  courthouse.  The  plans 
were  drawn  by  John  M.  Van  Osdel,  Peter  Page  had  the  contract  for  the 
masonry,  and  I  had  all  the  other  contracts.  The  amount  of  my  contracts  was 
$33,000,  and  the  plans  were  so  well  made  that  my  extras  did  not  exceed  fifty 
dollars. 

"This  building  was  finishetl  in  1854,  was  sulisequently  enlarged  by  the 
addition  of  wings,  and  was  destroyed  in  the  great  fire  of  1871."  John  Sollitt 
died  in  1895,  aged  eighty-one  years.  William  Sollitt,  a  brother  of  John,  was 
also  a  contractor,  and  was  interested  in  the  construction  of  the  'Tremont 
House,'  and  the  courthouse.  He  was  the  first  builder  to  introduce  hardwood 
finish  in  Chicago.  He  died  in  March.  1900,  at  his  residence.  No.  1257  Wash- 
ington boulevard,  Chicago,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  He  had  followed 
the  building  business  for  nearly  twenty-five  years.  For  four  generations  his 
ancestors  had  been  connected  with  the  building  trade,  his  father  having  been 
a  master  mechanic  on  the  reconstruction  of  the  York  Cathedral,  as  well  as 
having  had  charge  of  the  workmen  who  repaired  historic  Westminster. 

George  W.  Rowntree,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  has  lived  all 
his  days  on  the  farm  on  which  his  father  settled  in  Dover  township  and  which 
he  now  owns.  He  secured  240  acres  of  the  original  farm  and  has  since 
bought  100  acres,  and  all  of  this  large  body  of  land  is  well  impro\ed.  He 
recentlv  erected  a  new  home,  with  all  modern  improvements. 

Mr.  Rowntree  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  Rochester  Semi- 
narv.  He  is  a  man  of  prominence  in  his  neighborhood,  one  whose  influence 
is  felt  in  all  important  movements  as  a  friend  to  education  and  progress.  He 
is  nresident  of  the  Burlington.  Rochester  &  Kansasville  Telephone  Company. 
^''hich  now  also  takes  in  Honev  Creek.  Waterford.  Beaumont,  Vienna  and 
Dover,  and  the  line  is  still  extendinsr.     He  is  also  a  director  of  the  Dover  and 


240  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Norway  Farmers'  Mutual  Eire  Insurance  Company,  and  is  interested  in  al- 
most e\erything  m  the  neighbornoou  ox  a  puonc-spinteu  cnaracter. 

Air.  Kowntree  was  married  June  12,  1878,  10  Miss  Clara  L.  Leadley, 
daughter  of  James  and  Annie  (^SoUitt)  i^eauiey,  ot  Chicago.  To  this  union 
there  are  tour  children,  viz. :  Charles  Christopher,  who  married  Mae  Pat- 
rick, and  resides  on  the  old  homestead;  Edward  EeaiUey;  George  William, 
Jr. ;  and  Jennie  Irene. 

Air.  Rowntree's  parents  were  natives  of  Yorkshire,  England.  They  came 
to  America  on  their  wedding  trip  m  1849,  and  located  in  Chicago,  where  Mr. 
Leadley  engaged  in  carpenter  work  ana  building  for  many  years  and  now 
lives  retired,  uividing  his  time  among  his  children.  He  was  born  in  April, 
1826.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Rowntree  died  Aug.  28,  1897,  aged  sixty-nine 
years.  She  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  in  Chicago. 
They  had  six  daughters  and  one  son :  Mary,  wife  of  P.  J.  Cooley,  of  Chi- 
cago ;  Annie,  wife  of  Thomas  S.  Wallin,  of  Chicago ;  Emma,  wife  of  J.  B. 
Edwards,  of  Phoenix,  Ariz.;  Clara  L.,  wife  of  George  W.  Rowntree;  Ed- 
ward J.,  of  Chicago ;  Laura,  widow  of  Frank  Brown,  of  Irving  Park,  Chicago, 
and  Grace,  deceased,  formerly  wife  of  Gilbert  Balleck,  of  Dover  township. 

George  Leadley,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Rowntree,  died  in 
Yorkshire,  England,  aged  fifty-eight  years.  Her  maternal  grandfather  was 
also  Mr.  Rowntree's  grandfather,  James  SoUitt. 

In  politics  Mr.  Rowntree  is  a  Republican,  and  he  ser\'ed  as  town  chair- 
man one  term  and  was  school  clerk  for  nine  years,  a  position  his  father  held 
for  thirty-three  years.  Mrs.  Rowntree  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  which  he  also  attends.  He  is  a  member  of  Temple  Lodge,  No.  96, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Waterford. 

WILLIAM  AUGUSTUS  CRANE,  who  after  a  life  devoted  to  farming 
is  now  living  in  a  comfortable  home  at  No.  1654  College  avenue,  Racine,  is 
a  public-spirited  and  patriotic  citizen,  who  has  proved  his  worth  in  right  living 
in  private  life,  in  honorable  business  dealings,  in  the  conscientious  performance 
of  duty  in  public  ofifice,  and  in  loyal  service  as  a  soldier  in  the  nation's  hour 
of  need.  Mr.  Crane  was  born  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  county,  Sept. 
II,  1844,  son  of  Augustus  Bainbridge  and  Lovina  (Baldwin)  Crane. 

The  Crane  family  was  planted  in  America  in  the  seventeenth  century,  the 
emigrant  ancestor  settling  in  New  Jersey,  where  the  grandfather  of  William 
A.  Crane  was  born.  He  was  a  merchant  in  New  York  City,  and  died  from  an 
accident  in  his  young  manhood.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Joy, 
preceded  him  to  the  "unknown  and  silent  shore."  The  only  child  of  this  mar- 
riage was  Augustus  Bainbridge. 

Augustus  Bainbridge  Crane  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
left  the  East  in  1839  to  find  a  home  and  fortune  in  the  West.  Coming  to  Wis- 
consin he  settled  in  Racine,  where  his  first  employment  was  as  a  clerk  in  a 
store  just  across  the  street  from  where  now  stands  the  city  hall.  After  several 
years,  by  strict  economy,  he  was  enabled  to  buy  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Mt. 
Pleasant  township,  and  there  he  still  resides.  He  afterwards  sold  ofif  eighty 
acres  of  land.  Ever  since  his  location  here  he  has  taken  a  keen  interest  in 
public  affairs,  always  looking  to  the  best  interests  of  his  town  and  countv.  He 


W.ji^  -^^t-^^^^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRArHICAL    RECORD.  241 

has  served  acceptably  as  town  assessor  and  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  super- 
visors for  several  terms.  He  married  Lovina  Baldwin,  who  was  born  in  New 
York  State,  and  whose  father,  a  carpenter,  came  to  Racine  county  in  the  spring 
of  1840,  settling  at  "The  Rapids"  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  where  he  followed 
his  trade,  and  where  he  died  soon  after,  as  did  also  his  wife.  Of  their  large 
family  Mrs.  Crane  is  the  only  survivor.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crane  have  been 
born  four  children,  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  namely :  William  Augustus, 
of  Racine;  James  Henry,  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township;  Miss  Sarah  Lovina,  on 
the  old  homestead;  and  George  Stephen,  who  was  drowned  when  eight  years 
of  age. 

William  Augustus  Crane  was  reared  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  which  was 
his  home  for  fifty-one  years.  His  early  training  was  along  agricultural  lines, 
and  in  his  manhood  he  continued  to  follow  farming.  His  education  was  ac- 
quired in  the  district  and  select  schools,  but  he  remained  at  home  assisting  in 
the  work  of  the  homestead  until  he  was  married,  when  he  rented  his  father's 
farm,  continuing  to  reside  there  for  seven  years  longer.  His  father-in-law 
then  gave  his  daughter  forty  acres,  and  Mr.  Crane  and  his  wife  moved  thereon, 
improving  it,  and  in  time  adding  to  it,  making  their  home  there  until  1896. 
By  subsequent  purchases  they  had  in  all  120  acres,  but  a  part  of  this  has  been 
sold,  and  they  now  have  eighty  acres  of  well  cultivated  and  highly  productive 
land,  all  well  improved  with  good  buildings.  For  the  past  four  and  one-half 
years  they  have  made  their  home  in  Racine,  in  1902  building  their  present 
modern  home  on  College  avenue. 

Mr.  Crane's  work  as  a  farmer  was  interrupted  only  by  his  enlistment  for 
service  in  the  Civil  war.  On  Feb.  10,  1865,  he  became  a  member  of  Company 
G,  43d  Wis.  V.  L.  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  was  honor- 
ably discharged.  He  has  been  actively  interested  in  public  affairs,  and  is  thor- 
oughly posted  on  the  events  of  the  day.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  advocate  of 
the  principles  of  the  Republican  party,  and  has  been  supervisor  and  town  treas- 
urer. Fraternally  he  belongs  to  Governor  Harvey  Post,  No.  17,  G.  A.  R.,  in 
which  he  has  held  the  ofifices  of  junior  vice-commander  and  commander,  filling 
the  latter  office  in  1904.  In  his  reHgious  faith  he  is  a  Baptist,  as  is  also  his 
wife,  and  both  take  an  active  part  in  the  various  good  works  of  that  denomi- 
nation. 

On  Nov.  II.  1867,  Mr.  Crane  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Laura 
Theressa  Lathrop,  who  was  born  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  Sept.  28,  1845, 
daughter  of  Austin  Harmon  and  Louisa  (King)  Lathrop.  Six  children  have 
blessed  this  union,  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  as  follows:  Louise  Lovina, 
who  married  Mark  Wadsworth,  of  Racine;  George  Austin,  salesman  for  the 
Knox  Automobile  in  Chicago;  Geneve  and  Charles  Augustus,  both  at  home; 
Herbert  Wilbur,  of  Chicago,  who  first  married  Mildred  Ellerson  (now  de- 
ceased) and  had  two  children,  twins,  William  Vernon  and  James  Victor 
(when  these  twins  were  born  they  had  three  great-grandfathers,  two  great- 
grandmothers,  two  grandfathers  and  one  grandmother)-,  and  he  married 
(second)  Sept.  28,  1905.  Josephine  Wolf;  and  Lucy  Lucinda.  who  died  Mav 
3,  1893,  aged  nine  years  and  six  months. 

Hubbell  Lathrop.  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Crane,  was  a  native  of  Vermont, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  farming.    He  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-nine  years,  and 


242  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

his  wife,  Laura,  died  aged  fifty-six  years.  They  had  two  daugiiters  and  five 
sons. 

Austin  Harmon  Lathrop,  father  of  Mrs.  Crane,  was  born  in  V^ermont  in 
1809.  and  his  wife,  Louisa  King,  was  born  in  Canada  in  1815.  They  came  to 
Wisconsin  in  1841  and  settled  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  where  they  became 
very  prosperous,  becoming  in  time  the  owners  of  several  farms.  He  died  in 
September,  1901,  aged  ninety-two  years,  and  his  wife  in  1891,  aged  seventy- 
six  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  four  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters :  Lucas  Bradley,  of  Racine ;  William  Rufus,  who  died  while  a  soldier  in 
the  Union  army,  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness ;  Louisa,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years;  Austin  H.,  Jr.,  of  Vermilion,  S.  Dak.;  Laura 
Theressa,  wife  of  William  x\ugustus  Crane,  of  Racine;  and  Edmund  K.,  of 
Denver,  Colo.  Mrs.  Louisa  (King)  Lathrop  was  a  daughter  of  Edmund 
King,  who  died  at  a  comparatively  early  age.  as  did  also  his  wife,  Lucy.  They 
had  three  daughters  and  four  sons. 

The  three  sons  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  A.  Crane  have  never  used 
tobacco  or  liquor  in  any  form,  and  their  temperance  principles  may  have  been 
inherited  as  well  as  instilled  by  precept,  for  the  father  of  Mrs.  Crane  denied 
himself  these  so-called  luxuries  through  life,  and  her  husband  has  strictly 
avoided  their  use,  except  for  medicial  purposes.  Besides  leaving  to  posterity 
this  heritage  of  temperance,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crane  are  also  striking  examples 
as  a  well-preserved,  active  couple,  whose  lives  of  industry  and  progress  have 
kept  them  young  in  thought  and  capable  of  sympathizing  with  the  rising  gen- 
erations, and  assisting  them  from  the  fund  of  their  experience  and  information. 

HALVOR  K.  JOHNSON,  one  of  the  well-to-do  farmer  citizens  of  Sec- 
tion I,  Waterford  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Norway,  born 
March  17,  1840,  son  of  Knut  and  Betsy  (Halverson)  Johnson.  His  grand- 
father died  in  Norway,  when  well  advanced  in  years.  He  followed  farming  as 
an  occupation.     He  and  his  wife.  Ann.  had  a  good-sized  family. 

Knut  Johnson,  father  of  Halvor  K.,  followed  farming  in  his  native 
country,  and  also  carried  on  shoemaking.  He  came  to  America  in  1842, 
and  settled  in  Norway  township,  Racine  Co.,  ^^'is..  on  a  small  farm,  a  few 
years  later  removing  to  Waterford  township  and  purchasing  thirty-three 
acres,  to  which  he  added  from  time  to  time  until  he  owned  100  acres.  He 
died  in  Waterford  township  when  past  his  eightieth  year,  his  wife,  who  sur- 
vived him  for  a  short  time,  also  living  to  be  more  than  eighty  years  of  age. 
His  father  was  also  a  native  of  Norway,  where  he  passed  awav;  he  was  a 
farmer.  Mv.  and  Mrs.  Knut  Johnson  were  Lutherans.  They  had  a  family 
of  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living:  John  K.,  of  Alfa,  Minn.; 
Halvor  K. ;  Ole,  of  near  Seattle,  Wash. ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  August  Garnetz, 
of  Waterford;  and  Charles  K.,  of  Norway  township. 

Halvor  K.  Johnson  was  not  quite  two  years  of  age  when  brought  to 
this  ctmntry  by  his  parents.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm  in  \\'aterford 
township,  and  attended  the  district  school,  living  at  home  until  he  reached  his 
majoritv.  when  he  purchased  the  old  homestead.  He  now  owns  about  140 
acres,  finely  improved,  most  of  which  work  Mr.  Johnson  has  done  himself. 
In    1870  he  married  Miss  Cornelia  Peterson,   daughter  of  Nels  and  Lieve 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  243 

Peterson,  and  six  children  were  born  to  this  union:  John,  who  died  when 
about  thirty  years  of  age,  married  Maggie  Gunderson,  and  had  one  daugliter, 
Hazel ;  Louise,  who  married  Charles  Noll,  of  Waterford,  had  two  children, 
Alfred  and  Cora;  Anna,  who  married  Herbert  Waltzien,  of  Waterford  town- 
ship, has  one  son,  Roy;  Betsy,  living  at  home,  keeps  house  for  her  father; 
Hilda  married  Albert  Malchime,  and  they  live  in  Norway  township,  and  have 
one  son,  John  Albert;  Alfred  is  attending  school.  Mrs.  Cornelia  Johnson 
died  in  1891,  aged  forty-one  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  to 
which  her  husband  also  belongs. 

Halvor  K.  Johnson  is  politically  a  Republican,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  town  board  for  several  terms,  also  serving  as  school  director  for  several 
terms. 

OSRO  S.  NORTHRUP,  a  highly  esteemed  citizen  of  Union  Grove, 
has  been  a  resident  of  Racine  county  since  1846,  and  has  worthily  done  his 
part  in  the  development  of  the  country  from  its  wild  state  in  the  pioneer  days 
to  its  present  condition  of  prosperity,  with  its  flourishing  towns  and  well- 
cultivated  fields.  His  native  State  was  New  York,  where  he  was  born  Oct. 
31,  1834,  to  Amzy  and  Ann  Barbara  (Tinkham)  Northrup. 

Stephen  Northrup,  grandfather  of  Osro  S.,  was  born  in  April,  1758,  in 
Massachusetts,  and  was  a  tailor  by  trade.  He  moved  to  New  York  State 
and  settled  in  Madison  county,  where  he  died  Sept.  24,  1841,  when  over 
eighty  years  of  age.  He  was  in  the  war  of  181 2.  He  married  Rodah  North- 
rup, who  lived  to  old  age,  dying  Aug.  23,  1842.  They  had  five  sons  and  five 
daughters.  The  maternal  grandfather,  Elias  Tinkham,  was  a  native  of  New 
York  State,  and  a  farmer.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  the 
grandmother  of  Mr.  Northrup.  There  were  four  children  of  the  first  union, 
while  by  the  second  marriage  there  were  three. 

Amzy  Northrup  was  born  in  Nassau.  N.  Y..  Jan.  15.  1796,  but  was  reared 
in  Chenango  county.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  joiner  by  trade,  and  also  owned 
a  farm  and  worked  on  it  a  part  of  the  time.  He  married  Miss  Ann  Barbara 
Tinkham,  wdio  was  born  in  Chenango  county,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  4,  1804,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  four  children.  The  eldest  was  Polly  M.,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Barzilla  Cadwell,  a  retired  farmer  of  Crystal  Lake,  111. ;  she  died 
Dec.  7,  1 89 1.  Nathan,  a  farmer,  died  at  the  age  of  forty-five  years  and  was 
buried  in  Union  Grove  cemetery.  Harvey  W.,  who  was  a  farmer  and  after- 
ward followed  the  carpenter's  trade,  enlisted  in  September,  1862,  in  the  Civil 
war.  as  a  member  of  Company  A.  22d  Wis.  V.  I.,  and  died  of  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  service,  April  i,  1863.  Osro  S.  is  the  only  one  of  his  father's 
children  now  living. 

On  June  i,  1846,  Amzy  Northrup.  accompanied  by  his  family,  started  for 
the  far  West  to  try  his  fortune  on  its  broad  prairies.  Traveling  by  way  of 
the  Erie  canal  and  the  Great  Lakes,  on  the  steamer  "Oregon,"  they  at  length 
reached  Racine,  and  the  father,  who  owned  a  team  and  wagon,  at  once  drove 
on  to  his  daughter's  home  in  Yorkville  township,  a  shanty  12x16,  in  which  ten 
persons  found  accommodations  till  Mr.  Northrup  could  provide  a  home.  He 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  prairie  and  timber  land,  a  mile  east  of  the  present 


244  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

site  of  Union  Grove,  and  soon  built  a  house  thereon,  16x24  feet.  The  coun- 
try around  was  all  wild  and  unimproved,  wolves  were  often  seen  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  frequently  Indians  visited  the  settlement.  The  old  Indian  trail 
from  Chicago  to  Milwaukee  crossed  the  farm  right  under  one  corner  of  the 
house.  Mr.  Northrup  lived  there  until  within  five  or  six  years  of  his  death, 
when  he  came  into  the  village  of  Union  Grove  and  made  his  home  with  his 
son,  Osro  S.  He  died  Aug.  11,  1886,  aged  ninety  years,  six  months  and 
twenty-seven  days.  His  wife  died  in  1862,  aged  about  fifty-six  years.  They 
were  originally  Presbyterians  but  after  coming  to  Wisconsin  joined  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  in  which  both  were  active  workers.  At  his  death  Amzy 
Northrup  left  behind  him  the  memory  of  an  upright  life,  and  a  record  of 
duty  faithfully  performed. 

Osro  S.  Northrup,  the  subject  proper  of  this  sketch,  was  eleven  years  old 
when  he  came  to  Racine  county  with  his  parents.  He  grew  to  manhood  on 
his  father's  farm  east  of  Union  Grove,  and  he  now  owns  the  old  homestead. 
He  bought  a  little  land  adjoining  it,  so  that  now  he  has  139  acres.  After  liv- 
ing there  until  1883  he  rented  the  farm  out,  moved  to  the  village  of  Union 
Grove,  and  built  a  fine  home,  with  grounds  covering  five  acres.  He  is  one  of 
the  well-to-do  men  of  the  place.  Always  interested  in  questions  of  the  public 
Aveal,  Mr.  Northrup  has  done  his  part  as  a  citizen  and  served  his  towm  in  va- 
rious capacities.  During  his  residence  on  the  farm  he  was  a  member  of  the 
board  of  supervisors  for  the  township  for  nine  or  ten  years,  and  in  1903 
and  1904  was  chosen  assessor  of  Union  Grove.  He  always  casts  his  vote 
for  the  Republican  ticket.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church. 

Mr.  Northrup  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  union  took  place  in  1857 
when  he  married  Miss  Harriet  Gnldsworthy,  who  was  born  in  1832,  the 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Jone  ( Bennett )  Goldsworthy.  There  were  two 
children  born  to  that  union :  Anna  Luella,  Mrs.  Elmer  Barrows,  who  lives 
on  the  old  home  farm  and  has  five  children  living,  Herbert,  Osro,  Harvey. 
Harriet  and  Albert ;  and  Emma,  who  died  aged  six  months.  Mrs.  Harriet 
Northrup  died  in  1882,  and  on  Sept.  10,  1884,  Mr.  Northrup  married  Mrs. 
Susannah  A.  Adams,  daughter  of  Joel  and  Love  Prudence  (Mellor)  Adams, 
and  widow  of  Ransom  Adams,  of  Delaware  county,  Ohio. 

Mrs.  Susannah  A.  (Adams)  Northrup  is  descended  in  the  paternal  line 
from  Revolutionary  stock  and  comes  from  the  same  family  to  which  the  two 
presidents  of  that  name  belonged.  The  great-grandfather,  Joel  Adams,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  Independence.  His  son  Joel,  born  in  New  York  State. 
served  during  the  war  of  181 2.  Three  times  married,  he  had  four  children 
by  the  first  wife,  none  by  the  second,  and  ten  by  the  third,  who  was  Miss 
Lovica  Tupper.  and  came  of  an  aristocratic  family.  She  was  the  grand- 
mother of  Mrs.  Northrup.  During  the  last  thirty-five  years  of  her  life  Mrs. 
Lovica  Adams  was  Ijlind. 

Joel  Adams  (3)  was  a  native  of  White  Hall,  N.  Y..  born  Oct.  18,  1803, 
and  when  a  boy  moved  to  Ohio  with  his  parents.  There  he  grew  to  man- 
hood, and  became  a  carpenter  and  later  a  farmer,  owning  a  place  twenty 
miles  from  Marietta,  in  ^Vashingto^  county,  which  he  bought  before  his  mar- 
riage and  which  continued  to  be  his  home  till  he  died.     His  demise  occurred 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  245 

in  November,  1866,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  j-ears.  ;\Ir.  Adams  married 
June  17,  it'34,  Miss  i-ove  Rrudence  Aiellur,  who  was  born  April  25,  1816, 
and  diea  i'^ug.  2,  1848.  They  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  two 
are  now  hving,  Mrs.  Susannah  A.  Northup  and  Demas  Adams.  The  latter 
now  hves  at  West  Saginaw,  IMich.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war  for  lour 
years,  entering  as  a  private  and  coming  out  a  second  lieutenant.  He  was  m 
Libby  Prison  three  days,  and  in  Andersonville  a  number  of  months. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Susannah  A.  Northrup  was  Samuel 
Mellor,  who  was  born  in  England,  Sept.  14,  1778.  He  came  to  America  and 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Waterford  township,  Washington  Co.,  Ohio,  where  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Nancy  Jordan,  born  April  6,  1790.  She  died  Jan.  30,  1861,  in 
Warren  township,  Washington  Co.,  Ohio,  and  was  buried  in  Waterford  town- 
ship. Her  husband  had  passed  away  eleven  years  earlier,  Sept.  14,  1850.  They 
had  two  sons  and  five  daughters. 

Mrs.  Northrup,  being  a  woman  of  great  energy  and  determination,  re- 
solved after  the  death  of  her  first  husband.  Ransom  Adams,  to  fit  herself  for 
business  life,  that  she  might  earn  her  own  support.  In  1868  she  graduated 
from  a  commercial  college  and  has  since  filled  positions  of  trust  in  St.  Louis, 
Chicago  and  Kansas  City.  In  the  two  former  places  she  was  assistant  corres- 
pondent in  a  large  business  establishment.  In  1868  she  entered  Oberlin  Col- 
lege, where  she  remained  for  two  years,  and  in  1870  went  to  Lexington,  Ky., 
to  accept  a  position  as  teacher  in  the  American  Missionary  Association  Nor- 
mal School,  for  two  years.  Without  children  of  her  own  she  took  to  her 
home  and  heart  her  sister's  little  daughter,  Susie  Blanche  Tucker,  when  she 
was  only  eighteen  months  old,  and  reared  her  to  womanhood.  Nobly  and 
faithfully  has  she  discharged  the  duty  of  a  parent,  and  the  niece  rewarded  her 
efforts  by  becoming  all  that  could  be  desired.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  years 
she  was  graduated  from  the  common  schools,  receiving  her  diploma,  and  at 
the  age  of  sixteen  secured  a  teacher's  certificate.  She  has  received  instruc- 
tions in  both  instrumental  and  vocal  music  and  is  quite  proficient  in  both.  She 
is  now  the  wife  of  Howard  C.  Lawton.  A  sister  of  Mrs.  Lavvton  for  some 
years  also  found  a  home  with  her  aunt. 

Osro  S.  Northrup  has  been  a  resident  of  Racine  county  since  1845,  and 
is  one  of  the  representative  men  of  the  ciiunty.  By  reason  of  their  long  resi- 
dence, both  he  and  his  estimable  wife  are  well  known  throughout  the  county. 
They  are  among  the  highly  esteemed  citizens  of  the  village  of  Lhiion  Grove, 
where  for  so  many  years  they  have  been  known  and  loved  for  their  good 
works.  They  are  cultured  in  their  tastes  and  have  a  good  home  library.  One 
of  their  most  cherished  books  is  a  large  family  Bible,  which  formerly  belonged 
to  Mr.  Northup's  paternal  grandfather,  purchased  by  the  latter  for  seventeen 
bushels  of  wheat.     It  was  probably  printed  in  the  sixteenth  century. 

HON.  WILLIA:\I  MEAD0\\'S.  secretary-treasurer  and  manager  of 
the  Burlington  Brick  &  Tile  Company.  Burlington,  Wis.,  is  one  of  that  city's 
most  prominent  residents,  and  is  largely  identified  with  its  business  and  social 
interests.  He  was  born  in  Bolton.  Lancashire,  England.  Julv  6.  183,^,  son  of 
George  and  Elizabeth  (Greenwood)  Meadows,  both  aho  natives  of  England. 
The  grandparents  on  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  sides  died  in  England,  of 


246  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

which  counlrv  they  were  natives.  Both  uf  the  grandfathers  were  cotton  man- 
ufacturers, an  occupation  which  was  also  followed  by  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject in  his  native  country. 

George  Meadows  came  to  America  in  1841,  first  locating  at  Oaksville, 
Otsego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  from  which  place  he  removed  to  Burlington,  N.  Y.,  in  the 
same  county,  and  later  to  Rome,  New  York.  In  1850  he  came  West  and  set- 
tled one  mile  east  of  Burlington,  Wis.,  engaging  in  farming.  He  had  a  farm 
of  120  acres,  which  he  sold  to  the  railroad  company  in  1855,  in  order  to  pur- 
chase a  farm  two  and  one-half  miles  west  of  Burlington  in  the  town  of  Lyons, 
Wahvorth  county,  comprising  285  acres.  Until  six  or  eight  years  prior  to  his 
death  Mr.  Meadows  continued  on  this  farm,  and  then  located  in  Burlington, 
where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent.  He  died  in  1885,  aged  eighty  years, 
while  his  wife  survived  him  two  years,  being  eighty-two  years  old  at  the  time 
of  her  death.  Both  were  Methodists  in  religious  faith.  They  had  these  chil- 
dren :  Sarah.  Airs.  Thomas  Bastoe,  of  Pittsfield,  Mass. ;  Ellen,  the  wife  of 
Joseph  W'impenney,  of  Burlington;  Ann,  the  wife  of  Charles  Norton,  who 
lives  in  Albert  Lea,  Minn.;  Mary,  wife  of  F.  H.  Nims,  of  Burlington;  Will- 
iam, of  Burlington;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  H.  I.  Hawks,  of  Burlington;  John, 
of  Lyons  township,  Walworth  county ;  and  George,  of  Burlington. 

William  Meadows  was  in  his  ninth  year  when  he  came  to  America  with 
his  parents,  and  he  received  his  early  schooling  in  England  and  New  York 
State.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  lived  at  home  until  grown,  attending 
a  private  seminary,  kept  by  Dr.  Lewis  in  Burlington.  LTntil  1901  Mr. 
Meadows  engaged  in  farming,  owning  133  acres  in  Lyons  township.  In  1865 
he  commenced  buying  wool,  and  has  kept  up  that  occupation  continuously  to 
the  present  time.  While  living  in  Lyons  tow-nship  he  bought  more  wool  than 
any  other  one  person  has  done  before  or  afterw-ard,  often  taking  in  40,000  to 
50,000  pounds  in  a  single  day.  In  1878  he  bought  an  interest  in  the  Bur- 
lington Brick  &  Tile  Co.,  and  became  secretary-treasurer  and  manager  of  the 
company,  offices  which  he  still  holds.  The  largest  output  of  this  company  is 
farm  and  drain  tile,  and  it  is  the  largest  in  this  line  in  the  Northwest,  it  being 
not  uticommon  to  ship  from  150  to  200  cars  in  a  season,  beside  furnishing  the 
home  trade.  The  company  also  manufactures  about  1,000,000  brick  per 
annum. 

On  Dec.  26,  1839,  Mr.  Meadows  married  Miss  Ann  Armstrong,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Jane  (Ash)  Armstrong,  and  to  this  union  were  born  three 
children  :  George  C,  a  banker  of  Ipswich,  Edmund  Co.,  S.  Dak.,  married 
Miss  Meda  Luck,  of  Janesville.  Wis.,  and  they  have  three  children,  Ada,  Earl 
and  Beth.  William  J.  lives  in  Elgin,  111.,  and  is  in  the  Milkine  Food  btisiness. 
He  married  Miss  Lily  Openshaw,  and  they  have  three  children,  Robert,  How- 
ard and  Alice.  Elizabeth  J.  married  R.  F.  Hetherington,  and  has  one  son, 
Lester  M. 

Mr.  Meadows  is  not  identified  with  any  particular  church,  but  attends 
with  his  wife,  who  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  faith  since  her  six- 
teenth vear.  She  has  three  older  sisters,  residents  of  Milwaukee,  who  have 
been  members  of  that  church  as  long  as  she  has.  She  is  no\^'  over  seventy 
years  old.  Fraternallv  Mr.  Meadows  is  connected  with  Burlington  Lodge. 
No.  28.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Geneva  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  Racine  Commandery ;  and 


COMME^NIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  247 

the  Valley  of  Milwaukee  Consistory ;  and  is  a  32nd  degree,  Scottish  Rite 
Mason.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  cast  his  first  vote  for  John  C.  Fre- 
mont, and  has  voted  for  every  Repullican  Presidential  candidate  since  then. 
He  was  treasurer  of  the  school  board  of  the  tow-n  of  Lyons  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  chairman  of  the  town  for  four  years ;  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin 
State  Assembly  in  1881 ;  was  elected  alternate  delegate  to  the  National  Con- 
vention that  nominated  James  G.  Blaine  for  President,  and  has  been  delegate 
to  county,  Congressional  and  State  conventions.  His  last  office  was  that  of 
alderman  of  the  Second  ward  in  Burlington,  organizing  the  city  government. 
Since  that  time  he  has  refused  all  offers  of  public  preferment. 

While  in  Walworth  county  Mr.  Meadows  was  an  earnest  and  active 
worker  in  the  County  Agricultural  Society,  in  which  he  filled  every  office.  He 
is  a  man  of  wide  interests  and  sympathies,  benevolent  and  charitable  in  the 
extreme,  and  liberal  in  all  such  causes,  and  his  kindness  of  heart  is  well  known 
in  individual  cases,  for  he  never  turns  away  a  worthy  person  in  need.  His 
wife  is  equally  well-know'n  for  her  charities  and  generosity.  She  has  always 
been  an  untiring  and  efficient  church  worker  and  though  her  age  now  prevents 
her  from  doing  as  much  as  in  previous  years  her  advice  is  frequently  sought 
and  always  valued. 

WILLIAM  C.  HOOD,  a  prominent  business  man  and  highly  esteemed 
citizen  (>t  Racine,  Wis.,  is  superintendent  of  the  Thomas  Kane  &  Co.  works 
at  that  place.  Mr.  Hood's  birth  occurred  April  21,  i860,  and  he  is  a  son  of 
Samuel  and  Alice  (Coy)  Hood,  natives  of  England. 

Thomas  Hood,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  came  to  Wisconsin,  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life  on  a  farm  in  Caledonia  township,  dying  in  his  eighty- 
ninth  year,  while  his  wife  attained  the  age  of  ninety-one  years.  One  of  their 
sons,  Walter,  lost  his  life  in  the  Civil  war. 

In  his  young  manhood  Samuel  Hood  followed  farming.  He  came  to 
Racine  county  in  the  early  thirties,  and  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Caledonia 
township.  Disposing  of  his  farm  interests  and  locating  in  Racine,  he  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  business  and  during  the  Civil  war  was  in  the  employ  of 
the  Government  at  Nashville.  After  the  war  he  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  fanning  mills  up  to  1886,  since  which  time  he  has  lived  retired.  In  re- 
ligious faith  he  is  a  Baptist,  while  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Church.  For  many  years  Mr.  Hood  was  a  school  commissioner.  He  and 
his  wife  had  thirteen  children,  eight  of  whom  are  still  living:  Hattie,  the 
wife  of  Melvin  Secor  of  Caledonia  township;  Ida,  widow  of  Samuel  Clark  of 
Milwaukee:  William  C. ;  Walter.  John,  Miss  Sadie.  Miss  Edna  and  Miss  Bes- 
sie, all  of  Racine. 

William  C.  Hood  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Racine.  His  education  was 
obtained  in  the  public  and  high  schools,  and  he  began  his  business  life  as  a 
clerk  for  Mr.  A.  Fixen,  after  having  taught  school  for  one  winter  term.  Two 
years  later  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Racine  Hardware  Mfg.  Company, 
which  is  now  known  as  the  Thomas  Kane  Company,  with  which  concern  he  ' 
has  been  identified  ever  since.  In  1894  he  was  made  superintendent,  a  posi- 
tion he  still  retains.     The  company  employs  about  250  persons,  and  manufac- 


248  CO:\IME]\IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RL-qrd. 

tures  school  furniture,  opera  chairs,  raih-oatl  settees  and  ni:  y  niiscehaneous 
articles.  Mr.  Hood  is  also  prominent]}'  identihetl  with  the  '^He  Citv  Skirt 
Company. 

On  Aug.  I,  1891,  ]\Ir.  Hood  married  2\Iiss  Cora  G.  Gallie,  _  daughter  of 
John  and  Martha  (Tinker)  Galliene,  and  to  this  union  have  b  ^n  born  four 
children :  Stanley  William,  James  Coy,  Vincent  and  Martha  \Hce.  Mr. 
Hood  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  while  his  wife  is  an  Ejscopalian. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Mr.  Hood  and  his  family  reside  at\o.  1708 
College  Ave.,  where  he  owns  one  of  the  finest  homes  in  Racine  and  ...-"les 
this  property  has  other  real  estate  interests  in  Racine. 

W.  C.  Hood  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Racine  Light  Guards, 
which  was  mustered  into  the  State  service  May  4,  1881,  and  was  known  as 
Co.  F,  Wis.  X.  G.  He  served  as  private  and  sergeant  to  July  19,  1883,  when 
he  was  elected  Second  Lieutenant.  On  Jan.  7,  1884,  he  was  appointed  First 
Lieutenant,  serving  as  such  until  Dec.  27,  1887,  when  he  was  commissionerl 
Captain.  Owing  to  the  increase  of  business  cares  he  was  compelled  to  resign 
in  the  suiunier  of  1889. 

J\L\THLA.S  WERVE  has  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century  been  superin- 
tendent of  the  immense  tannery  of  the  N.  R.  Allen's  Sons  Companv.  of  Keno- 
sha, Wis.,  in  which  city  he  has  resided  for  fifty-two  years — a  period  covering 
all  but  the  first  stages  of  its  development.  His  birth  occurred  near  Trier.  Ger- 
many, Dec.  4,  1844,  and  his  parents,  Servatious  and  Catherine  (Bauer)  \\'erve, 
were  also  natives  of  that  country,  where  the  grandparents  passed  all  their  days. 

Servatious  Werve  was  born  in  1784,  and  served  in  Napoleon  Bonaparte's 
army.  He  married  twice,  and  of  the  six  children  by  the  first  wife  two  are  now 
living,  viz.:  Joseph,  of  Kenosha;  and  Catherine,  of  Germany.  Mathias  was 
one  of  the  five  children  by  the  second  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Catherine 
Bauer,  and  who  was  one  of  a  small  family  born  to  John  and  Margaretta  Bauer ; 
he  died  aged  sixty,  while  Mrs.  Bauer  reached  the  remarkable  age  of  105  years. 
The  five  children  of  Servatious  and  Catherine  (Bauer)  Werve  were  as  fol- 
lows: Mathias:  Theodore,  of  Somers  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  \\"is. :  Peter, 
of  Mansfield,  Ohio ;  John,  who  died  aged  thirty-two  years :  and  Eva.  who  died 
when  twenty-two  months  old.  Servatious  Werve  was  a  millwright  in  Ger- 
many, but  after  coming  to  America,  in  1852,  he  settled  in  Kenosha  and  gave 
his  attention  to  carpenter  work.  He  died  in  '1857,  aged  seventy-three  years, 
and  his  wife  lived  until  1889,  dying  at  the  age  of  seventy-five.  Both  were 
Catholics. 

Mathias  Werve  was  eight  years  old  wlien  he  came  with  his  parents  tn  Ke- 
nosha, and  has  made  his  home  there  ever  since.  He  was  sent  to  the  public 
schools  for  a  while,  but  while  still  a  small  boy  he  was  obliged  to  leave  school 
and  go  to  work,  and.  beginning  in  a  tannery,  he  has  followed  that  business 
ever  since.  In  1872  he  was  employed  by  the  Japanese  government  to  go  to 
Japan  for  a  couple  of  vears,  and  when  that  contract  was  ended  returned  to 
Kenosha  and  entered  upon  his  long  connection  with  the  firm  of  the  X.  R. 
Allen's  Sons.  In  1880  he  was  given  the  position  of  superintendent,  in  which 
he  has  ever  since  been  retained.  The  tannery  is  the  largest  in  the  world,  em- 
ploying over  twelve  hundred  hands,  and  its  goods  are  sent  to  all  parts  of  the 


^-^/l  Ou£^^^^     Ji/2yiyC.^C^ 


C0MME:^I0RATIVE    biographical    record.  249 

globe.  Mr.  Werve"s  reputation  in  his  chosen  Hne  is  best  substantiated  by  his 
call  to  a  foreign  land  and  the  remarkable  length  of  time  he  has  continued  to 
hold  so  responsible  a  position  as  the  one  he  occupies.  The  establishment  with 
which  he  has  been  connected,  being  second  to  none,  is  always  in  the  van  of 
progress,  constantly  turning  out  new  and  original  products  and  investigating 
along  the  most  up-to-date  lines.  It  is  necessary  that  the  superintendent  should 
not  only  be  a  practical  tanner,  with  a  thorough  mechanical  knowledge  of  his 
business,  but  also  a  man  of  executive  ability  and  shrewd  judgment,  with  suffi- 
cient enterprise  to  maintain  the  standing  of  his  factory. 

The  life  partner  chosen  by  Mr.  Werve  was  Miss  Catherine  Bohrn, 
daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  (Straught)  Bohrn,  and  their  union  took  place 
Sept.  19,  1866.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  them,  as  follows:  Anna, 
married  Adolph  John  Reinhardt,  a  wholesale  and  retail  jewelry  merchant  of 
Lincoln,  111.,  and  has  one  child,  Lois;  Emma  married  Calvin  Stewart,  an  at- 
torney of  Kenosha,  and  has  one  son,  Donald  Werve ;  Mary  lived  only  twenty- 
two  months ;  Charles,  formerly  a  law  student,  is  now  employed  in  the  tan- 
nery; Grace  married  William  Marlow,  principal  of  a  school,  and  lives  in  Min- 
neapolis. Mr.  Werve  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Their 
residence  is  in  the  Third  ward,  at  No.  208  Deming  street.  Mr.  Werve  be- 
longs to  several  fraternal  organizations,  the  K.  of  P.,  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  and  the  Royal  Arcanum.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  for 
one  term  served  as  school  commissioner.  He  is  an  American  to  the  backbone, 
and  extremely  patriotic,  apropos  of  which  an  experience  he  had  in  Japan  is 
worth  relating.  The  hotel  at  which  he  was  staying  was  conducted  by  two 
Englishmen,  who  owned  a  high  flag  pole,  out  on  the  jetty,  from  which  Mr. 
Werve  noticed  the  English  flag  flying  on  various  occasions.  It  occurred  to 
him  that  he  would  like  to  see  the  American  flag  waving  there  on  the  nation's 
birthday,  so  he  hired  the  flag  pole  for  the  4th  of  July,  without,  however,  giving 
anv  hint  of  his  designs.  When  the  owners  of  the  flag  pole  saw  the  "stars 
and  stripes"  hoisted  they,  and  also  others,  threatened  both  Mr.  Werve  and  his 
flag,  but  he  positively  refused  to  lower  it  and  declared  he  would  shoot  the 
first  person  that  interfered.  He  was  not  molested,  but  he  was  compelled  to 
guard  the  flag  all  of  that  day,  which  he  did  with  an  old  Spencer  rifle  loaded 
with  seven  cartridges. 

yivs.  Werve's  parents  came  from  Germany  in  1854,  settling  in  Kenosha 
countv,  where  John  Bohrn  was  engaged  in  farming,  living  in  the  town  of 
Salem.  Five  of  his  children  are  living,  viz.:  Annie,  Mrs.  Charles  Mehern; 
Catherine,  Mrs.  Werve ;  Margaret,  unmarried ;  Leonard ;  and  John. 

John  Bohrn,  father  of  Mrs.  Werve,  was  born  in  Alsace,  in  April.  1808, 
and  he  died  Jan.  31,  1882.  His  wife,  Margaret  Straught,  was  born  in  May, 
1820,  and  died  April  16,  1899.  They  came  from  Germany  in  1854,  settling  in 
Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  where  Mr.  Bohrn  engaged  in  farming,  living  in  the 
town  of  Salem.  Five  of  their  children  are  yet  living:  Annie,  Mrs.  Charles 
Mehern;  Catherine,  Mrs.  Werve;  Margaret,  unmarried;  Leonard;  and  John. 
Those  deceased  were  :  Mary,  who  married  John  Kupp ;  and  Emily,  who  mar- 
ried N.  F.  W.  Krantz.  They  were  faithful  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
John  Bohrn,  in  his  youth,  studied  for  the  priesthood,  but  failing  health  com- 
pelled him  to  relinquish  bis  cherished  amliition.  He  was  instructor  to  ninety 
pupils  in  the  college  he  attended,  when  obliged  to  give  up. 


250  COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

John  Bohrn  was  a  son  of  John  and  Helena  Bohrn,  of  Alsace,  the  former 
of  whom  was  a  soldier  in  the  army  of  Napoleon.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  died  in  Germany.  Mrs.  Margaret  (^Straught)  Bohrn  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Margaret  Straught.  of  Wheilsecker,  Germany,  where  Mr. 
Straught  owned  and  operated  a  gristmill.  He  served  some  time  in  the  Ger- 
man army. 

GEORGE  HALE.  No  family  has  been  better  known  in  New  Englantl 
from  early  Colonial  days  till  the  present  than  the  Hales.  The  descendants 
are  scattered  all  over  the  country  now,  but  ever  retain  a  justifiable  pride  in 
the  early  ancestors  of  their  race,  while  themselves  adding  to  the  worthy 
achievements  of  the  family.  In  Kenosha,  Wis.,  two  branches  are  represented 
by  George  Hale  and  his  children. 

George  Hale  traces  his  descent  from  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  of  England, 
through  the  line  of  his  great-grandfather,  Thomas,  who  was  born  in  Massa- 
chusetts. His  son,  Obed,  was  born  in  Enfield,  Conn.,  and  became  a  farmer. 
Twice  married,  his  first  wife  was  Miss  Mindwell  Hale,  daughter  of  Samuel 
Hale,  of  Massachusetts.  Samuel  Hale  was  a  soldier  in  ■  the  Revolution, 
served  in  the  relief  of  Lexington,  was  afterward  in  Capt.  Simon's  Company, 
Wadsworth's  Brigade,  with  the  rank  of  corporal,  was  on  duty  in  New  York 
City,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  White  Plains.  Olied  and  Mindwell  Hale 
had  a  family  of  five  sons  and  five  daughters,  all  now  deceased.  The  mother 
died  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven,  and  ^Ir.  Hale  married  again,  his  second  wife 
being  Mrs.  Stocking,  of  Ohio. 

Obed  P.  Hale,  son  of  Obed,  was  born  in  Enfield,  Conn.,  in  1809.  At 
the  age  of  seventeen  he  moved  to  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  until 
1842,  and  then  went  to  Wisconsin.  He  settled  in  Kenosha  county,  in  the 
town  of  Paris,  and  lived  there  on  a  farm  until  1870,  in  which  year  he  moved 
to  Kenosha,  where  he  resided  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  was  a  prominent 
man  locally,  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  about  twenty-five  years,  besides 
filling  other  minor  offices,  and  in  185 1  was  a  member  of  the  State  Assembly. 
He  died  in  1892.  He  married  Miss  Laura  B.  King,  in  Ohio,  and  they  had 
two  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  the  only  ones  living  are  Delina  D.,  the 
wife  of  C.  A.  Dewey,  of  Kenosha,  and  George.  Mrs.  Laura  B.  (King)  Hale 
was  a  daughter  of  Jabez  and  Hannah  King,  and  was  the  first  white  child  born 
in  Chardon,  Ohio.     Her  father  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts. 

George  Hale  was  born  in  Chardon,  Geauga  Co.,  Ohio.  May  19,  1840, 
and  was  but  two  years  old  when  his  parents  brought  him  to  Kenosha  county. 
He  was  sent  to  the  district  school,  and  remained  at  home  on  the  farm  until 
the  Civil  war  broke  out.  Enlisting  in  the  Union  army,  he  became  a  private 
in  Company  H,  33d  Wis.  V.  I.,  was  appointed  an  orderly  sergeant  in  1862, 
was  commissioned  second  lieutenant  in  April  of  the  following  year,  and  in 
September,  1863.  was  made  first  lieutenant.  He  served  in  all  a  little  over 
three  years,  and  was  at  the  battles  of  Cold  Water  and  Jackson:  at  the  siege 
of  Vicksburg;  in  the  Red  River  campaign,  under  Banks;  in  Sherman's  Mer- 
dian  campaign,  and  in  rtiany  engagements.  After  the  w.ir  ]\Ir.  Hale  went 
back  to  Wisconsin,  and  enga.ged  in  farming  on  property  which  he  had  bought 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  251 

(luring  the  war.  His  first  purcliase.  consistiiig  of  eighty  acres  in  Paris  town- 
ship, he  sold  a  few  years  afterward  and  hought  another  tract  of  132  acres, 
where  he  remained,  giving  it  his  personal  attention  until  1870.  He  then 
rtnted  his  farm  and  going  into  Kenoslia  opened  the  grocery  business  with 
which  his  name  has  ever  since  been  connected. 

Mr.  Hale  was  united  in  marriage  May  11,  1862,  to  Miss  Ellen  M. 
Leonard,  daughter  of  Carlton  Stone  and  Keziah  H.  (Dewey)  Leonard.  Six 
children  have  blessed  this  union :  Alice  B.  married  Hugh  Haven,  and  bore 
him  one  child,  a  son,  mother  and  son  dying  at  the  same  time  in  Chicago,  of 
diphtheria.  Samuel  is  in  the  life  insurance  business  in  Omaha,  Neb.  Myron 
H.  is  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  "Eichelman  Hotel,"  in  Kenosha.  George 
LeRoy  is  in  business  with  his  father ;  he  married  Miss  Olive  May  Greene,  of 
Waukau,  Wis.,  and  they  have  one  son.  George  Dudley.  John  P.  died  at  the 
age  of  six  or  seven  years.  Marion  Bell  lives  at  home.  Mrs.  Hale  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Episcopal  Church,  but  her  husband  is  a  Unitarian.  They  reside  at 
No.  601  Park  avenue,  where  Mr.  Hale  owns  his  home. 

Mr.  Hale  is  a  member  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  as 
an  old  soldier  has  been  deeply  interested  in  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  called  the  first 
meeting  to  organize  the  post  in  Kenosha,  known  as  Fred  S.  Lovell  Post,  No. 
230,  Department  of  Wisconsin.  He  was  chosen  its  first  commander  and  has 
always  been  prominent  in  its  management.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  an  active  worker  in  the  party  ranks.  In  an  early  day  he  was  chairman 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  of  the  town  of  Paris,  and  for  one  term  was  a 
member  of  the  county  board.  In  1890  he  was  first  appointed  deputy  collector 
of  the  court  and  served  for  four  years,  until  there  was  a  change  of  adminis- 
tration. In  August,  1901,  he  was  again  appointed  to  the  place,  and  is  now 
filling  that  position. 

Mrs.  Ellen  M.  Hale  is  also  descended  from  Revolutionary  ancestry.  Her 
great-great-grandfather  on  the  mother's  side  was  Zelaediah  Dewey,  of  Ver- 
mont, a  captain  in  the  American  army.  He  lived  close  to  the  Massachusetts 
line  and  so  enlisted,  April  24,  1775,  at  Tillingham,  in  the  latter  State.  He 
was  a  first  lieutenant  in  Capt.  Whiting's  Company,  Col.  Jonathan  Brewer's 
Regiment.  One  of  the  battles  of  the  war  in  which  he  is  known  to  haye  par- 
ticipated was  that  of  Ticonderoga.  He  was  elected  to  represent  Poultney, 
Vt..  at  the  convention  of  that  State  to  adopt  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence. Capt.  Dewey  came  from  a  particularly  patriotic  section,  every  man  in 
his  town  enlisting  except  one.  who  was  sick.  The  women,  too,  caught  the 
fever  and  Capt.  Dewey's  wife  organized  a  company  of  women  and  children, 
was  made  its  captain,  and  led  them  to  a  little  town  near  by,  where  disloyalty 
to  the  cause  of  the  Colonies  was  suspected,  and  demanded  to  know  whether 
there  w-ere  any  Tories  there.  The  women  were  all  armed  with  muskets  and 
made  a  great  demonstration,  rattling  the  ramrods  in  their  guns,  but  it  is 
thought  the  weapons  were  not  loaded. 

Capt.  Zebediah  Dewev  had  a  son,  Zebediah  (2).  and  he  in  turn  had  a 
son  named  John  M.,  a  native  of  Vermont  and  a  farmer  by  occunation.  He 
moved  west  to  Kenosha  county  and  died  there  when  he  was  well  alone^  in 
years.     By  his  wife,  Lucinda  Cook,  he    had    four    sons    and    one    daughter. 


252  CO\UIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Keziah  H.,  mother  of  Airs.  Hale,  who  married  Carlton  Stone  Leonard,  who 
died  in  1S5O.  Mr.  Leonard,  like  his  wife,  was  born  in  Vermont.  He  was  a 
railroad  contractor  and  worked  both  in  the  East  and  the  West.  His  w'ife 
went  West  in  the  early  days  and  made  her  home  in  Kenosha  county  with  her 
parents,  and  she  died  in  that  county  when  about  seventy-eight  years  old. 

AivROX  Henry  Hale  was  born  in  Paris  township  Sept.  zj,  1868,  and 
from  the  age  of  two  years  has  lived  in  Kenosha.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  until  he  was  fourteen,  when  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  grocery  of  Hale 
&  Bronson,  continuing  thus  until  1893,  when  he  was  taken  in  as  a  partner 
with  his  father  in  the  grocery  business.  He  remained  in  the  firm  until  March, 
1902,  when  he  became  associated  with  Mr.  Henry  L.  Eichelman  as  propri- 
etors of  the  "Eichelman  Hotel,"  the  leading  one  of  Kenosha.  Mr.  Hale  mar- 
ried, April  6,  1893,  Miss  Juliana  M.  Eichelman,  daughter  of  Bernhardt  Eich- 
elman. and  to  their  union  has  been  born  one  daughter,  Alice.  Mr.  Hale  be- 
longs to  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  to  the  Order  of  Elks,  being 
the  treasurer  of  the  Kenosha  Lodge  of  the  latter  organization.  Politically  he 
is  a  Republican. 

Bernhardt  Eichelman,  Mrs.  Hale's  father,  was  born  in  Wittenberg,  Ger- 
many, Aug.  24,  1833.  and  came  to  America  when  twenty  years  of  age.  For 
a  few  years  he  lived  in  New  York  City,  then  going  to  Rochester,  where  he 
remained  for  quite  a  long  time,  and  from  there  to  ]\Iarshall,  Mich.,  wdiere 
Mrs.  Hale  was  born.  His  next  place  of  residence  was  Chicago,  where  he 
had  just  settled  in  business  when  he  was  burned  out  by  the  great  fire  of  1871. 
Instead  of  trying  to  begin  anew  there  he  went  to  Kenosha  that  same  year, 
and  opened  the  tailoring  establishment  which  he  continued  to  conduct  until 
1893,  when  he  turned  it  over  to  his  sons,  Henry  L.  and  Louis  M.  Thereafter 
he  lived  retired  until  his  death,  June  24.  1904. 

Mr.  Eichelman  married  Julianna  Alary  Alerkel,  who  was  born  in  Berlin 
of  "high  German"  stock,  and  who  spoke  the  German  language  in  its  purest 
form.  Her  mother  was  Julia  ( Alarlow )  Alerkel.  Mrs.  Eichelman 
died  Oct.  9,  1898,  aged  si.xty-se\en  years.  She  was  the  mother  of  six 
children,  namely:  Bernhardt,  of  Kenosha;  Henry  Louis,  of  that  city;  Louis 
Ivl.,  of  the  same  place;  William  Frederick,  of  Chicago;  Juliana  M..  Airs. 
Hale;  and  Bertha  Johanna,  of  Kenosha.  The  parents  were  both  Lutherans 
originally,  but  in  Rochester  united  with  the  Congregational  Church,  and  re- 
mained in  that  denomination  ever  afterward.  Air.  Eichelman  was  a  Repub- 
lican in  his  politics,  and  socially  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows. Royal  Arch  Alasons  and  Knights  of  Pythias,  while  during  his  residence 
in  Rochester  he  belonged  to  the  Turner  Society  there.  Air.  Eichelman  gave 
to  the  city  of  Kenosha  a  site  for  a  park  which  fronts  Lake  Alichigan,:  and 
which  bears  his  name. 

HEXRA'  \\'ILLIAAIS.  former  mavnr  of  the  city  of  Kenosha.  Wis.,  and 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  part  of  the  State,  entered  into  rest  July  15.  1004. 
after  a  long  and  useful  life.  Bv  birth  he  was  an  Ensflishmnn.  born  in  Lin- 
colnshire Dec.  24,  T82d.  son  of  John  and  Martha  fEspin)  Williams. 

In  1836  John  Williams  brought  his  family  to  the  New-  World,  and  in 
June  of  the  following  year  they  reached  Southport,  being  one  of  the  first  fam- 


^^^y^^^^^^e-*^--*^::^ 


COMAIE^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  253 

ilies  to  locate  in  the  little  village.  Shortly  afterward  they  moved  to  Pleasant 
Prairie,  and  the  land  they  purchased  there  is  now  the  well-known  Williams 
homestead. 

Shortly  hefore  his  death  it  was  said  of  Henry  Williams  that  he  had  been 
a  resident  of  Kenosha  county  longer  than  any  other  living  man.  He  grew  to 
manhood  here  and  purchased  his  father's  farm,  making  it  his  home  until  his 
removal  to  Kenosha  in  1866.  after  which  time  he  had  his  home  on  Prairie  ave- 
nue. In  1874  he  began  the  manufacture  of  croquet  sets,  and  while  his  factory 
was  a  small  one  it  was  also  a  busy  one,  and  it  is  said  that  it  made  and  sold 
more  croquet  sets  than  any  other  in  this  part  of  the  country.  This  business 
was  always  under  the  owner's  personal  supervision,  and  it  was  uniformly  suc- 
cessful. 

Air  Williams  was  always  interested  in  public  afYairs,  and  he  kept  in  close 
touch  with  the  political  life  of  the  city.  In  1876  he  was  elected  alderman  from 
the  old  Third  ward,  and  was  re-elected  eleven  consecutive  years,  a  high  tes- 
timonial for  his  efficient  and  faithful  service.  At  the  close  of  his  last  term  as 
alderman  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  mayor,  and  for  six  years — three  terms 
— gave  to  the  city  an  honest  and  progressive  administration,  that  did  much 
for  the  substantial  development  of  Kenosha.  W'hen  he  retired  from  office  he 
had  the  unbounded  confidence  and  respect  of  all  men.  He  was  a  man  easy  to 
approach,  and,  rich  or  poor,  no  man  sought  his  counsel  and  aid  unrewarded. 
Death  relieved  him  of  severe  suffering,  and  the  whole  city  mourned  the  loss 
of  a  good  citizen.     The  remains  were  laid  aw'ay  in  the  city  cemetery. 

On  Oct.  29,  1850,  Mr.  W^illiams  w-as  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jane 
Roddle,  who  died  Oct.  30,  1903.  Three  sons  and  five  daughters  came  to 
brighten  their  home,  and  of  these  there  are  living:  John  E.,  of  Kenosha; 
Harry  S.,  of  Chicago;  Eva,  Mrs.  H.  P.  Woodworth,  of  Kenosha;  Frances, 
Mrs.  Henry  L.  Bullamore,  of  Kenosha ;  and  Effie,  Mrs.  William  H.  Carr,  of 
Minneapolis,  Minnesota. 

GEORGE  F.  LEET.  Among  the  community  oi  old  settlers  who  havf 
done  so  much  for  the  development  and  progress  of  Somers  township,  Ken- 
osha county,  and  who  are  especially  attached  to  this  locality  as  their  place  of 
birth,  is  George  Foster  Leet,  who  resides  on  Section  10,  where  he  was  born 
Feb.  15.  1838,  son  of  Charles  and  Sarah  B.  (Wiard)  Leet,  natives  of  Con- 
necticut, who  were  married  in  New  York,  and  who  became  the  parents 
of  three  children,  viz.:  Mathew  W.,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  George  F. ;  and  Miss 
Sarah  H.,  of  Racine,  W^isconsin. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Leet  was  a  farmer  in  Chautauqua 
county,  N.  Y.,  and  was  the  father  of  three  sons,  Charles.  Warren  and  JNIartin. 
The  maternal  grandparents  were  Mathew  and  Sallie  Wiard,  who  had  four 
daughters  whom  they  reared  in  New  York,  viz. ;  Sarah  B.,  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject; Elmira,  formerly  wife  of  W^illiam  Bly;  Mrs.  Dale  and  Mrs.  Maxwell. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812,  in  which  he  took  part.  Charles  Leet 
kept  a  hotel  at  Delhi,  N.  Y.,  for  some  years,  but  in  1837  he  came  to  Wiscon- 
sin and  took  up  Government  land  in  what  was  then  Pike  township,  but  now 
is  Somers  township,  two  farms  of  160  acres  each,  in  Sections  10  and  11.  He 
improved  them  both,  and  lived  there  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb.  11, 


254  C0MMEM0RAT1\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

1874.  His  wife  survived  him.  and  died  Oct.  23,  1877,  aged  seventy-seven 
years.  In  religiuus  faith  they  were  EpiscupaHans.  in  adciitiun  tu  the  chil- 
dren of  his  second  marriage,  above  noted,  by  a  prior  marriage  Mr.  Leet  had 
these  children:  Joseph,  Jane  R.,  Robert,  Clark,  Mary  and  Charles,  all  of 
whom  are  deceased.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  postmaster  here  at  a  point 
known  as  Aurora,  and  for  some  years  he  served  also  as  a  justice  of  the  peace. 
George  F.  Leet  grew  up  on  the  pioneer  farm  and  obtained  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  his  neig'hborhood.  When  he  reached  his  majority  he  went 
to  W'aukegan  where  he  engaged  in  clerking  for  one  year  for  Loveday  & 
Dodge,  grocers,  and  then  entered  the  army,  enlisting  in  Company  C,  2nd 
Illinois  Light  Artillery,  in  which  he  served  almost  two  years,  being  mustered 
out  in  1865.  His  battery  was  stationed  at  Fort  Donelson,  and  he  was  de- 
tailed mainly  on  scout  duty.  After  the  war  he  returned  home  and  bought  his 
father's  farm,  which  now  contains  198  acres.  This  he  has  greatly  improx'ed 
and  it  stands  today  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  in  the  county,  well  tilled  and 
most  presentable  in  every  way. 

In  i860  Mr.  Leet  made  a  trip  to  California  overland,  where  he  engaged 
in  mining  for  a  year,  when  he  returned,  deciding  that  Kenosha  county  offered 
every  chance  to  a  young  man  who  was  willing  to  take  advantage  of  it.  His 
war  experience  followed. 

On  May  14,  1868,  Mr.  Leet  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jessie 
Ann  Smith,  daughter  of  William  and  Janet  (Park)  Smith,  and  five  children 
were  born  to  this  union,  namely;  Leverett  Clark,  Fred  W.,  Edward  H.. 
Nellie  J.  and  George  P.  Leverett  C.  was  drowned  aged  two  years  and  four  , 
months:  Fred  W.  resides  at  home,  unmarried;  Edward  H..  a  machinist  by 
trade.  ]i\-ing  in  Milwaukee,  married  Lulu  C.  Rhodes;  Nellie  J.  is  a  stenog- 
rapher ;  and  George  P.  also  resides  at'  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leet  are  members 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Fraternally  he  belongs  to  the  Modem  Wood- 
men of  America.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  has  served  two  terms 
as  a  member  of  the  town  board,  and  for  about  eight  terms  was  on  the  school 
board,  and  he  served  also  as  town  treasurer  for  one  term. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  ?ilrs.  Leet  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  where 
he  died;  he  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  His  children  numbered  seven  in  all. 
Her  maternal  grandparents  were  William  and  Janet  Park,  and  they  died  in 
Scotland,  parents  of  six  children.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Leet  were  natives  of 
Aberdeenshire,  Scotland,  and  came  to  America  in  1841,  locating  in  Somers 
township,  where  the  father  bought  1 10  acres  of  land,  which  was  a  part  of  the 
Charles  Leet  farm.  The  father  died  there  in  1891,  aged  ninety  years  and 
over,  and  his  wife  died  in  January,  1887,  aged  ninety-one  years.  They  were 
stanch  Presbyterians.  They  had  six  children,  four  of  wliom  grew  to  ma- 
turity; W^illiam  P.  Smith;  George  H. ;  Jane  M.,  wife  of  Hugh  Gorton,  of 
Racine:  and  Jessie  A.,  wife  of  George  F.  Leet. 

Mr.  Leet  is  one  of  the  older  residents  of  this  section  in  ])oint  of  con- 
tinuous residence,  having  spent  sixty-seven  years  on  the  farm  on  whicli  he 
was  born.     He  is  a  man  highly  esteemed  for  the  integrity  of  his  character, 
and  his  uprisfhtness  in  all  his  business  and   social   relations.      His  estimable 
wife  justly  shares  in  this  high  estimation  and  they  are  recognized  as  repre- 


com:\iemorative  biographical  record.         255 

sentative  people  of  this  locality.  Such  families  are  deserving  of  honorable 
record  in  a  work  of  tlie  nature  of  the  present  one  and  in  it  then-  memory  and 
features  should  be  preserved.  The  day  will  come  when  those  who  made  easy 
the  path  tor  their  descendants  through  the  pioneer  wildernesses  will  have 
passed  trom  otf  the  earth,  but  ingratitude  is  not  so  ingrained  upon  their  de- 
scendants that  the  time  will  ever  come  when  to  recall  their  noble  lives  and 
meritorious  deeds  will  not  give  satisfaction.  In  a  like  manner  Mr.  Leet  be- 
longs to  a  fast  fading  body  of  brave  and  noble  men,  that  great  army  of  pa- 
triots of  1861-5,  whose  courage  and  endurance  will  furnish  themes  for  song 
and  story  for  generations  to  come. 

CHRISTIAN  HEIDERSDORF  (deceased)  was  one  of  the  excellent 
farmers  and  upright  citizens  of  Somers  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where 
he  had  accumulated  a  large  property  through  his  own  exertions.  He  was 
born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  Jan.  13,  181 3,  son  of  Conrad  and  Minnie 
(Griese)  Heidersdorf,  both  of  whom  died  in  Germany.  They  had  two  sons 
and  two  daughters,  the  one  survivor  being  Lizetta,  widow  of  Jacob  Barnes, 
of  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county. 

Christian  Heidersdorf  received  a  good  common  school  education  in  his 
youth,  but  as  his  father  died  when  he  was  still  small  he  was  obliged  to  begin 
work  at  an  early  period  in  his  life.  He  worked  for  several  years  in  the  mines  in 
Germany,  and  later  became  a  mine  superintendent.  After  serving  out  his 
time  in  the  regular  army,  according  to  the  laws  of  his  land,  in  1851  he  came 
to  America  and  settled  with  his  brother  William  at  St.  Louis.  When  the 
cholera  broke  out  there  they  left  Missouri  and  came  to  Wisconsin,  settling 
in  Somers  township,  Kenosha  county.  There  he  and  his  brother  bought  sixty- 
seven  acres  of  land,  the  same  on  which  Mrs.  Heidersdorf  still  lives,  and  here 
they  built  a  small  frame  house.  Later  Mr.  Heidersdorf  added  fifty  acres  to 
his  first  land,  and  later  bought  ninety  acres  in  Paris  township,  and  ten  acres 
of  woodland.  William  never  married  but  lived  on  this  land  until  his  death, 
and  in  this  home  our  subject  died  two  years  later,  in  1878.  He  was  a  man 
much  respected  by  all  who  knew  him,  kind  in  his  family  and  helpful  to  his 
neighbors.  Politically  he  w^as  a  Republican.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Luth- 
eran Church. 

On  Feb.  14,  1857,  on  the  farm  on  which  bis  widow  now  resides,  Mr. 
Heidersdorf  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Margaret  Meier,  who  was 
born  in  Hessen-Homburg,  Germany,  Dec.  29,  1835,  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Margaret  (Rohr)  Meier,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  1842,  when  his  daugh- 
ter Margaret  was  seven  years  old.  Mrs.  Heidersdorf  was  reared  in  Germany, 
and  came  to  America  with  her  mother,  two  brothers  and  a  sister  when 
eighteen  years  old,  and  they  settled  in  Paris  township,  where  the  mother  died 
aged  eighty-nine  years.  Her  grandfather,  Jacob  Meier,  was  a  farmer  in 
Germany,  and  both  he  and  wife  died  there,  the  parents  of  five  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Mrs.  Margaret  (Rohr)  Meier  was  a  daughter  of  Anton  and  Eliza- 
b.eth  Rohr.  farming  people  who  lived  to  be  about  seventy-five  years  old. 

To  the  marriaee  of  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Heidersdorf  were  born  five  sons  and 
five  daughters:     William:  Christian:   Frank  and  Fannie,  twins:  Margaret; 


2S6  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Ilattie  and  Atklic.  twins;  Minnie;  Henry;  and  John.  William,  a  merchant 
at  Chapin,  Paris  township,  married  Alice  Murray,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Edna  and  Harold ;  Christian,  a  farmer  in  Yorkville  township,  Racine  couniy, 
married  Caroline  Biehn,  and  they  have  three  children,  Frances,  Ethlyn  and 
Alvin ;  Frank,  unmarried,  carries  on  a  threshing  machine  business ;  Fannie 
married  Henry  Biehn,  of  Paris  township,  and  they  have  two  children,  Camilla 
and  Howard ;  Margaret  is  the  widow  of  William  Coughlin  of  Paris  township, 
and  has  two  children.  Frances  and  Stanley ;  Hattie  married  Frank  Holmes. 
of  Yorkville  township,  and  they  have  two  sons,  Ross  and  Roy ;  Addie  married 
Myron  Gould,  a  blacksmith  of  Somers  township,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren, Jay,  Max  and  Gladys.  The  others  live  at  home  with  the  mother  in  the 
old  homestead  in  Somers  township.  They  are  members  of  the  Lutheran 
Church. 

HENRY  L.  BULLAMORE,  of  No.  571  Prairie  avenue.  Kenosha,  is  one 
of  the  old  residents  of  Kenosha  county,  and  was  born  in  Paris  township,  that 
county,  Feb.  13.  1855. 

The  Bullamore  family  originated  in  England,  where  both  the  paternal 
grandparents  died,  when  quite  young,  leaving  a  number  of  children.  James 
Bullamore.  father  of  Henry  L.,  was  born  in  Lincolnshire  in  1809.  A  lifelong 
farmer,  he  came  to  America  in  1835  and  spent  seven  years  in  LUica,  N.  Y.. 
after  which  he  moved  to  Wisconsin  in  1842  and  spent  the  next  six  or  seven 
years  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township.  From  there  he  went  to  Paris  township, 
buying  first  a  tract  of  no  acres,  and  adding  to  it  until  he  owned  900  acres. 
He  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  there,  and  some  years  before  his  death,  in  1886. 
divided  his  property  among  his  children.  James  Bullamore  married  Miss 
Mary  Ann  Roddle,  born  in  Lincolnshire  in  1813.  She  died  in  1890,  the  mother 
of  five  sons  and  two  daughters.  Those  of  the  family  who  survive  are :  Ellen, 
widow  of  Newcomb  Waldo,  of  Bristol  township ;  Maria,  Mrs.  Moses  John- 
son, of  the  same  township;  Charles  A.,  of  Cass  county.  N.  Dak.;  and  Henry 
L.     The  parents  were  both  professors  of  the  Methodist  faith. 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  (Roddle)  Bullamore  was  descended  from  Stephen  Roddle. 
an  Englishman,  who  was  the  overseer  of  a  big  farm  in  England.  In  1838 
he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  settled  in  Utica,  N.  Y.,  until  1843,  and  then  went  W^est 
to  W'isconsin.  After  a  few  years  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township  he  moved  to 
McGatt's  Corners,  in  Racine  county,  from  which  place  he  again  moved  to 
Sparta,  Wis.,  where  he  died  well  advanced  in  years.  His  wife,  Ann  Roddle, 
bore  him  a  large  family,  and  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-eight. 

Henry  L.  Bullamore  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  and  received  the  usual 
training  for  life  which  a  pioneer  farmer's  son  of  that  day  and  place  was  given. 
He  attended  the  district  schools,  and  then  became  a  farmer  himself.  He  was 
the  youngest  of  the  family,  and  as  the  others  had  left  home  the  management  of 
his  father's  property  fell  to  him  for  some  years.  Later  he  bought  177  acres  of 
land  of  his  own,  adjoining  the  homestead,  and  now  has  a  tract  of  over  four 
hundred  acres  in  all,  of  which  230  acres  represent  the  old  Bullamore  home- 
stead. He  lived  on  his  farm  until  1898,  but  in  that  year  gave  up  active  farm- 
ing and  rented  his  place.  Moving  into  Kenosha,  he  built  a  home  there,  and 
went  into  the  real  estate,  loan  and  insurance  business,  which  he  has  since  been 


,  X  ^.c^^^^-^^---^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  257 

pursuing  with  much  success.    He  is  one  of  Kenosha's  substantial  citizens,  and 
a  man  whose  opinion  carries  weight. 

Mr.  BuUamore  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Addie 
Lieber,  daughter  of  James  Lieber,  to  whom  he  was  united  June  6,  1882,  and 
who  died  the  14th  ot  the  foUowing  May.  His  second  union  occurred  June  ij, 
1893,  when  Miss  Frances  Wilhams  became  his  wife.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Jane  WiUiams.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  Marian 
A.  and  William  Henry.  Mr.  Bullamore  belongs  to  the  Congregational  Church 
and  politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

*  WILLIAM  F.  BURFEIND,  a  prominent  business  citizen  of  Racine 
and  one  of  the  well-known  architects  of  that  city,  was  born  Dec.  4,  1872,  in 
Elpaso,  111.,  a  son  of  Barthold  and  Louisa  (Weinrich)  Burfeind. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Burfeind  were  natives  of  Germany,  the  father  com- 
ing from  Hanover  and  the  mother  from  Waldeck.  They  had  nine  children 
born  to  them,  two  sons  and  seven  daughters,  namely :  Freida,  wife  of  Fred- 
erick D.  Stuenkel,  of  Chicago;  Frances,  wife  of  J.  Henry  Meyer,  of  Chicago 
Ridge,  111.;  Anna,  unmarried;  William  F.,  of  Racine;  Virginia  E.  and  Rosina 
M.,  twins,  the  former  wife  of  Edmund  Kinney,  of  Alliance,  Ohio;  Lydia, 
deceased;  Clara,  unmarried;  and  Raymond  H.,  of  Chicago. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Burfeind  came  from  Germany  to  Am- 
erica with  his  family  and  settled  in  Missouri,  where  he  and  wife  died.  The 
maternal  grandfather  was  Christian  Weinrich,  who  came  to  America  in  1851 
and  settled  in  Ohio,  removing  from  there  to  Adams  county,  111.,  where  he  car- 
ried on  farming  and  blacksmithing.  Later  he  removed  to  Elpaso,  111.,  and 
still  later  to  Rochelle,  where  he  died  aged  eighty-four  years.  His  wife  died 
at  Elpaso  aged  sixty-seven  years. 

The  father  of  Mr.  Burfeind  was  a  minister  in  the  German  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Church  for  forty-one  years.  He  was  nine  years  old  when  his 
parents  brought  him  to  America.  His  first  pastorate  w-as  at  East  St.  Louis, 
111.,  his  next  one  at  Camp  Point  and  later  he  w-as  stationed  at  Elpaso,  Rich- 
ton  and  Lemont.  At  the  latter  place  he  resigned  and  moved  to  Chicago, 
where  he  did  missionary  work  in  and  around  that  city.  His  useful  Christian 
life  closed  there  Dec.  17,  1903,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years.  His  widow 
survives  and  lives  in  Chicago. 

William  F.  Burfeind  was  five  years  old  when  his  parents  left  Elpaso  and 
his  father  took  charge  of  the  church  at  Richton.  There  he  went  to  school  un- 
til fourteen,  attending  the  German  parochial  school  at  first,  but  later  the  com- 
mon schools,  and  he  was  also  instructed  at  home,  his  father  wishing  him  to 
have  every  advantage.  When  but  fourteen  he  decided  upon  his  life  career, 
entering  then  upon  the  study  of  his  present  profession,  which  he  has  contin- 
ued to  follow  until  the  present,  with  the  exception  of  but  two  years.  His 
work  has  met  with  the  approval  of  the  public  to  a  satisfactory  degree  and 
there  are  many  examples  of  it  in  Racine. 

Mr.  Burfeind  was  married  Nov.  12,  i8gg,  to  ]Miss  Helen  Marion  Kiss- 
ling,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Selmeta   (Lang)   Kissling.  and  they  have  one 


258  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

daughter,  Evelyn  Helen.     They  are  members  of  St.  John's  Lutheran  Church. 
Politically  he  is  a  Democrat. 

The'father  of  Mrs.  Burfeind  was  a  native  of  Switzerland  and  her  mother 
of  Germany.  They  were  married  at  Monte  Video,  Argentine  Republic,  and 
they  came  to  America  in  1887,  settling  in  Chicago  where  they  still  reside. 
They  had  six  children,  viz.  •:  Selmeta,  wife  of  Fred  Sparfeld  :  Helen  Marion, 
Mrs.  Burfeind;  Robert;  Ernest;  Theodore;  and  Godfrey. 

OLE  NELSON,  former  proprietor  of  the  "Fox  River  Hotel,"  Water- 
ford,  Wis.,  illustrates  in  a  striking  manner  what  may  be  accomplished  in 
America  by  the  sturdy  independent  race  which  he  is  proud  to  claim  as  ances- 
tral stock.  In  the  rugged  pioneer  work  of  the  Northwest,  which  has  wrested 
her  virgin  fields  and  primeval  forests  from  the  \vilderness  and  transformed 
them  into  habitable  communities,  the  sons  of  Norway  have  borne  a  manly 
and  a  generous  part.  Historically  brave,  they  have  not  only  cheerfully 
shouldered  their  full  burden  of  hardships  for  the  sake  of  their  families  and 
to  win  personal  independence,  but  have  been  earnest  pioneers  in  the  planting 
of  Protestantism  in  the  great  States  of  the  Northwest.  With  this  latter  work 
the  father  of  Ole  Nelson  is  historically  identified. 

Ole  Nelson  was  born  in  the  northwest  corner  of  Waterford  township, 
Racine  county,  Sept.  4,  1843,  the  son  of  Halver  and  Isabelle  Nelson,  both 
natives  of  Norway.  The  year  prior  to  his  birth  his  parents  had  emigrated 
from  the  Fatherland  and  settled  in  that  locality  upon  eighty  acres  of  land, 
which  the  father  had  purchased  at  government  price.  He  added  to  the  orig- 
inal tract  whenever  possible,  until  he  owned  220  acres  in  Waterford,  Norway 
and  Muskego  (Waukesha  county)  townships,  and  100  acres  in  the  township 
of  Vernon,  Waukesha  county.  But  although  he  became  a  large  land  owner 
he  remained  until  his  death  upon  the  farm  which  he  first  purchased.  His 
heart  clung  to  the  old  homestead  to  the  last.  His  journey  to  his  new  home 
•of  1842  was  by  way  of  Milwaukee,  through  an  unopened  country  whose  best 
routes  were  marked  by  blazed  trees.  Arriving  at  his  destination  in  Waterford 
township.  Halver  Nelson  built  a  log  house  for  the  shelter  of  his  young  wife 
and  himself,  and  there,  in  September  of  the  following  year,  was  born  their 
only  child,  Ole.  The  mother  died  Oct.  15,  1843,  the  month  after  his  birth, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years.  The  father  lived  to  be  seventy-eight  years 
old,  the  log  house  was  replaced  by  a  substantial  frame  residence,  and  the  poor 
struggling  farmer  became  a  thrifty  and  honored  agriculturist. 

Halver  Nelson  and  his  wife  were  both  earnest  members  of  the  Nor- 
^vegian  Lutheran  Church,  and  the  former  has  the  distinction  of  having  built 
the  first  house  of  worship  for  that  denomination  in  the  United  States.  It  was 
a  tw-o-story  structure  of  hewn  logs,  the  first  minister  to  hold  services  in  it 
being  Rev.  Mr.  Clauson.  In  the  spring  of  1905  the  building  was  taken  down 
and  transported  to  St.  Paul.  ]\Iinn.,  being  there  rebuilt  as  a  historical  me- 
mento— the  first  Norwegian  Lutheran  Church  in  America.  Both  Halver 
Nelson  and  his  wife  were  charter  members  of  the  congregation  which  wor- 
shipped in  it,  prior  to  their  arrival  the  adherents  of  their  faith  meeting  for 
religious  services  in  a  log  barn. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  259 

Halver  Nelson  married  fur  his  second  wife  Margaret  Nelson,  who  died 
in  1862,  aged  forty  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  five  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter, as  mentioned  below,  the  first  three  of  whom  are  deceased :  Nels ;  Halver ; 
Margaret,  who  was  the  wife  of  Charles  Johnson ;  Ole,  of  Norway  township ; 
Albert  and  John,  of  Waterford,  the  former  residing  on  the  old  homestead. 
Anna,  the  third  wife,  died  Dec.  20,  1891,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years  and  thir- 
teen days,  and  the  husband  himself  followed  Sept.  29,  1894,  being  seventy- 
eight  years  old  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Nels  Nelson,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Ole,  a  native  of  Norway,  emi- 
grated to  America  in  1842  and  settled  first  in  Waterford  township,  but  later 
located  in  Vernon  township,  Waukesha  county,  where  he  lived  and  died  with 
his  son.  Kittle  Nelson,  having  reached  the  remarkable  age  of  over  one  hun- 
dred years.  His  wife,  Trena  Nelson,  lived  to  be  more  than  eighty  years  of 
age.  The  children  born  to  them  were  Ole,  Halver,  Kittle,  Margaret  and  Trena. 
Nels  Nelson  was  a  hardy  laborer,  and  before  coming  to  the  United  States 
(in  181 7)  had  served  in  the  Norwegian  army. 

Ole  Nelson  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Waterford  township,  his 
schooling  Ijeing  limited  to  two  or  three  winter  terms  in  the  old-fashioned  log 
schoolhouse  of  his  neighborhood.  Until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age  he 
lived  at  home,  being  trained  not  only  to  husbandry  but  to  the  carpenter's 
trade.  He  was  engaged  at  the  latter  vocation  for  a  numljer  of  years,  and  then 
followed  agriculture  for  a  time,  but  on  account  of  a  sunstroke  was  forced  to 
abandon  out-of-door  work.  In  the  spring  of  1880  he  erected  a  hotel  building 
in  the  village  of  Waterford,  and  prospered  in  his  enterprise  until  the  summer 
of  1898.  On  the  ist  of  July  of  that  year  his  hotel  was  destroyed  by  fire;  but 
the  frame  building  which  was  burned  was  immediately  replaced  by  a  hand- 
some brick  structure,  heated  by  steam  and  supplied  with  other  modern 
conveniences  not  before  enjoyed.  So  that  what  seemed  at  first  like  a  calamity 
now  appears  to  have  been  a  blessing  in  disguise ;  for  the  rebuilt  and  greatly 
improved  "Fox  River  Hotel"  is  now  generally  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the 
best  village  hostelries  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin  and  would  unblushingly 
stand  comparison  with  many  metropolitan  establishments  of  the  kind.  Mr. 
Nelson  sold  the  place  March  20,  1906,  to  Joseph  Wieners  and  John  Nelson. 

On  June  14,  1873.  O'^  Nelson  was  married  to  Miss  Clara,  daughter  of 
John  and  Helen  (Christianson)  Nelson,  and  the  four  daughters  born  to  their 
union  were  Nora,  Hilda,  Josephine  and  Lulu.  Nora  married  John  Francis, 
a  clothing  merchant  of  Janesville,  Wis.,  and  they  have  two  children.  Nelson 
and  Sylva  Ruth  Frances.  Josephine  is  now  Mrs.  William  Anderson,  her 
husband  being  the  proprietor  of  a  meat  market  and  a  grocery  in  Chicago. 
Hilda  and  Lulu  live  at  home,  and  assist  their  parents  in  the  management  and 
operation  of  the  hotel.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  are  firm  in  the  Lutheran  faith 
of  their  forefathers,  and  politically  the  former  is  a  Republican. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Nelson,  who  were  also  natives  of  Norway,  emigrated] 
to  America  when  they  were  young,  married  in  Racine  county  and  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Clayton  township,  Winnebago  Co..  Wis.  He  was  the  owner  of  a 
good  homestead  of  t6o  acres,  and  finally  died  in  the  village  of  Waterford,  in 
the  fall  of  1895,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years.  His  wife  had  passed  away  in 


26o  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

1888,  aged  sixty-five  years.  They  were  nieinbers  of  the  Lutheran  Churcli, 
and  the  parents  of  Nels  Nelson,  George  and  Clara  (_Mrs.  Ole  Xelsonj.  Xels 
lives  in  Marshfield,  \Vis.,  and  George  m  Sioux  City,  Iowa. 

Reviewing  the  continually  progressive  career  of  Ole  A'elson,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  he  is  one  of  the  most  widely  known  and  generally  respected  citi- 
zens of  Waterford  township,  and  of  those  who  were  born  in  it,  he  is  perhaps 
the  oldest  continuous  resident.  From  childhood  he  was  inured  to  the  priva- 
tiiins  and  hardships  of  a  pioneer  life,  and  was  therefore  firmly  grounded  in 
the  principles  of  industry  and  economy.  When  a  boy  he  never  thought  of 
wearing  shoes  from  the  time  snow  left  until  it  came  again,  e.xcept  on  special 
occasions,  which  were  rare.  His  sleeping  apartment  in  the  log  cabin  was  un- 
der the  roof,  and  it  was -quite  necessary  for  him  to  sleep  with  his  head  cov- 
ered during  the  cold  weather  in  order  to  keep  his  face  from  freezing,  as  the 
roof  over  him  was  so  open  that  he  could  lie  in  his  bed  and  count  the  stars. 
Very  early  he  was  put  to  work  in  the  fields  and  well  remembers  when  the 
plowing  was  done  by  oxen,  and  when  in  cultivating  corn  it  was  necessary  for 
one  person  to  lead  the  animal  and  another  to  hold  the  plow.  He  also  recalls 
the  picture  of  the  ox  muzzled  with  a  willow  basket,  both  as  a  means  of  pro- 
tecting the  grain  and  of  controlling  the  beast — usually  so  docile,  but  pos- 
sessed of  a  wild,  appetite  for  corn.  As  Ole  grew  to  manhood  he  became  an 
expert  in  cutting  his  wheat  and  oats  with  a  cradle,  and  his  hay  with  a  scythe. 
Further,  from  long  and  arduous  experience,  he  became  most  skillful  in  cut- 
ting cordwood,  splitting  rails,  and  digging  and  burning  stumps,  and  he  now 
recalls  with  much  regret  how  much  fine  timber  was  wasted  by  the  old  settlers 
in  biu-ning  the  material  in  order  to  clear  their  lands  for  farming  purposes. 
Despite  these  years  of  wearing  labor  he  can  revert  to  many  happy  days  in 
the  rude  log  cabin,  living  there  in  the  old-fashioned  way;  and,  a$  stated,  his 
rough  pioneer  experience  taught  him  invaluable  lessons  of  perseverance  and 
economy. 

Mr.  Nelson  feels  that  the  foregoing  experiences  well  prepared  him  fur  his 
untried  career  as  a  hotel  proprietor.  When  he  started  his  enterprise  in  Wat- 
erford the  business  was  absolutely  new  to  him;  but  he  had  already  seen  the 
importance  of  persistent  industry  and  economy,  and  simply  applied  what  he 
had  learned,  as  to  the  successful  management  of  a  pioneer  family,  to  the 
larger  business  in  hand.  Both  commercial  travelers  and  permanent  patrons 
know  how  well  he  has  succeeded,  and  he  has  the  satisfaction  of  realizing  that 
by  his  wisely  directed  labors  he  has  accumulated  a  competency  for  his  old  age. 
and  has  raised  an  industrious  and  intelligent  family.  His  success  in  life,  how- 
e\-er.  is  not  due  entirely  to  his  own  efforts,  for  his  good  wife  and  daughters 
are  justly  entitled  to  their  share  of  praise;  for  they  have  all  worked  together 
in  harmony  for  the  common  welfare,  and  form,  as  a  whole,  a  noteworthy 
illustration  of  the  industrious,  thrifty,  intelligent  and  eminently  useful  fan-uly, 
in  whose  veins  runs  the  vigorous  blood  of  the  pioneer  and  who  are  trained 
to  his  honest  and  God-fearing  ways. 

JAMES  T\I.  STEBBINS,  who  died  in  Kenosha  Feb.  8,  1006,  repre- 
sented one  of  the  earliest  pioneer  families  of  Kenosha  county.     He  was  of 


CO:NniE:^IORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  261 

Revolutionary  ancestry  in  both  paternal  and  maternal  lines,  coming  from 
Massachusetts  and  Xew  York  stock,  and  was  born  on  the  ^lohawk  ri\er,  in 
New  York  State,  Nov.  6.  1829,  son  of  Rev,  Salmon  and  Ruth  (Hopkins) 
Stebbins. 

The  paternal  grandfather  was  born  in  either  Massachusetts  or  New 
Hampshire,  of  English  ancestry,  and  spent  his  whole  life  in  the  East,  where 
he  and  his  wife  reared  a  large  family  and  lived  to  advanced  age.  He  served 
ill  the  Revolutionary  war.  as  did  also  Mr.  Stebbins'  maternal  grandfather, 
Stephen  Hopkins.  The  latter  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  lived 
to  be  very  old. 

Rev.  Salmon  Stebbins  was  born  in  Massachusetts  about  1794,  and  his 
w^ife,  Ruth  Hopkins,  was  born  in  New  York.  Of  their  two  sons  and  five 
daughters,  the  following  three  are  now  living :  Emily,  Mrs.  Amos  S.  Water- 
man, of  W'aukegan.  111. ;  Jane,  Mrs.  William  H.  Sadler,  of  Bloomington, 
Neb. ;  and  Charlotte,  Mrs.  Charles  H.  Douglas,  of  Bloomington,  Neb.  The 
father  was  a  ^lethodist  minister  and  was  actively  engaged  in  preaching  from 
his  twentieth  year  until  a  twelvemonth  before  his  death.  He  was  sent  by  the 
New  York  Conference  as  a  missionary  to  Wisconsin,  and  began  his  work 
there  as  an  itinerant  preacher  in  1835,  building  his  first  log  cabin  in  the  fall 
of  that  year.  It  was  the  oldest  in  Kenosha,  then  known  by  the  Indian  name  of 
Pike  river,  and  stood  on  the  present  site  of  Simmons  Hall,  the  people  congre- 
gating there  a  few  years  later  from  miles  around  to  listen  to  his  services. 

After  Mr.  Stebbins'  first  year  as  a  missionary  he  went  back  to  New  York 
on  an  Indian  pony,  making  his  way  around  the  lakes.  In  the  spring  of  1837 
he  returned  by  boat  with  his  family,  while  another  minister  who  was  also 
going  to  Wisconsin,  by  name  Jonathan  Hodges,  rode  the  pony  back.  Mr. 
Stel>bins  was  very  fond  of  this  pony,  of  which  he  took  possession  again  when 
he  returned  to  Wisconsin,  riding  him  for  years  on  his  preaching  tours  through 
W'isconsin  and  Illinois,  and  keeping  him  till  the  horse  finally  died.  Mr.  Steb- 
bins continued  to  preach  until  1881,  when  he  was  obliged  to  gi\e  up  his  work 
because  of  inflammatory  rheumatism.  He  djed  the  following  year,  aged 
eighty-eight,  and  was  buried  in  the  family  lot  of  his  son,  James  M,,  beside  the 
remains  of  his  first  wife,  who  had  died  in  1871,  aged  about  seventy.  A  hand- 
some monument  now  stands  there  in  their  memory.  Mr.  Stebbins  was  sur- 
vived by  his  second  wife,  who  was  a  Mrs.  Pike. 

James  M.  Stebbins  wa's  eight  years  old  wdien  he  came  to  Kenosha  county 
and  grew  up  there  on  a  farm.  He  attended  the  subscription  schools  first  and 
later  the  Waukegan  Academy,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1850.  After 
leaving  school  he  became  a  clerk  in  Waukegan  for  his  brother-in-law,  Francis 
H.  Porter,  but  after  a  year  there  he  took  a  similar  position  in  Kenosha  with 
Fisk  &  Metcalf,  leaving  them  later  to  enter  the  employ  of  Simmons  &  Son,  the 
members  of  the  firm  being  Ezra  and  Z.  G.  Simmons.  In  November,  i860, 
Mr.  Stebbins  was  elected  sheriff,  and  served  two  terms,  and  the  following  six 
years  he  was  under-sheriff.  For  eleven  years,  from  1871  to  1881,  both  in- 
clusive, he  was  justice  of  the  peace,  after  which  he  turned  his  attention  to  real 
estate,  and  was  in  that  business  for  many  years.  He  also  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  T.  M.  Ackerman  in  a  tannery,  and  when  the  latter  wished  to  retire 
Mr.   Stebbins  bought  his  interest  and  continued  alone  until    1893  or   1894. 


262  COAIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

I-'runi  that  time  until  1902,  while  still  regarding"  Kenosha  as  his  home,  he 
engaged  in  real  estate  dealing  ni  Chicago,  where  he  owned  considerable  prop- 
erty, at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  resided  in  a  handsome  home  at  No.  564 
Park  avenue,  Kenosha.  Mr.  Stebbins  stood  as  a  fine  example  of  the  upright, 
honest  business  man,  and  he  was  held  in  deservedly  high  esteem. 

James  M.  Stebbins  married  Feb.  19,  1857,  Miss  Esther  H.  Simmons, 
daughter  of  Ezra  and  ]\Iaria  (Gilbert)  Simmons,  and  eight  children  were 
torn  to  them,  namely:  (i)  Maria  married  Frank  F.  Loomis,  of  Evanston, 
111.,  to  whom  she  has  borne  six  children,  John,  Joseph  G.,  Esther  M.,  Sarah 
Josephine,  Frank  F.,  Jr.,  and  Emily.  (2)  Zalmon  G.,  of  Chicago,  married 
Miss  Lena  Miller,  and  has  two  daughters,  Esther  and  Margaret.  (3)  Ben- 
jamin F.  Butler  is  a  resident  of  Kenosha.  (4)  Emma  E.  is  the  wife  of  J. 
Keck  Wheeler,  of  Kenosha,  and  the  mother  of  one  child,  Elizabeth  Stebbins. 
(5)  Ruth  Hopkins  married  Richmond  P.  McKinnon,  of  Chicago,  and  has  one 
son,  Benjamin  Paul.  (6)  Elizabeth  Biddlecorn  is  well  known  as  a  musician 
being- one  of  the  finest  pianists  in  Wisconsin.  (7)  Belle  Louise  married  Doug- 
las K.  Newell,  of  Kenosha,  and  has  one  son,  Douglas  K.  Newell,  Jr.  (8) 
James  S.  died  when  five  years  old.  The  father  of  this  family  was  a  LTnitarian 
in  his  religious  belief.  Socially  he  was  a  thirty-second  degree  Scottish  Rite 
Mason,  belonging  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Kenosha  Chapter, 
No.  3,  R.  A.  M. ;  and  Racine  Commandery.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows.  He  was  first  made  a  Mason  by  his  father  in  May,  1850.  Politically 
he  was  always  a  strong  Republican.  He  was  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in 
Kenosha,  where  he  resided  in  all  some  sixty-seven  years. 

Mrs.  Esther  H.  Stebbins  is  descended  from  Rouse  Simmons,  a  farmer, 
born  in  Connecticut.  He  moved  to  New  York  State,  and  died  there  in  old  age. 
Mrs.  Stebbins"  grandmother,  Mary  Potter,  was  his  first  wife,  and  died  quue 
young,  leaving  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  By  a  second  marriage  there 
were  two  children.  The  maternal  grandparents  were  Zalmon  and  Esther 
(Hendricks)  Gilbert,  the  former  a  New  York  farmer  and  a  colonel  in  the 
State  militia.  Mrs.  Stebbins  is  named  for  this  grandmother,  who  lived  to 
be  well  along  in  years,  and  was  the  mother  of  eleven  children.  After  her 
death  Mr.  Gilbert,  then  quite  old,  married  again. 

RICHARD  JONES  (deceased),  a  very  highly  esteemed  citizen  of 
Racine,  who  retired  from  business  a  few  years  prior  to  his  death,  was  born 
in  Radnorshire,  parish  of  Bettewesdessert,  South  Wales,  April  25,  1830,  son 
of  James  and  Betsy  (Bluck)  Jones,  the  former  a  native  of  England  and  the 
latter  of  Wales. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  the  deceased  was  James  Jones,  a  native  of 
Wales,  and  a  millwright  by  occupation.  He  died  in  Wales,  well  advanced 
in  years,  his  wife  having  passed  away  in  middle  life.  Of  their  family  of  seven 
sons,  James  was  the  youngest.  Two  of  the  sons  of  James,  the  grandfather, 
were  in  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  Ijeing  members  of  the  King's  Dragoons. 
Richard  Jones'  maternal  grandfather  was  born  in  England,  and  is  supposed 
to  have  been  of  French  descent.  He  died  in  England  in  middle  life,  as  did 
also  his  wife.  James  Jones,  the  father,  was  a  miller  and  millwright  and  died 
in  Wales  in   1855,  aged  seventy-six  years,  his  wife  having  passed  away  in 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  265 

185-'.  They  were  members  of  the  Church  of  England.  He  was  a  prominent 
man  in  his  community,  and  was  relief  officer  for  the  poor.  Of  his  family  of 
nine  children,  but  one  is- now  living,  John,  the  eldest  son. 

Richard  Jones  and  his  wife  came  to  America  in  1854,  leaving  Wales  on 
his  birthday  and  arriving  in  New  York  on  hers,  having  been  on  the  ocean  for 
forty  days.  Mr.  Jones  had  received  his  education  in  his  native  country,  and 
after  assisting  his  father  in  the  mill  for  two  years  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
which  he  followed  a  number  of  years.  On  coming  to  America  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jones  located  in  Wisconsin,  and  settled  twelve  miles  west  of  Kenosha,  in  the 
town  of  Paris,  where  he  purchased  a  farm,  to  which  he  added,  at  one  time 
having  115  acres.  During  the  Civil  war  he  was  postmaster  at  Paris  Corners. 
He  lived  there  until  1875,  when  he  purchased  an  interest  in  a  general  store  in 
Union  Grove,  and  lived  there  until  about  1889,  when  he  purchased  a  general 
store  in  partnership  with  his  son-in-law,  John  Dixon.  A  year  later  he  sold 
out  and  bought  the  property  upon  which  he  was  residing  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  No.  1502  Washington  avenue,  and  where  he  carried  on  merchandising 
until  his  retirement  from  business  in  1901. 

On  April  12,  1854,  Mr.  Jones  married  ]Miss  Martha  Ingraham.  daughter 
of  Richard  and  Catherine  (Davis)  Ingraham,  and  to  this  union 
were  born  five  children :  Sarah  Ann,  who  married  Orlando  Orcutt,  de- 
ceased, now  lives  in  Racine,  and  has  one  child,  Lucile  Orlando ;  Martha  Jane 
married  John  Dixon,  of  Racine,  and  has  two  children,  Guy  and  Bessie ;  Hattie 
married  Richard  R.  Birdsall,  a  contractor  of  Racine,  and  has  four  children, 
William  R.,  Athiline.  Nettie  and  Richard;  John  J.,  who  is  in  the  hardware 
business  at  Union  Grove,  married  Nellie  Bossman,  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren, Richard  Wallace  and  Dortha ;  and  Ida  May  is  a  milliner  of  Milwaukee. 

Mr.  Jones  w-as  a  memlaer  of  the  Baptist  Church,  with  which  Mrs.  Jones 
also  unites.  They  celebrated  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  their  wedding  April 
12,  1904,  but  the  husband  did  not  survive  another  year,  for  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing, March  5,  1905,  he  passed  away  while  in  attendance  at  divine  services. 

JOHN  FONK,  a  substantial  and  representative  farmer-citizen  of  Keno- 
sha county.  Wis.,  owns  and  operates  191 /4  acres  of  land  in  Section  14,  and 
another  tract  of  eighty  acres  in  Section  25,  in  Paris  township.  He  was  born 
in  Vochern,  Saarburg,  Rhine  Prussia,  Germany,  Dec.  27,  1839,  son  of  Philip 
and  INIargaret  ( Sievenlx)rn )  Fonk,  natives  of  Germany.  Nicholas  Fonk,  his 
grandfather,  was  a  mason  by  trade.  He  was  married  twice,  and  died  in  Ger- 
many when  past  middle  life. 

Philip  Fonk  was  a  mason  and  stone  cutter  by  trade,  and  helped  build  the 
city  hall  in  Paris,  France.  He  married  Margaret  Sievenborn,  daughter  of 
John  Sievenborn,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  was  a  weaver  by  trade,  and  lived 
to  be  nearly  seventy  years  of  age.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he  married 
twice,  having  a  daughter  by  each  of  his  marriages;  Margaret,  the  mother  of 
John  Fonk.  was  the  child  of  the  first  marriage.  In  1846  Philip  Fonk  came  to 
America  with  his  wife  and  three  children,  and  settled  in  the  town  of  Paris. 
Kenosh-1  Co..  Wis.,  purchasing  twenty  acres  of  Government  land.  This  he 
later  sold,  and  purchased  eierhty  acres,  wdiich  is  known  as  the  old  homestead. 
Pie  kept  adding  to  this  tract  from  time  to  time  until  he  finally  had  410  acres. 


264        com:\iemorative  biographical  record. 

and  upon  this  farm  he  resided  until  two  years  prior  to  his  death,  wliich  occur- 
red at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mary,  Oct.  29,  1888,  when  he  was  aged 
seventy-two  years.  His  wife  had  passed  away  ^Vpril  2,  1887,  also  aged  sev- 
enty-two years.  Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Fonk 
served  as  clerk  of  the  school  district  for  some  time.  In  his  native  country  he 
had  been  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  army.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philip  Fonk  were 
born  seven  children:  John;  Mary,  wife  of  Nicholas  Spartz,  of  Paris  town- 
ship; Matthew,  Philip  and  Nicholas,  of  Paris  township;  Michael  of  Somers 
township ;  and  Peter,  deceased. 

John  Fonk  was  only  in  his  seventh  year  when  he  came  to  America  with 
his  parents,  and  until  eighteen  years  of  age  he  remained  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Paris  township.  His  father  then  gave  him  a  horse  and  a  third  interest  in 
a  wagon,  and  he  and  F.  G.  Meyers  and  Henry  Middlecamp  started  to  Pike's 
Peak  in  1859.  On  reaching  Fort  Kearney  the  other  two  turned  back  and  re- 
turned home,  but  Mr.  Fonk,  with  Peter  Hinderholtz  and  John  Smith,  went  on 
to  California.  Mr.  Fonk  worked  on  a  farm  for  a  while,  and  then  rode  a 
broncho  as  a  cowboy  for  three  and  one-half  years.  The  next  two  and  one-half 
years  he  spent  at  farm  work,  and  then  he  and  Andrew  and  Philip  Ports 
started  farming  together  on  their  own  hook,  in  Butte  county,  on  the  Feather 
river,  between  Oroville  and  Marysville,  Cal.  The  second  year  their  crops 
were  washed  out,  and  they  left  the  farm.  Mr.  Fonk  left  there  for  San  Jose, 
Santa  Clara  county,  and  there  worked  out  by  the  month.  In  the  fall  of  1867 
he  returned  to  Wisconsin,  and  six  months  later  was  married,  about  the  same 
time  purchasing  his  present  home  farm  of  ninety-three  and  one-half  acres,  to 
which  he  afterward  added  ninetj'-eight  acres  adjoining.  He  also  owns  a 
farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Section  25,  and  all  of  his  land  is  finely  improved. 

On  June  23,  1868,  Mr.  Fonk  married  Miss  Mary  Seivert,  daughter  of 
Peter  and  Mary  (Waggoner)  Seivert,  and  six  children  were  born  to  this 
union:  Francis,  Rose  M.,  George  N.,  Lillian  L.,  William  P.,  and  John  N. ; 
the  last  named  died  aged  seventeen  years.  All  the  rest  of  the  children  are  at 
home  with  the  exception  of  Francis  and  Rose  M.  (Mrs.  Robert  Nugent).  Mrs. 
Fonk  died  in  1887.  aged  about  forty  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Catlnolic  Church, 
to  whicli  Mr.  Fonk  also  belongs. 

Politically  Mr.  Fonk  is  a  stanch  Democrat.  He  was  district  clerk  and 
school  director  for  many  years,  but  in  spite  of  the  protest  of  friends  and 
acquaintances  resigned  these  positions,  feeling  that  he  had  done  his  duty  to- 
Avard  his  township.  Since  that  time  he  has  steadily  refused  to  hold  office  of 
any  kind.  He  is  highlv  esteemed  in  the  townshio,  where  he  has  witnessed 
wonderful  development  and  has  taken  an  honorable  ]iart  in  the  growtli  and 
progress. 

HANS  P.  NELSON,  the  well-known,  popular  countv  treasurer  of  Ra- 
cine countv.  is  a  highlv  esteemed  citizen  of  the  city  of  Raacine.  He  was  born 
in  Denmark  (now  Schleswig.  Germanv)  Julv  20,  i8i.6,  son  of  Andrew  and 
Mnrin  (Schmidt)  Nelson,  natives  of  thnt  country.  Of  their  family  but  two 
nre  now  living:  Henrietta  H.  (wife  of  Tver  Nissen)  and  Hans  P.,  both  of 
Racine. 

Andrew  Nelson  was  a   farmer  and  located  in  America  permanently  in 


^  {/}  Jy^c^^^^^ 


CO^IMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  265 

1885,  although  he  had  hvcd  in  this  country  two  years  previously.  He  settled 
on  a  farm  near  Britt.  Iowa,  upon  which  he  died  in  1888,  aged  seventy-two 
vears.  His  first  wife  had  passed  away  in  i860,  aged  about  fifty  years.  Both 
were  Lutherans.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  Mr.  Nelson  married  a  sec- 
ond time,  and  to  this  union  one  daughter,  Maria,  was  born ;  she  is  now  mar- 
ried and  lives  in  Germany.    Mr.  Nelson  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  Danish  army. 

Hans  P.  Nelson  was  reared  in  Denmark,  and  there  received  his  educa- 
tion. He  began  working  for  himself  wdien  a  small  boy,  and  learned  the  car- 
penter's trade,  which  he  followed  until  1892.  He  came  to  America  in  1870  and 
located  in  Union  Grove,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  remained  six  months,  en- 
gaged in  carpentering.  One  week  after  locating  in  Union  Grove  Mr.  Nel- 
son's wife,  whom  he  had  married  in  Germany,  died,  leaving  him  one  child,  a 
son,  at  that  time  one  year  old.  After  leaving  Union  Grove,  Mr.  Nelson  lo- 
cated in  Chicago,  where  he  spent  a  little  over  a  year,  returning  to  Union  Grove 
at  the  end  of  that  time.  In  1875  he  came  to  Racine,  and  here  has  made  his 
residence  ever  since.  In  1892  he  started  a  small  cigar  store  on  State  street, 
also  engaging  in  a  real  estate  and  insurance  business  in  which  he  still  con- 
tinues, and  in  which  he  has  been  very  successful. 

In  1868  Mr.  Nelson  married  ^liss  Christina,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary 
Jorgensen,  who  was  born  in  Denmark  (now  Schleswig,  Germany),  and  died 
in  April,  1870,  aged  twenty-three  years,  leaving  one  son,  Peter  B.,  who  mar- 
ried Rose  Johnson  and  has  one  daughter,  Constance  R.  Peter  B.  Nelson  is 
now  mayor  of  Racine.  On  Jan.  26,  1872,  Hans  P.  Nelson  married  for  his 
second  wife,  Helen  M.  Schmidt,  who  was  born  in  Gram,  Schleswig,  May  20. 
1848,  daughter  of  Jorgen  P.  and  Anna  M.  (Schack)  Schmidt,  also  natives  of 
Germany. 

In  the  fall  of  1902  Mr.  Nelson  was  elected  county  treasurer,  and  he  is 
now  serving  in  that  office;  he  has  also  served  as  alderman  of  the  Fifth  ward. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Danish 
Lutheran  Church.  He  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge.  No.  8,  I.O.  O.  F..  and  to  the 
Dania  Society.  He  has  for  many  years  been  prominent  in  society  work  and 
founded  the  order  of  LTnited  Danish  Societies  of  America,  Sept.  20,  1882.  Two 
years  later,  in  connection  with  the  last  named  society,  Mr.  Nelson  was  one  of 
the  fotmders  of  the  United  Danish  Societies  of  America,  an  assessment  insur- 
ance society,  w  hich  furnishes  cheap  insurance  to  its  members. 

FRANCIS  G.  KLEIN,  of  the  F.  G.  Klein  Company,  of  Burlinotnn,  Wis., 
manufacturers  of  German  birch  beer,  ginger  ale,  cream  soda,  and  all  kinds 
of  soda  water,  is  one  of  the  most  energetic  and  progressive  business  men  of 
that  place.  He  was  born  in  St.  Johann,  Alsace,  France  (now  Germany). 
March  5.  1833.  son  of  Francis  and  Mary  Ann  (Wagner)  Klein,  natives  of 
Alsace.  The  paternal  grandfather,  a  cooper  by  trade,  and  the  maternal  grand- 
father, a  wheelwright,  both  passed  away  in  Alsace. 

Francis  Klein,  the  father,  came  to  America  in  1840.  locating  first  at 
Pottsville,  Pa.,  where  he  follow^ed  his  trade  of  shoemaking.  In  1856  he  came 
West,  and  locating  in  Racine  engaged  in  working  at  his  trade  until  1865, 
when  he  came  to  Burlington.  Here  he  died  Jan.  25,  1884,  aged  eighty-one 
years:  his  wife  passed  away  in  her  seventy-second  year.  May  29,  1879.     Both 


266  COMME!\IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  He  served  in  the  regular  army  in 
France  for  fourteen  years,  Alsace  at  that  time  being  under  French  rule.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Klein  had  six  children  born  to  them,  four  of  whom  are  still  living : 
Francis  G.,  of  Burlington ;  John  I.,  of  Racine,  Wis. ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Frank 
Schneider,  of  Racine;  and  Peter  B.,  of  Chicago.  Mary,  now  deceased,  was 
married  twice,  first  to  Frank  Vogt,  and  after  his  death  to  John  Montag. 

Francis  G.  Klein  lived  in  his  native  country  until  seven  years  old  and  then 
coming  to  America  with  his  parents  grew  to  manhood  in  Pottsville,  Pa.,  there 
remaining  until  1856.  He  attended  free  school  there  two  winters.  After 
coming  West  he  lived  with  his  parents  at  Racine,  and  in  1865  came  with  them 
to  Burlington,  where  he  has  ever  since  made  his  home.  While  in  Racine  he 
was  foreman  in  the  blacksmith  shop  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine 
Works,  having  learned  the  trade  in  Pennsylvania.  Fifty-five  years  ago,  at 
Palo  Alto,  Schuylkill  Co.,  Pa.,  he  made  the  first  cow-fender  ever  put  on  a 
passenger  locomotive,  for  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading  Railway  Company ;  the 
plan  for  same  was  made  by  an  Irishman  named  John  Carr. 

After  locating  in  Burlington  Mr.  Klein  and  his  uncle  opened  a  foundry, 
which  they  operated  in  connection  with  a  machine  shop  for  some  years,  when 
the  partnership  was  dissolved.  Mr.  Klein  then  became  connected  with  Frank 
McCnmber  in  the  manufacture  of  plows  and  agricultural  implements,  and 
they  remained  together  for  a  number  of  years,  under  the  firm  name  of  Mc- 
Cumber  &  Klein.  During  this  time  Mr.  Klein  constructed  a  mechanical  mas- 
terpiece— what  is  known  as  a  side  hill  plow.  A  German  named  Joseph  Garicht, 
then  residing  in  Racine,  came  to  Burlington  to  explain  the  principles  of  the 
machine  to  Mr.  Klein,  who  without  any  other  guide  and  no  model  of  any 
kind,  to  govern  his  work,  completed  a  plow  which  Mr.  Garicht  claimed  ex- 
celled any  one  here  he  had  ever  worked  with.  McCumber  &  Klein  later  asso- 
ciated with  them  Charles  Leber,  and  Mr.  McCumber  later  withdrawing  from 
the  firm,  the  firm  name  became  Klein  &  Leber.  This  partnership  was  dissolved 
after  several  years,  and  Mr.  Klein  spent  some  time  selling  agricultural  imple- 
ments on  his  own  account.  He  then  formed  a  partnership  with  J.  H.  Bower, 
who  was  operating  a  bottling  works  at  Burlington,  the  firm  trading  under  the 
name  of  J.  H.  Bower  &  Co.  and  continuing  as  such  until  Nov.  11,  1889,  when 
Mr.  Klein's  son  purchased  Mr.  Bower's  interest.  Since  that  time  the  style 
has  been  the  F.  G.  Klein  Company.  Mr.  Klein  is  president.  Otto  A.  Klein, 
secretary,  and  F.  X.  Klein,  treasurer.  They  occupy  two  buildings,  L-shaped 
50x30  feet  each,  and  two  stories  in  height,  situated  on  the  corner  of  Pine  and 
Mill  streets.  The  buildings  are  steam-heated  and  equipped  with  the  latest 
improvements,  and  the  works  is  said  to  be  the  best  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin. 
From  eight  to  sixteen  people  are  employed,  and  the  product  finds  a  ready  sale 
all  over  this  section  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Klein  was  married  Feb.  4,  1862.  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Prasch,  daughter 
of  Philip  and  Barbara  (Cleaver)  Prasch,  and  to  this  union  were  born  three 
sons  and  seven  daughters,  as  follows :  Celia  Barbara,  Mary  Ann.  Adelheit 
Josephine.  Frank  X.,  Philip  J.,  Louisa  Christina,  Eleanora,  Otto,  Emma  and 
T,v(iia.  Celia  Barbara  married  John  G.  Rose,  who  is  the  proprietor  of  a 
bakery  in  Burlington.     Adelheit  Josephine  married  Joseph  Amend,  and  they 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  267 

reside  at  Milwaukee.  Frank  X.  married  Mamie  Reuschlein.  Philip  is  a 
Catholic  priest  in  the  Sacred  Heart  Congregation  of  St.  Erancis,  :Mil\vaukee. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Klein  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  Burhngton. 
He  belongs  to  the  St.  Eustachius  and  Sacred  Heart  Societies.  While  living 
in  Racine  Mr.  Klein  was  drafted  for  the  Civil  war,  being  the  first  man  drafted 
from  Racine  county,  but  owing  to  the  severe  sickness  of  his  wife  he  was 
obliged  to  hire  a  substitute.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  in  local  affairs 
votes  independently.  He  has  been  on  the  town  board  several  times,  and  on 
the  village  board  of  trustees,  and  at  present  is  supervisor  from  the  Third 
ward  in  Burlington.  He  owns  a  fine  tract  of  146  acres  in  Walworth  county, 
and  lives  at  No.  728  McHenry  street,  Burlington. 

Mrs.  Klein's  parents  were  natives  of  Bavaria,  and  were  early  settlers  of 
Racine  county.  They  had  two  children,  Mrs.  Klein,  and  a  son  who  died  in 
infancy.  Mrs.  Klein's  father  died  on  his  farm,  which  was  located  two  miles 
south  of  Burlington,  aged  fifty-two  years.  Her  mother  passed  away  a  number 
of  years  later,  in  her  eightieth  year.  They  were  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  ■• 

WILLIAM  R.  TATE,  city  assessor  of  Racine,  Wis.,  who  resides  at  No. 
935  Grand  avenue,  is  engaged  in  the  sign  painting  business.  He  was  born 
March  23,  1840,  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  son  of  John  C.  and  Sarah  (Edge)  Tate, 
natives  of  Carlisle,  England.  The  grandfather  was  a  stonemason  contractor, 
and  erected  many  bridges  and  viaducts  in  his  day.  He  died  when  a  young 
man,  in  1819,  he  and  his  wife  dying  of  cholera  within  a  week. 

John  C.  Tate,  the  father  of  William  R..  was  a  painter  by  trade,  and,  on 
coming  to  America,  located  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  he  was  married  to 
Sarah  Edge,  daughter  of  Samuel  Edge,  who  died  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  when 
aged  over  eighty  years.  He  was  a  native  of  England,  and  followed  farming. 
He  and  his  wife,  Emma,  had  a  large  family  of  children,  all  of  whom  are  now 
deceased.  Mr.  Tate  came  to  Wisconsin,  first  settling  in  Milwaukee,  where 
he  followed  his  trade  for  a  number  of  years  after  which  he  went  to  farming, 
eighteen  miles  from  Milwaukee  and  four  miles  west  of  Menomonee  Falls, 
where  in  1845  ^^  ^^^  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  for  $100.  This  tract 
he  improved,  and  he  died  there  Aug.  16,  1888,  aged  seventy-five  years,  his 
widow  surviving  seven  years,  and  being  eighty-two  years  old  at  the  time  of 
her  death.  Both  were  Episcopalians.  They  had  the  following  named  chil- 
dren:  William  R.,  of  Racine;  Samuel  E.,  of  Milwaukee;  George  C.  of  Chi- 
cago; Rev.  Colin  C,  an  Episcopalian  minister,  who  died  March  3,  1904;  and 
John  Frank,  also  deceased. 

William  R.  Tate  was  but  four  years  old  when  he  came  with  his  parents 
to  Wisconsin,  and  he  resided  in  Milwaukee  until  ten  years  old.  Until  he 
was  fifteen  years  of  age  he  attended  school  and  worked  on  the  farm,  and  then 
began  to  learn  house,  sign  and  wagon  painting.  He  worked  for  four  or  five 
years  in  the  car  shops  at  Milwaukee,  and  came  to  Racine  July  5,  1861,  becom- 
ing foreman  in  the  old  Racine  &  Alississippi  Railroad  paint  shops,  in  charge 
of  the  locomotive  and  passenger  shops.  There  he  remained  twelve  vears, 
and  in  1873  entered  the  employ  of  the  Mitchell  &  Lewis  Comnany.  being  fore- 
man of  their  heavy  and  light  work  departments.     With  this  firm  lie  remained 


268  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

six  vears.  leaving  their  employ  in  1880  and  starting  in  business  on  his  own 
account,  conducting  one  of  the  largest  paint  and  oil  houses  in  the  city  for 
nineteen  years.  Since  then  Mr.  Tate  has  served  as  assessor  in  the  summer 
season,  and  during  the  rest  of  the  year  does  sign  painting. 

^ir.  Tate  was  married  Nov.  i,  1865,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Wright,  daughter 
of  Thomas  W.  and  Angeline  (Knowles)  Wright,  and  two  children  were 
born  to  this  union,  Alice  and  Arthur.  Alice,  who  was  the  wife  of  Walter  A. 
Driver,  died  in  1899,  leaving  two  children,  Laura  Marie  and  William  Tate. 
Arthur  is  a  paperhanger  and  painter. 

Mr.  Tate  is  a  member  of  St.  Luke's  Episcopal  Church,  while  his  wife  is 
a  Christian  Scientist.  He  was  made  a  Mason  in  1865,  and  is  a  Master  Mason, 
belonging  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  which  he  has  been  master 
three  times.  This  lodge  numbers  250  members.  Mrs.  Tate  and  Mrs.  Charles 
Washburn  were  the  principal  organizers  of  Racine  Chapter,  No.  45,  Order 
of  the  Eastern  Star,  and  Mrs.  Tate  was  matron  of  the  chapter  the  first  two 
years :  this  chapter  now  has  over  280  members.  Politically  Mr.  Tate  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  besides  having  held  the  office  of  assessor  for  five  years  he  has 
been  alderman  four  years  and  school  commissioner  for  a  like  period. 

Mrs.  Tate's  paternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  England,  while  her  ma- 
ternal grandfather,  Ansel  Knowles,  was  a  native  of  New  York  and  a  Revo- 
lutionary soldier.  He  lived  to  be  seventy-nine  years  old  (dying  at  Lake  Ge- 
neva), while  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Bostwick,  died  aged  eighty-two  years.  They 
had  a  family  of  thirteen  children.  Mrs.  Tate's  father,  Thomas  W.  Wright, 
was  born  in  England,  and  her  mother,  Angeline  Knowles,  in  Cayuga  county, 
N.  Y.  Of  their  nine  children,  four  are  now  living:  Lydia,  the  wife  of  Mil- 
ton Kyes.  of  Hale,  Mich.;  Mary  A.,  wife  of  William  R.  Tate;  Isabel,  the 
wife  of  Rudolph  Weidaner,  of  Everett,  Wash.;  and  Charles  T.,  of  Portland, 
Oregon.  Thomas  W.  W'right  was  a  wagonmaker.  Coming  from  New  York 
to  Wisconsin  with  his  wife  and  one  child,  he  settled  for  a  time  in  Lake  Geneva, 
where  Mrs.  Tate  was  born.  In  the  fall  of  1843  he  came  to  Racine  with  his 
family  and  settled  on  a  little  island  in  Root  river,  known  as  Kinzie  Island,  es- 
tablishing the  first  wagon  factory  in  Racine,  on  Fourth  and  Chatham  streets 
(now  Lake  avenue).  There  he  manufactured  wagons  until  1849.  He  also 
built  a  brick  bank  building  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Fourth  streets,  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  Fair  store,  in  which  William  L.  Ullmann's  bank  was  located  for 
some  time.  ]\Ir.  Wright  went  to  California  overland  in  1851,  and  engaged 
in  the  Ijutchering  business  in  Sacramento.  He  returned  to  Racine  in  1853, 
with  a  heavy  belt  of  gold,  and  three  months  later  returned  to  California  by 
boat  and  again  engaged  in  the  butcher  business.  While  there  he  was  killed 
by  a  m-in  named  O'Mere,  who  escaped  and  was  never  caught,  but  on  his  death- 
bed sixteen  vears  later  confessed  the  deed.  Mrs.  Wright  died  May  3.  1882, 
ao-ed  sixty-five  vears,  the  night  of  the  big  fire  in  Racine.  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs. 
W^right  were  Episcopalians. 

WILLIAM  E.  HOYT.  a  highly  esteemed  citizen  and  nractical.  well-to- 
do  fnrmer  of  Section  9,  Rochester  township.  Racine  Co..  Wis.,  is  a  native  of 
th-'t  township,  born  Jan.  15.  1851.  son  of  Hon.  Franklin  E.  and  Eunice  D. 
(Emerson)  Hoyt,  natives  of  A^ermont. 


f/. 


^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  269 

William  S.  Hoyt,  the  father  of  Franklin  E.  Hoyt,  was  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont, and  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  the  Green  Mountain  State,  where  he 
learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  and  joiner.  He  married  Miss  Lucia  R.  Rus- 
sell, a  native  of  Vermont.  In  1837  he  prospected  in  Wisconsin,  and  located 
a  claim  of  400  acres  of  wild  land,  after  which  he  returned  to  his  home  in  the 
East.  Again  in  1841  he  came  with  his  family  to  this  State,  and  they  began 
their  domestic  life  in  the  West  in  a  small  frame  house  14x20  feet.  The  near- 
est market  at  that  time  was  Racine,  and  very  wild  and  unsettled  was  the  coun- 
try. Farming  was  carried  on  with  very  crude  instruments  as  compared  with 
the  improved  machinery  of  to-day,  and  when  the  harvests  were  gathered  and 
taken  to  market,  the  prices  obtained  for  the  grains  were  often  very  low.  ]Many 
experiences,  such  as  make  frontier  life  a  difficult  and  wearisome  one.  were 
Ixirne  by  the  family.  In  politics  Mr.  Hoyt  was  a  stanch  Democrat,  supporting 
every  candidate  of  the  party  from  Andrew  Jackson  to  Grover  Cleveland;  he 
held  the  office  of  supervisor  and  other  local  positions,  yet  cared  little  for  public 
life,  being  content  to  devote  his  energies  to  his  business.  He  died  }ilarch  4, 
1887,  at  the  age  of  nearly  eighty-seven  years,  and  was  interred  in  the  Roches- 
ter cemetery  by  the  side  of  his  wife,  who  had  passed  away  Sept.  15.  1853. 
Their  son,  Franklin  E.,  was  the  second  in  their  family  of  four  children.  Of 
these  Emeline,  who  died  in  February,  1903,  was  the  wife  of  Nathaniel  Moul- 
ton,  a  stone  and  brick  mason,  now  deceased ;  Fidelia  M.  is  the  wife  of  N.  M. 
Simonds,  a  merchant  doing  business  in  Chicago  and  St.  Louis ;  Helen  ^I.  mar- 
ried Dr.  A.  B.  Hill,  and  died  in  Rochester,  Wis.,  in  January,  1864. 

Franklin  E.  Hoyt  was  born  March  16,  1824,  in  the  town  of  Cabot,  near 
Montpelier,  Vt.  His  early  education,  acquired  in  the  common  schools,  was 
supplemented  by  a  course  in  the  Cabot  high  school.  By  subsequent  reading 
and  study  he  became  a  gentleman  of  superior  intelligence,  and  kept  himself 
well  informed  on  all  the  questions  of  the  day.  At  the  early  age  of  fourteen 
years  he  began  life  for  himself  as  an  apprentice  to  the  stone  and  brick  mason's 
trade,  his  first  wages  being  six  dollars  per  month.  Not  long  after  attaining  his 
majority  he  married  Miss  Eunice  D.  Emerson,  a  native  of  Vermont,  their 
wedding  being  celebrated  Dec.  30,  1847,  and  to  theni  were  born  two  children : 
William  E..  our  subject;  and  Kittie,  the  wife  of  William  Dalton,  of  Rochester 
township. 

Franklin  E.  Hoyt  was  one  of  the  leading  and  influential  citizens  of  Ra- 
cine county.  When  the  countrv  needed  troops  to  aid  in  putting  down  the  Re- 
bellion, as  he  was  physically  unable  to  go,  he  sent  a  man  in  his  stead.  He  has 
always  been  identified  with  the  Democratic  party,  his  first  vote  being  cast  for 
Franklin  Pierce,  and  in  the  positions  he  was  called  upon  to  fill  he  proved  a 
valued  and  faithful  officer.  No  man  in  the  county,  with  one  exception,  ever 
served  so  long  on  the  board  of  supervisors,  and  while  connected  therewith, 
his  efforts  for  the  public  good  gave  to  the  county  some  institutions  of  which 
she  may  well  be  proud.  During  the  first  year  of  his  service  as  a  county  super- 
visor there  were  two  or  three  insane  people  in  the  jail,  and  Mr.  Hoyt  offered 
a  resolution  recommending  the  building  of  a  suitable  asylum  for  the  insane. 
His  idea  was  carried  out,  he  being  made  a  member  of  the  building  committee, 
and  the  insane  asylum  of  Racine  county  became  the  first  refuge  of  the  kind  in 
the  State.     He  was  also  chairman  of  the  committee  on  the  luiilding  and  fur- 


270  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

nishing  of  the  courthouse,  and  was  a  member  of  the  committee  which  erected 
a  home  for  the  county  sheriff.  The  work  which  he  did  for  the  county  can 
hardly  be  estimated.  His  township,  Rochester,  has  the  finest  roads  in  the 
State,  and  Mr.  Hoyt  was  actively  interested  in  the  construction  and  repair  of 
these  for  twelve  years.  Near  his  home  ran  the  old  plank  road,  which  was  once 
the  principal  highway  between  Janesville  and  Milwaukee.  In  1859  and  i860 
Mr.  Hoyt  represented  his  district  in  the  State  Legislature,  and  there  formed 
many  warm  friendships  among  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  State.  His 
official  career  was  ever  such  as  to  win  him  the  respect  of  even  his  political 
enemies,  and  in  all  instances  he  endeavored  and  did  act  for  the  best  interests  of 
the  people  in  general. 

In  1850  Mr.  Hoyt  became  a  member  of  Friendship  Lodge,  Xo.  18,  I.  O. 
O.  F..  of  Rochester,  filled  all  of  the  various  offices,  and  for  eighteen  years  was 
a  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge.  On  the  evening  succeeding  President  Lin- 
coln's assassination  he  was  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  Masonry,  and  he 
held  membership  with  the  Blue  Lodge  of  Waterford  and  the  Chapter  of  Lake 
Geneva.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hoyt  were  people  of  benevolence,  freely  aiding 
charities  and  ever  ready  to  extend  a  helping  hand  to  the  poor  and  needy.  They 
had  a  beautiful  and  commodious  home  in  Rochester  township,  where  hospi- 
tality reigned,  and  where  the  many  friends  of  the  family  delighted  to  gather. 
The  residence  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  lovely  grounds,  beautifully  improved, 
and  the  estate  comprises  500  acres  of  highly  improved  land,  which  yields  a 
golden  tribute  to  the  care  and  cultivation  of  the  owner.  The  public  and  private 
life  of  Mr.  Hoyt  were  alike  above  reproach.  He  had  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  and  in  all  circles  was  regarded  as  an  up- 
right and  honorable  man.    He  died  March  8,  1893. 

William  E.  Hoyt  was  reared  in  Rochester  township,  on  the  farm,  receiv- 
ing his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  at  Rocliester  academy.  After  a 
term  at  the  Jefferson  Liberal  Institute,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Historical 
Atlas  Company,  and  later  returned  to  farming  on  the  old  home  place,  where 
he  has  since  remained.  In  1886  Mr.  Hoyt  was  elected  town  clerk  on  the 
Democratic  ticket,  over  a  very  strong  opponent,  and  for  the  three  succeeding 
years  was  again  unanimously  chosen  for  that  ofifice,  receiving  every  vote  in  the 
township.  This  not  only  indicates  the  efficiency  with  which  he  discharged  his 
duties,  but  also  attests  to  his  great  popularity  among  his  fellow-townsmen.  In 
the  spring  of  1891  Mr.  Hoyt  was  unanimously  elected  chairman  of  the  town 
board  of  supervisors,  which  position  his  father  had  vacated,  and  he  discharged 
the  duties  of  that  office  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner.  Mr.  Hoyt  belongs  to 
Temjile  Lodge,  No.  96,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 

On  Dec.  12.  1872,  Mr.  Hoyt  married  Miss  Irene  Jackson,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Emily  (Grant)  Jackson,  and  three  children  were  born  to  this 
union:  Carrie,  who  married  Frank  Buchan,  lives  in  Dover- township;  May 
married  F.  R.  Patterson,  and  they  li\'e  at  Minneapolis,  Minn.:  and  E.  William 
lives  at  home. 

The- father  of  Mrs.  Hoyt  was  born  in  England,  and  her  mother  in  New 
York.  They  came  to  Racine  county  at  an  early  day,  and  he  followed  shoe- 
making  and  general  merchandising  in  Rochester  for  some  years,  dying  there 
in   1902,  aged  seventy-eight  years.     His  widow  still  survives.     She  is  the 


yx&f/^/:- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  271 

mother  of  four  children:  Irene,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Hoyt;  Ella,  the  wife  of 
Byron  Hewitt,  of  Rockford,  111.;  J.  Ellsworth,  of  Rochester;  and  Fidelia,  the 
wife  of  Elmer  Haseltine,  of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota. 

Mrs.  William  E.  Hoyt's  paternal  grandfather,  John  Jackson,  was  a  na- 
tive of  England,  and  came  to  America  with  his  family,  settling  at  Poughkeep- 
sie,  N.  Y.,  about  1830.  About  1845  ^^^  located  in  Rochester,  Wis.,  and  there 
died  in  middle  life,  his  widow,  Ann  (Cocroft)  Jackson,  living  to  be  over 
eighty  years  of  age.  They  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  of  whom  three  are 
deceased,  the  survivors  being :  George,  of  Cambridge,  Conn. ;  Abram,  of  Chi- 
cago; Richard,  of  Fairmount,  Minn.;  Ann,  the  widow  of  L.  A.  Codman,  of 
Rochester„  Wis.,  and  Emeline,  wife  of  John  Wyatt,  of  Iowa. 

Mrs.  Eunice  D.  (Emerson)  Hoyt,  mother  of  William  E.  Hoyt,  was  born 
at  Rochester.  Vt.,  Feb.  24,  1825,  and  died  at  the  old  home  where  she  and  her 
husband  settled  in  pioneer  days,  on  Thursday  evening,  Nov.  2t,,  1905,  after 
about  a  year's  illness  from  general  debility.  Her  father,  Gen.  Stillman  Emer- 
son, formerly  a  director  of  the  Vermont  State  militia,  was  a  typical  member  of 
the  celebrated  Emerson  family.  Her  mother's  maiden  name  was  Maria  Griffin. 
Mrs.  Hoyt  was  the  third  of  six  children,  the  second  of  whom,  Mrs.  Morris, 
survives  her  and  is  now  living  in  Iowa ;  she  formerly  resided  at  Franksville. 
Mrs.  Hoyt  removed  with  her  parents  to  Adrian,  Mich.,  in  1838,  and  two  years 
later  to  Racine,  and  at  the  latter  place,  on  Dec.  30,  1847,  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Franklin  E.  Hoyt.  As  one  of  the  early  settlers  her  whole  life  was 
closely  associated  with  the  growth  and  development  of  the  community.  Dur- 
ing these  many  years  she  always  exerted  a  wholesome  influence  for  good, 
and  her  entire  life  was  unselfishly  spent  in  making  happy  and  being  helpful 
to  those  about  her.  Some  years  ago,  when  the  Universalist  Society  had  a  place 
of  worship  in  Rochester,  she  and  her  husband  were  active  in  its  support.  Her 
funeral,  held  Sunday,  Nov.  26,  1905,  from  her  late  residence,  was  one  of  the 
largest  ever  attended  in  Rochester,  and  was  a  testimony  of  the  esteem  and  re- 
spect in  which  she  was  held. 

WILLIAM  ROBERT  PURVIS,  an  influential  farmer  of  Waterford 
township,  Racine  county,  is  engaged  in  cultivating  his  tract  of  fine  land  on 
Section  17.  He  was  born  in  Vernon  township,  Waukesha  county,  March  6. 
1859,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Fulton)  Purvis,  natives  of  Scotland. 

William  Purvis,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native 
of  Scotland,  where  he  died  in  middle  life,  a  farmer.  He  and  his  wife  had  a 
large  family,  all  of  whom  are  now  deceased. 

Robert  Fulton,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  William  Robert  Purvis,  was 
a  native  of  Scotland,  from  which  country  he  came  to  America,  settling  in 
Vernon  township,  Waukesha  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  his 
death,  at  an  old  ag'e.  His  wife,  who  bore  him  a  large  familv.  died  in  middle 
life. 

William  Purvis,  father  of  William  Robert,  was  a  farmer  in  his  native 
country,  and  on  locating  in  America  purchased  a  farm  in  Vernon  townshio. 
Waukesha  county,  being  one  of  tlie  early  settlers  of  that  section.  There  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  in  1891,  aged  sixty-seven  years,  his 
wife  having  passed  away  two    weeks    previously,    aged    sixty-nine    years. 


272  CO:>niEMORATI\"E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

both  in  Uie  failh  of  the  rresbylei ian  Church.  They  had  six  children:  I\liss 
Belle,  oi  the  inuiistnal  Sclioui  lor  Boys  in  Waukesha,  a  teacher;  Christie, 
wiie  oi  Charles  Clark,  of  \\  aterlord  township;  Alary,  wife  of  iVioses  R.  iVic- 
I'arland,  of  Genesee,  Waukesha  county;  William  Robert;  and  Sarah  and 
Jane  (twins),  the  former  the  deceased  wile  ol  Clement  \  an  \  alin,  and  the 
latter  the  wite  of  Andrew  i^oat,  of  California. 

W  illiam  Robert  Rurvis  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  \'ernon  township  and 
attentled  the  district  schools,  living  at  home  until  his  eighteenth  year.  He 
then  worked  out  for  seven  years  on  farms,  then  renting  a  farm  for  one  year, 
after  wdiich  he  purchased  his  present  farm,  which  consists  of  200  acres,  and 
here  he  has  continued  to  live  to  the  present  time,  having  made  his  farm  one 
of  the  finest  cultivated  ones  in  the  county. 

On  Jan.  i,  1884,  Mr.  William  R.  Rurvis  married  Miss  Euphemia  Gree- 
ley, daughter  of  Warren  and  Catherine  (Muckey)  Greeley.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Purvis  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  he  being  a  steward  and  trustee 
thereof,  and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  for  twelve  years.  In  his 
political  sympathies  Mr.  Purvis  is  a  Prohibitionist.  Warren  Greeley  was  a 
native  of  Vermont  and  his  wife  of  New  York.  They  were  early  settlers  of 
Racine  county,  where  Mr.  Greeley  was  an  honored  and  influential  citizen  for 
almost  half  a  century.  The  family  is  extensively  mentioned  in  the  sketch  of 
Horace  C.  Greeley,  of  Waterford. 

Mr.  William  R.  Purvis  has  done  much  toward  developing  his  locality, 
and  his  farm  is  one  of  the  finest  to  be. found  in  the  county.  Fitted  with  all 
modern  machinery,  carefully  managed  and  personally  superintended  by  Mr. 
Purvis,  it  has  been  very  productive,  and  yearly  yields  its  owner  fine  crops. 

WILLIAM  HILKER,  of  Racine,  one  of  the  men  who  have  done  much  to 
bring  the  brick  industry  to  the  place  of  importance  which  it  now  occupies 
among  the  various  industrial  enterprises  of  that  city,  is  of  German  descent, 
and  was  born  in  W'estphalia,  Germany,  July  17,  1843. 

Mr.  Hilker's  father,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  died  before  the  son  was  born. 
His  mother.  Henriette  Hilker,  brought  up  her  family  of  four  sons  in  Germany, 
but  when  they  were  all  grown  accompanied  them  to  America,  crossing  the  At- 
lantic in  the  fall  of  1867.  They  settled  in  Racine,  where  the  mother  died  Oct. 
27,  1889,  when  in  her  eighty-eighth  year.  She  and  her  husband  belonged  to 
the  German  Reformed  Church,  but  after  coming  to  America  Mrs.  Hilker  united 
with  the  Evangelical  Association.  Only  two  of  her  sons  are  now  living, 
Henry  (of  ^Milwaukee)  and  William. 

\Villiam  Hilker  lived  in  Germany  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age. 
and  received  a  good  public-school  education.  He  learned  brickmaking,  and 
after  coming  to  Racine,  in  1867,  he  worked  by  the  day  for  a  wdiile,  but  in  1872, 
in  company  with  his  brother  Adolph,  F.  H.  Haumersen  and  two  others,  he 
started  a  brickyard  at  Cedar  Bend,  Racine.  The  venture  was  a  profitable  one. 
and  the  plant  has  been  much  increased  in  capacity.  William  Hilker  still  con- 
ducts the  business.  He  and  his  brother  bought  out  the  other  interests  and  were 
in  partnership  until  the  death  of  Adolph  Hilker,  in  1900,  after  which  the  lat- 
ter's  widow  continued  to  hold  her  husband's  interest,  but  left  the  active  man- 
agement in  William  Hilker's  hands.     Air.  Hilker  is  also  connected  with  two 


fmi:.^^.M^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  273 

otlier  yards,  one  situated  at  the  foot  of  North  Main  street  and  the  other  at 
Wind  Point,  tln-ee  miles  from  Racine.  In  the  two  places  about  sixty  men  are 
employed  in  the  manufacture  of  the  cream-colored,  pressed  and  common  brick. 

Mr.  Hilker  was  married,  in  November,  1867,  to  ]\Iiss  Jtlinnie  Hebrock,  by 
whom  he  had  three  children:  (i)  William  F.,  the  eldest,  is  a  manufacturer 
of  overalls  and  shirts,  and  his  father  is  a  partner  in  the  enterprise.  He  married 
Miss  Ida  Schwendener,  and  has  four  children,  Tusnelda,  Harry,  Roy  and 
Carlton.  (2)  Mary  married  Eugene  Erny,  and  has  four  children,  Eugene, 
Jeannette,  Florence  and  William.  (3)  Anna  died  when  a  little  more  than  four 
years  old.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  in  1873,  when  thirty-seven  years 
old.    She  was  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  Association. 

■  On  Sept.  9,  1873,  Mr.  Hilker  was  united  in  marriage  to  his  second  wife, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Miss  Julia  Kehnan,  and  whose  parents,  John  and 
Mary  (Hummel)  Kehnan,  were  both  natives  of  Germany.  Her  father  was 
a  farmer,  and  he  and  his  wife  settled  about  ten  miles  from  Mihvaukee,  where 
Mrs.  Hilker  was  born.  Her  parents  remained  fourteen  years  in  that  locality, 
of  which  they  were  among  the  first  settlers,  when  Mr.  Kehnan  sold  his  property 
and  removed  to  Barden,  Wis.,  where  he  continued  to  reside  as  a  farmer.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  esteemed  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  the  husband 
being  prominent  in  the  community  and  a  highly  respected  citizen. 

By  his  second  marriage  William  Hilker  became  the  father  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, namely :     Minnie,  who  married  John  Wichers.  and  has  four  children, 

Junior,  Alice,  Jerome  and ;  Frederick,  for  some  time  a  bookkeeper  in  his 

father's  office,  who  married  Miss  Hannah  Koch,  and  has  one  child,  Mildred ; 
Lydia,  who  married  Oscar  Wicker ;  Clara ;  Bertha,  deceased  in  her  fourth  year ; 
Charlie,  who  died  before  he  was  three  years  old;  Benjamin;  Alfred;  Nettie; 
Walter ;  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Before  leaving  Germany  Mr.  Hilker  served  in  the  regular  army  there 
and  was  in  active  service  in  the  Prussian  war  of  1866.  As  an  American  citi- 
zen Mr.  Hilker  long  supported  the  Republican  party,  but  has  changed  in  recent 
years  to  the  Prohibition  party,  believing  that  the  principles  upheld  by  that 
party  tend  to  promote  the  country's  best  welfare.  Mrs.  Hilker  is  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  Church,  but  her  husband  belongs  to  the  Church  of  Christ.  He 
is  a  man  of  true  Christian  character,  who  believes  in  honoring  the  Lord  above 
men.  His  uprightness  of  action  and  integrity  of  purpose  are  recognized  by  all 
who  know  him,  and  he  commands  the  highest  respect.  He  and  his  wife  have 
lived  for  many  years  in  a  handsome  brick  house  which  he  owns,  at  No,  1430 
West  Sixth  street,  and  he  is  recognized  as  a  noteworthy  representative  of  the 
sturdy  German-American  who,  while  he  has  earned  worldly-success  by  manly 
self-reliance,  is  at  the  same  time  an  earnest  and  positive  Christian. 

MASSENA  B.  ERSKINE  was  one  of  that  group  of  men  who.  by  their 
extensive  commercial  operations,  were  n-tainly  instrumental  in  bringing  Ra- 
cine from  the  obscurity  of  a  country  town  to  the  position  of  an  important 
manufacturing  center  and  shipping  point.  As  superintendent  and  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  world-renowned  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  he  was 
intimatelv  identified  with  the  prosperity  of  that  concern,  and  thus  with  the 
prosperity  of  the  city  in  which  it  was  located.     But  he  did  not  content  him- 


2~4  CO^niE.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

self  with  being  an  indirect  factor  in  the  welfare  of  the  place.  He  exerted  a 
wholesome  influence  in  its  affairs  almost  from  the  time  of  his  settlement  there, 
an  influence  which,  in  many  respects,  will  go  on  for  years  to  come.  As  a  man 
among  men  with  whom  he  had  to  prove  his  individual  worth  he  made  a  mark 
and  was  called  self-made.  Undoubtedly  he  was,  in  a  financial  sense,  but  if  he 
had  no  capital  to  start  with  he  had  what  is  less  easily  obtained,  an  honored 
name  and  a  character  which  came  to  him  untarnished  through  generations  of 
ancestors  whose  pride  was  in  the  mental  and  moral  strength  typical  of  the 
sons  of  Scotland  and  the  early  settlers  of  New  England.  It  was  his  pride  to 
maintain  that  name  and  character  in  undiminished  honor  in  every  relation  of 
life. 

The  Erskine  family  was  foundetl  in  America  by  the  traditional  "three 
brothers,"  who  came  from  Scotland  early  in  the  seventeenth  century  and  made 
a  settlement  in  Massachusetts.  John  Erskine,  the  grandfather  of  Massena  B. 
Erskine,  was  a  native  of  Winchester,  Cheshire  Co.,  N.  H.,  which  is  not  far 
north  of  the  Massachusetts  line,  and  thence  migrated  to  Oswego  county,  N. 
Y.  He  was  a  pioneer  in  that  region,  and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  long 
life,  attaining  the  ripe  old  age  of  ninety-two  years. 

Walter  Erskine,  son  of  John,  was  also  born  in  Winchester,  X.  H.,  and 
married  ^largaret  Bowen,  a  native  of  Richmond,  in  the  same  county.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Zephaniah  Bowen,  who  was  born  Oct.  lo,  1776,  in  Rich- 
mond, whither  his  father,  Thomas  Bowen,  moved  from  Rhode  Island  in  1767. 
Mr.  Erskine  died  leaving  his  wife  with  one  son  and  two  daughters. 

!\Iassena  B.  Erskine  was  born  Dec.  19,  1819,  in  Royalston,  Worcester 
Co.,  ^lass.,  and  passed  his  early  life  in  his  native  State.  It  differed  from  that 
of  the  average  New  England  youth  in  that  he  had  few  advantages  for  educa- 
tion, for  though  he  was  only  a  boy  when  his  father  died  he  was  the  main  sup- 
port of  the  family.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was  apprenticed  by  his  mother  to 
learn  the  shoemaker's  trade,  but  business  became  so  dull  that  he  was  thrown 
out  of  employment  before  the  end  of  his  term,  and  he  never  went  back  to 
that  line  of  work.  His  next  experience  was  as  apprentice  to  a  carpenter  and 
builder  of  Westford,  Mass.,  and  he  completed  his  apprenticeship  and  worked 
at  the  trade  in  that  place  until  1847,  when  in  partnership  with  another  man  he 
took  up  the  business  of  manufacturing  wood-working  machinery.  This  was 
not  to  be  for  long,  however.  Mr.  Erskine  was  one  of  the  first  to  succumb  to 
the  gold  fever,  being  one  of  the  "argonauts  of  '49"  who  made  the  trip  by  sail- 
ing vessel  from  Boston  to  San  Francisco,  around  the  Horn.  He  secured  work 
in  a  shipyard,  where  steamboats  were  built  and  refitted  for  use  on  the  Sacra- 
mento and  San  Joaquin  rivers,  and  soon  became  superintendent.  In  the  fall 
of  1850  he  returned  to  Massachusetts,  intending  to  take  his  family  \.o  Cali- 
fornia for  permanent  residence,  this  plan  being  frustrated  by  circumstances 
upon  which  he  had  not  counted.  Thus  it  was  that  in  1852  he  came  to  Racine, 
wliere  he  had  his  home  for  over  forty  years,  until  his  death. 

}*Ir.  Erskine's  connection  with  the  Case  works  began  shortlv  after  his 
arrival  in  Racine,  and  before  long  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  mechanical 
dqxartment.  When,  in  1863,  the  firm  of  J.  I.  Case  &  Co.  was  formed,  Mr. 
Erskine  was  one  of  the  three  men  represented  by  the  "Co.",  the  others  being 
Robert  H.  Baker  and  Stephen  Bull.  The  mere  fact  of  his  long-continued 
association  in  business  with  three  such  men  as  Mr.  Case,  Mr.  Baker  and  Mr. 


CO\niE:\IORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  275 

Bull  would  be  enough  to  stamp  him  as  possessed  of  remarkable  strength  and 
talents  of  the  highest  order.  The  concern  was  reorganized  in  1880  as  the  J.  I. 
Case  Threshing  Machine  Company.  For  many  years,  throughout  the  period 
of  its  phenomenal  growth,  Mr.  Erskine  filled  die  position  of  superintendent 
of  the  establishment,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  directors  held  Jan.  14,  1892,  was 
elected  vice-president  of  the  company,  holding  that  office  until  his  death. 
These  responsibilities  showed  the  caliber  and  resource  of  the  man.  His 
duties  as  suijerintendent  enlarged  constantly,  but  none  too  rapidly  for  his  pro- 
gressive spirit,  which  set  the  pace  rather  than  kept  it.  The  factory  became 
the  most  extensive  of  the  kind  throughout  the  world,  and  Mr.  Erskine  did  his 
full  share  in  the  work  of  upbuilding.  Extreme  executive  ability  w'as  the 
special  recjuisite  of  the  successful  incumbent  of  the  superintendency  in  such  a 
large  institution,  and  he  was  never  found  wanting.  Reliable  in  the  disposi- 
tion of  ordinary  routine  work,  he  was  always  resourceful  and  could  be  de- 
pended upon  in  an  emergency.  He  was  always  ecjual  to  his  share  of  the  bur- 
den. There  is  no  doubt  that  his  early  training  in  self-help  had  its  effect  all 
through  his  life  in  that  he  had  a  habit  of  doing  what  was  to  be  done  without 
thought  of  assistance  from  others.  He  was  never  afraid  of  hard  work,  and 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  was  a  fine  manager  there  was  hard  work  for  him  to 
do.  During  his  incumbency  as  superintendent  the  working  force  grew  from 
twenty-five  hands  to  about  a  thousand,  and  the  value  of  the  product  from 
$75,000  to  alx)ut  $2,000,000. 

Mr.  Erskine,  besides  his  connection  with  the  Case  company,  was  inter- 
ested in  a  number  of  business  enterprises  of  this  section  of  the  State,  and  by 
wise  investments  and  good  judgment  he  became  a  wealthy  man.  In  1885  he 
became  connected  with  the  Racine  Wagon  &  Carriage  Company,  of  which  he 
served  as  president ;  he  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Manufacturers 
National  Bank  of  Racine  in  1872,  and  was  interested  in  that  institution  as  a 
director  and  stockholder  until  his  death,  being  elected  president  Jan.  13,  1892; 
he  was  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Fargo,  N.  Dak.,  and  a  director 
of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Burlington,  Wis.,  from  its  organization  (it  was 
afterward  reorganized  as  a  State  bank,  Mr.  Erskine  becoming  vice-president). 
Mr.  Erskine  was  identified  with  the  administration  of  municipal  affairs 
and  wdth  enterprises  calculated  to  prove  beneficial  to  the  general  public,  giving 
of  both  time  and  means  to  the  furtherance  of  worthy  projects.  That  he  took 
time  for  official  service  is  an  evidence  of  public  spirit  and  real  interest  not 
often  found  in  men  of  his  class.  He  cared  enough  about  the  way  public  duties 
should  be  discharged  to  serve  as  school  commissioner  and  member  of  the 
board  of  supervisors,  and  for  four  terms — 1869,  1870,  1871  and  1880 — filled 
the  mayor's  chair,  being  more  frequently  honored  in  that  respect  than  any 
other  citizen  of  Racine.  His  charities  were  comprehensive  and  he  gave  with 
a  liberal  hand,  though  unostentatiously.  He  served  five  years  as  treasurer 
and  member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Taylor  Orphan  Asylum.  In  the 
support  of  objects  of  public  pride  he  was  ever  among  the  foremost.  He 
headed  the  subscription  list  for  the  soldiers'  monument  which  stands  in  Monu- 
ment Sc|uare  with  a  contribution  of  $1,000,  and  when,  at  the  end  of  the  time 
specified,  it  was  found  that  $1,500  was  lacking,  he  was  one  of  three  generous 
citizens   (the  other  two  being  W.  T.  Lewis  and  Dr.   T-  G.  ]\Ieacham,  Sr.) 


276  CO:\niEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

A\ho  made  good  the  requireil  aniuvint.  This  tribute  to  the  menKjry  of  the  old 
soldiers  is  highly  prized  by  them  and  by  the  citizens  of  Racine  generally,  and 
nothing  could  have  touched  the  people  more  than  his  liberality  in  a  cause  so 
dear  to  them.  During  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Erskine  aided  the  Union  liberally  in 
raising  and  equipping  troops,  and  his  eldest  son  died  while  in  the  service.  He 
was  a  stanch  Republican  after  the  formation  of  the  party,  and  originally  sup- 
ported the  Whig  principles. 

Mr.  Erskine  was  married,  in  Westford,  Mass.,  April  7,  1841,  to  Miss 
Susan  Perry,  a  native  of  Natick,  Mass.,  and  one  of  the  ten  children  of  William 
and  Hannah  Perry.  Both  her  parents  were  lineal  descendants  of  Henry  Le- 
land,  the  founder  of  his  family  in  America,  who  came  to  this  country  in  the 
year  1652.  Five  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Erskine:  Susan  E.  is 
deceased;  Freeman  W.  enlisted  May  14,  1864,  in  Company  F,  39th  Wis.  V. 
I.,  and  died  in  Memphis,  Tenn.,  July  8,  1864,  of  typhoid  and  malarial  fever; 
Charles  E.  is  a- prominent  business  man  of  Racine;  Emma  is  the  wife  of  W. 
H.  Crosby,  of  Racine;  Flora  A.  is  the  wife  of  Herbert  E.  Miles,  president  of 
the  Racine-Sattley  Company.  The  Erskine  home,  at  No.  1042  I^Iain  street, 
Racine,  is  a  magnificent  residence.  Mr.  Erskine  died  there  in  May,  1904, 
Mrs.  Erskine  in  June,  1902.     She  was  a  Presbyterian  in  religious  connection. 

OSSIAN  MARSH  PETTIT,  ex-mayor  of  Kenosha,  whose  active  and 
useful  life  was  brought  to  an  abrupt  close  Feb.  22,  1906,  was  one  of  those  pub- 
lic-spirited, progressive  citizens  whose  loss  is  distinctly  felt  in  the  community. 
He  was  a  Kenosha  county  "boy,  born  and  bred,  and  he  gave  his  entire  life  to 
the  county.  He  was  a  son  of  the  late  Hon.  Milton  H.  Pettit  and  Caroline 
(Marsh)  Pettit,  and  was  born  in  the  town  of  Somers  on  June  28,  1854. 
When  lie  was  ten  months  old  his  parents  moved  to  Kenosha,  where  he  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  the  public  schools.  While  still  a  youth  he  spent 
several  years  in  Madison,  as  a  page  in  the  State  Senate,  of  which  his  father 
was  a  member.  After  several  years  as  page  Mr.  Pettit  entered  the  University 
of  Wisconsin.  At  the  end  of  his  third  year,  owing  to  his  father's  death,  he 
was  obliged  to  give  up  his  education  and  return  to  Kenosha  to  take  charge 
of  the  business  interests  of  the  M.  H.  Pettit  Malting  Company.  In  1885  Mr. 
Pettit  became  the  vice-president  of  the  company,  and  he  held  this  position  for 
many  years.  His  business  took  him  to  every  State  in  tiie  Union  and  to  Old 
Mexico. 

On  Oct.  25,  1877,  in  Kenosha,  Mr.  Pettit  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Alma  Elizabeth  Robinson,  daughter  of  the  late  Frederick  Robinson.  Mrs. 
Pettit  and  three  sons.  Milton  H.,  Frederick  R.  and  Bertholf  M.,  survive. 

The  official  career  of  Mr.  Pettit  was  one  of  lasting  impression  upon  the 
public  life  of  the  city.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Republican,  and  although 
Kenosha  had  been  Democratic  for  years  he  had  no  difficulty  in  being  elected 
mayor  for  four  terms.  His  administration  was  marked  by  rapid  municipal 
progress. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Pettit  was  a  thirty-second-degree  Mason,  a  member  of 
Kenosha  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Kenosha  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  Racine  Command- 
ery.  Knights  Templar.  Wisconsin  Consistory,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  and  Tripoli  Tem- 
ple. A.  A.  O.  N.  :M.  S.  ;  he  also  belonged  to  the  B.  P.  O.  Elks  and  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  277 

HUGH  SMYTEI  SPEAR  was  in  his  day  one  of  the  notaljle  men  of 
Kenosha,  and  though  he  passed  away  twenty  years  ago,  in  1886,  he  is  re- 
memhered  by  many  who  enjoyed  social  or  business  relations  with  him.  His 
high  character,  acti\e  intellect  and  sincere  friendliness  of  disposition  were 
consistent  with  a  personal  make-up  of  unusual  attractiveness,  winning  him 
esteem  and  admiration  wherever  he  went.  Mr.  Spear  was  a  typical  Irish  gen- 
tleman, well  educated,  and  with  pleasing  manners  and  a  quick  wit  which  made 
him  a  social  acquisition  in  every  community  where  he  lived.  He  was  born 
about  1813  in  Baillieborough,  County  Cavan,  Ireland,  and  there  passed  his 
boyhood  and  early  youth.  When  about  fourteen  years  old,  being  an  orphan, 
he  was  sent  to  America  by  his  eldest  brother,  and  in  this  country  he  first  re- 
sided with  a  Mr.  Tobin.  at  Canandaigua,  N.  Y.  He  was  married  in  1835  at 
Buffalo  to  Asenath  MacBride,  a  Scotchwoman,  and  there  they  resided 
for  some  years,  moving  West  in  about  1850.  Settling  in  the  city  of  Chicago, 
111.,  Mr.  Spear  first  ran  a  restaurant  on  Lake  street,  under  the  old  "Tremont 
House,"  and  afterward  purchased  the  ground  at  Nos.  83-85  State  street, 
where  he  opened  what  was  known  as  the  Washington  Coffee  House.  It  is  an 
interesting  fact  that  this  property,  for  which  he  paid  but  $7,000  is  now  in  the 
heart  of  the  retail  district  in  Chicago,  and  a  most  valuable  bit  of  real  estate, 
being  in  the  center  of  the  State  street  side  of  the  site  of  the  present  retail 
store  of  Marsliall  Field  &  Co.  It  is  still  owned,  however,  by  Mr.  Spear's 
heirs,  his  grandchildren. 

•Mr.  Spear  continued  in  business  in  Chicago  until  about  1859,  when  he 
removed  to  Kenosha,  Wis.,  which  place  was  ever  afterward  his  home.  He 
lived  retired  from  active  business  from  the  time  of  his  settlement  there,  and 
managed  his  interests  to  such  good  purpose  that  he  was  possessed  of  consid- 
erable means  at  the  time  of  his  death,  although  he  lost  in  the  Chicago  fire 
everything  he  owned  with  the  exception  of  his  land. 

Mr.' Spear  was  a  man  of  ability  and  of  fine  social  attainments,  possessing 
the  quick  intellect  and  keen  wit  peculiar  to  his  nationality,  and  the  winning 
manners  of  one  who  was  a  gentleman  at  heart  as  well  as  by  training.  His 
wife  shared  his  popularity  and  reputation  for  general  hospitality,  and  her  fine 
dinners  were  proverbial.  Mr.  Spear  was  a  man  of  fine  appearance,  erect  in 
bearing,  genial  to  all  he  met,  and  exceedingly  entertaining  in  conversation.  He 
was  noted  for  his  public  spirit,  his  willingness  to  aid  all  worthy  projects — 
whether  intended  to  promote  the  general  welfare  or  private  charities.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  St.  Matthew's  Episcopal  Church,  Kenosha. 

Mr.  Spear  died  in  1886.  surviving  his  wife,  who  was  born  in  1807.  and 
died  in  1874.  They  had  but  one  child,  Ellen  Jane,  who  was  born  in  1837. 
Ellen  Spear  received  a  thorough  education,  and  was  a  graduate  of  a  seminary 
in  New  Haven,  Conn.,  having  acquired  manv  accomplishments.  In  1859  she 
became  the  wife  of  Julius  Demmond  Haven,  of  Buffalo.  N.  Y.,  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  seven  children,  only  two  of  whom  survive,  namely :  Fran- 
cesca  R.,  Mrs.  John  M.  Kehlor,  of  Kenosha:  and  Hugh  Spear  Haven,  of  Chi- 
cago. The  deceased  were  as  follows:  Ellen  E.,  a  graduate  of  Kemper  Hall, 
Kenosha,  died  when  a  yotmg  ladv:  Dot  Morris,  born  in  1871,  died  in  1888: 
Julius  Demmond,  Jr.,  born  in  1873,  died  in  1890;  Henry  S.,  born  in  1875, 
died  in  1876:  Josephine  N.,  born  in  1880.  died  the  same  vear. 

The  Haven  family  has  been  identified  with  Kenosha  since  the  marriage 


ijS  CO-M-ME-MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

ef  Julius  Demnidiul  Haven  to  Ellen  Jane  Spear,  th<jugli  Mr.  Haven  spent  the 
greater  part  uf  his  lime  in  St.  Paul,  where  he  had  his  headquarters  as  chief 
clerk  of  the  Department  of  the  Northwest,  U.  S.  A.  He  was  in  the  real  estate 
business  until  after  the  Civil  war,  when  he  became  connected  with  the  War 
Department  as  chief  clerk  under  Col.  Reese,  of  Ohio.  He  continued  in  the 
service  of  the  department  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1880,  in  Jackson- 
ville, Fla.,  whither  he  had  gone  on  a  visit  from  Kenosha;  lie  was  born  in  1835. 
Mrs.  Haven  did  not  long  survive  him,  passing  away  in  f884.  The  deceased 
members  of  the  Spear  and  Haven  families  are  all  buried  in  the  same  lot  m  the 
Kenosha  cemetery,  and  a  handsome  monument  marks  the  place. 

HON.  NICHOLAS  DILLER  PRATT,  of  Racine,  has  been  practically 
retired  for  the  past  ten  years,  though  he  still  retains  the  presidency  of  the  First 
National  Bank  of  that  city.  In  his  active  years  he  was  prominent  in  pulilic  af- 
fairs as  well  as  in.  business  circles,  and  in  the  formative  period  of  Wisconsin 
was  interested  in  many  enterprises  which  have  helped  to  place  his  State  fore- 
most among  the  most  progressive  in  the  L'nion.  Pie  has  lived  here  since  the 
early  forties. 

Mr.  Pratt  was  born  Jan.  25,  1825,  in  the  town  of  Watervliet,  Albany  Co., 
N.  Y..  and  his  parents,  Jacob  and  Catherine  (Miller)  Pratt,  were  also  natives 
of  that  State.  Their  family  consisted  of  seven  children,  two  sons  and  five 
daughters,  six  of  whom  still  survive,  viz. :  Eliza,  deceased :  Catherine,  widow 
of  John  Ayers,  of  Racine:  Nicholas  Diller,  of  Racine;  Prancis,  of  Sacramento, 
Cal. ;  Gertrude,  a  widow ;  Sarah,  Mrs.  Merrill,  a  widow,  of  Chicago ;  and  Julia, 
wife  of  Enoch  Strother,  of  Virginia  City,  Nev.  Jacob  Pratt  migrated  from 
New  York  to  Wisconsin  and  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  in  Racine,  dying  there 
some  time  in  the  sixties,  at  an  advanced  age. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  Nicholas  Diller  Pratt  were  farming  people. 
Their  family  consisted  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  Nicholas  Aliller,  the 
maternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  New  York  State  and  a  farmer  by  oc- 
cupation :  he  had  several  sons  and  daughters. 

About  1842  Nicholas  Diller  Pratt  came  to  Racine,  where  he  carried  on  a 
market  until  1855.  He  then  moved  to  a  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  re- 
maining there  until  1893  and  finally  returning  to  Racine.  He  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Racine  County  Bank  and  was  President  of  same  during  its 
later  years.  In  1864  it  was  organized  as  the  Pirst  National  Bank  ctf  which  he 
has  ever  since  been  president,  a  fact  which  speaks  highly  for  the  opinion  his 
associates  hold  of  his  integrity  and  business  ability.  Mr.  Pratt  has  served  in 
numerous  local  positions  of  trust,  and  in  the  early  sixties  was  State  senator. 
His  interest  and  activity  extended  to  manv  enterprises  calculated  to  bring  bene- 
fit to  future  generations  as  well  as  immediate  good,  and  he  served  many  years 
as  president  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society,  and  of  the  Racine  County  Agri- 
cultural Society,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  State  Uni- 
versity. He  retired  about  ten  years  ago  from  all  business  activity  except  the 
presidency  of  the  bank. 

Mr.  Pratt  married  Miss  Elsie  Duffes.  a  native  of  Scotland,  daughter  of 
John  and  Elsie  Duffes.  also  natives  of  that  country,  who  came  to  America  and 
first  settled  in  New  York,  migrating  thence  to  Racine  county  about  18 11. 
Mr.  Duffes  located  on  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Dover,  remaining  there  until  a 


•  C0MME:\[0RATIVE    biographical    record.  279 

short  time  prior  to  his  death,  when  he  moved  into  the  village  of  Union  Grove. 
There  he  passed  away  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was  quite  a  prominent  man  in 
the  county,  and  held  various  offices,  at  one  time  serving  as  county  treasurer. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  the  union  of  Nicholas  Diller  and  Elsie 
(Duffes)  Fratt,  five  sons  and  three  daughters,  as  follows:  Mary,  now  the 
widow  of  A.  J.  Webster,  of  Redlands,  Cal. ;  Alfred,  who  died  aged  four  years; 
Frank,  who  died  when  one  year  old ;  Gertrude,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of 
W.  S.  Mellen;  George  N.,  of  Racine,  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank; 
Clara,  wife  of  W.  T.  Griffith,  of  Racine;  Frederick  \V.,  of  Oklahoma  City; 
and  Charles  D.,  of  Everett.  Wash.  The  mother  of  this  family  died  in  j\Iay, 
1890,  at  the  age  of  about  sixty-three  years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Uni- 
versalist  Church,   to  which  Air.   Fratt  also  belongs. 

On  Feb.  23,  1893,  Mr.  Fratt  married  Miss  Eva  Jeardeau,  daughter  of 
Paul  and  Sarah  (Nettle)  Jeardeau.  Paul  Jeardeau  was  a  native  of  France, 
but  came  early  to  this  country,  growing  to  manhood  in  \'incennes,  Ind.  From 
Indiana  he  moved  to  Wisconsin,  first  locating  in  Platteville,  where  he  married, 
and  thence  moving  to  Dodgeville,  where  he  enlisted  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Civil  war  in  Company  C,  31st  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry;  he  became 
first  lieutenant,  and  remained  in  the  service  throughout  the  conflict.  After  the 
war.  however,  he  returned  to  Platteville,  which  has  ever  since  been  his  home. 
He  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  early  life,  and  followed  it  until  the  war. 

On  Nov.  17,  1844,  Mr.  Jeardeau  was  united  in  marriage  with  Sarah  Net- 
tle, a  native  of  Liverpool,  England,  daughter  of  Stephen  Nettle,  also  a  native 
of  England,  who  came  to  America  and  died  soon  afterward,  in 
Pennsylvania.  The  married  life  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jeardeau  has  extended 
over  the  remarkable  period  of  sixty-one  years.  They  became  the  parents  of 
thirteen  children,  seven  sons  and  six  daughters,  eight  of  whom  still  survive: 
Margie  Elizabeth,  widow  of  T.  J.  Colburn,  of  National  City.  Cal. :  Eva,  wife 
of  Nicholas  D.  Fratt ;  Louis  G.,  of  Rockland,  Cal. ;  Stephen  Nettle,  of  Clover- 
dale,  Cal.;  Catherine  Irene,  wife  of  George  Hall,  of  Ottumwa,  Iowa:  Miss 
Lucy,  of  Platteville,  Wis. :  Paul,  of  North  Dakota ;  and  Miss  Helen  Neeley, 
who  is  at  home  with  her  parents  in  Platteville. 

WILLIAM  H.  PUGH,  a  highly  esteemed  resident  of  Racine.  Wis.,  is 
extensively  engaged  in  business  in  that  city,  where  he  was  born  June  2,  1854, 
son  of  James  and  Jeannette  (Hughes)  Pugh,  natives  of  Wales.  The  parents 
of  our  subject  had  twelve  children,  eight  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  and  are 
still  living:  Eleanor,  wife  of  John  R.  Jones,  of  Racine;  Captain  John,  of 
Racine:  Jeannette,  wife  of  L.  E.  Williams,  of  Racine:  Margaret,  wife  of 
Richard  Peat,  of  Racine:  William  H. :  James,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y, ;  and  Arthur 
and  George,  of  Racine. 

Arthur  Pugh,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of  Wales, 
who  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Racine,  Wis.,  at  a  very  early  day,  dying 
there  in  i860,  aged  seventy  years.  His  son.  James,  was  but  eighteen  years 
old  wlien  he  came  to  America,  and  engaged  in  the  lumber  business.  In  18.SO 
he  went  to  California,  and  spent  a  year  or  two  in  gold  mining  at  Marvsville. 
after  which  he  returned  to  Racine,  purchased  a  vessel,  and  followed  shipping. 
His  vessel  was  wrecked  in  a  storm,  and  Mr.  Pugh  gave  up  shipping,  engag- 
ing for  some  time  in  teaming.  In  1859  he  started  to  Pike's  Peak  overland,  but 


28o        co.m:\ie:\iorative  biographical  record. 

abaiuloned  the  irip  and  returned  home,  farming  until  1861.  In  this  ye:ir  he 
again  located  in  Racine  and  re-engaged  in  teaming,  following  this  occupation 
for  some  years.  He  died  May  31,  1892,  aged  about  seventy  years,  while  his 
wife  passed  away  about  two  years  later,  aged  jt,.  They  were  members  of 
the  Welsh  Presbyterian  Church. 

William  H.  Pugh  has  resided  in  Racine  all  of  his  life.  He  obtained  his 
education  in  the  public  grammar  and  high  schools,  completing  his  literary 
training  in  April,  1873.  In  the  following  July  he  commenced  work  in  a  gro- 
cery and  then  entered  the  employ  of 'I.  M.  Hill  &  Co.,  working  in  the  coal 
office.  On  Jan.  23,  1880  Mr.  Pugh  bought  out  Mr.  Hill's  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness, and  conducted  it,  in  partnership  with  J.  L.  \\'heat,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Wheat  &  Pugh.  until  1887.  Since  that  year  :\Ir.  Pugh  has  conducted  the 
business  on  his  own  account.  Altogether,  he  has  been  in  the  business  for 
thirty-one  years.  ]Mr.  Pugh  brings  his  coal  by  way  of  the  Great  Lakes,  from 
Pennsylvania,  and  owns  a  vessel,  which  he  uses  in  wood  and  lumber  shipping, 
employing  in  all  about  forty  persons.  Mr.  Pugh  was  married  June  17,  1886, 
to  Miss  Charlotte  Jones,  daughter  of  John  A.  and  Avrina  (Jones)  Jones, 
and  to  this  union  were  born  four  children :  William  Harold.  Avrina  Jean- 
nette.  Bertha  Margaret,  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Mrs.  Pugh  is  a  Presbyterian.  Fraternally  Mr.  Pugh  belongs  to  the 
Royal  Arcanum,  the  Royal  League  and  the  Modern  Woodmen.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican,  and  for  one  term  he  was  alderman  of  the  Third  ward. 
He  owns  a  beautiful  home  at  No.  827  Main  street.  Mr.  Pugh  was  connected 
officially  with  the  Racine  Malleable  and  Wrought  Iron  Works  for  twelve 
years,  and  later  with  the  Dickey  Manufacturing  Company,  but  has  now  sold 
his  interests  in  these  concerns.  Mr.  Pugh  is  one  of  the  prominent  wealthy 
and  influential  men  of  Racine,  and  has  attained  his  present  position  through 
his  own  industry  and  good  management,  as  he  started  life  emptyhanded.  He 
is  very  public  spirited,  and  takes  a  lively  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  native 
oity. 

ADOLPH  W'.  HILKER,  a  prominent  brick  manufacturer  of  Racine, 
is  a  native-born  American  but  a  descendant  of  German  parentage,  and 
possesses  many  of  those  sterling  qualities  which  have  made  the  German  race 
what  it  is  to-day,  and  which  render  those  who  have  emigrated  to  the  Ameri- 
can Commonwealth  one  of  the  most  substantial  elements  of  its  prosperity. 
Mr.  Hilker  was  born  in  Racine  Dec.  25.  1867.  son  of  Adolph  and  Caroline 
(Broeker)  Hilker.  Frederick  Hilker,  the  paternal  grandfather,  lived  only  to 
middle  age,  dying  in  his  native  country.  His  wife,  Henriette,  lived  to  be 
eighty-one  years  old,  and  passed  the  final  period  of  her  life  in  Racine,  where 
she  died  Oct.  2y,  1889,  in  her  eighty-eighth  vear.  There  were  four  sons  in 
the  family. 

Adolph  Hilker  was  employed  in  various  brick  manufactories.  He  re- 
mained in  Germany  until  after  his  marriage,  and  in  September.  1867,  emi- 
grated from  the  Fatherland  and  located  in  Racine.  Without  money,  but  mas- 
ter of  his  trade,  he  continued  there  in  his  old-time  occupation,  and  finally  saved 
a  sufficient  fund  to  establish  a  brick  manufactory  of  his  own.  In  1872,  in  as- 
sociation with  his  brother  William,  and  several  others,  he  started  a  brickyard 


^:z/;U^VriM. 


'^U4^-- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  281 

at  Cedar  Bend,  Wis.,  which,  with  his  own  manufactory  at  Racine,  proved  a 
fortunate  business  venture.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  May  22,  1900,  Adolph 
Hilker  left  a  good  competency,  and  a  straightforward,  irreproachable  reputa- 
tion. 

Mr.  Hilker  married  Miss  Caroline  Broeker,  also  of  German  birth,  daugh- 
ter of  Frederick  and  Minnie  (Brand)  Broeker,  the  former  of  whom  died  in 
Germany  when  over  fifty  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Hilker  had  one  sister  and  one 
brother.  To  her  and  Mr.  Hilker  were  born  eight  children,  all  of  whom  are 
living,  namely:  Adolph  W. ;  H.  August;  Henry;  Pauline;  Gustav;  Emily, 
wife  of  Dr.  P.  Brown;  Edward;  and  John  T.  The  parents  were  both  members 
of  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  very  devout  Christians.  Mr.  Hilker  held 
various  church  offices.  He  was  a  man  of  unusually  upright  life,  and  was 
highly  esteemed  as  a  citizen. 

Adolph  W.  Hilker  grew  up  in  Racine  and  there  received  his  education, 
attending  first  the  public  schools  and  then  taking  a  course  in  a  business  college. 
His  schooling  completed  he  went  into  his  father's  brickyard,  and  became 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  details  of  the  business,  working  with  him  until 
the  elder  Mr.  Hilker  died.  He  was  thus  prepared  for  entering  upon  a  simi- 
lar enterprise,  as  one  of  the  firm  of  Hilker  Bros.  Brick  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, a  corporation  which  was  founded  in  1893.  William  Hilker.  Sr.,  is  presi- 
dent, Adolph  W.  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  H.  August  vice-president.  The 
company  employs  about  seventy-five  men,  and  has  an  annual  output  of  over  six 
million  bricks,  the  varieties  embraced  being  cream-colored,  pressed  and  com- 
mon. Mr.  Hilker  was  president  for  two  years  of  the  Brick  Manufacturers  As- 
sociation of  Wisconsin.  He  is  connected  with  the  Fiebrich,  Fox,  Hilker  Shoe 
Company,  manufacturers  of  gentlemen's  shoes.  Both  the  concerns  with  which 
Mr.  Hilker  has  been  identified  have  been  very  prosperous,  and  he  is  a  man  of 
consideralile  wealth.  Politically  he  is  a  strong  Republican,  but  has  not  been 
particularly  active  in  local  affairs,  although  he  served  one  term  as  township 
supervisor. 

On  Nov.  7,  1895,  Mr.  Hilker  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Emilie 
Buscher,  daughter  of  Carl  and  Bertha  ( Wickesberg)  Butcher,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  one  daughter.  Luella  D.  Both  he  and  his  wi^-"  are  prominent  mem- 
bers of  the  Evangelical  Church,  and  ^Nlr.  Hilker  is  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school. The  family  residence,  which  is  at  No.  19 14  North  Main  street, 
was  erected  by  Mr.  Hilker  in  1905,  and  is  commodious,  convenient  and  strictly 
modern  in  construction  and  appliances. 

HERBERT  E.  MILES,  president  of  the  Racine-Sattley  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  is  one  of  the  dominating  men  in  the  business  world 
of  that  prosperous  city,  and  the  great  organization  of  which  he  is  the  head  and 
front  stands  ouf  prominently  in  the  great  industries  of  the  State. 

Mr.  Miles  was  bom  at  Waupaca.  Wis.,  Nov.  21,  i860,  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Harriet  (Roberts)  Miles,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  New  Hampshire, 
of  old  New  England  ancestry,  and  the  latter  in  Shropshire,  England,  of  Eng- 
lish-Welsh parentage.  The  two  children  of  their  marriage  were  Herbert  E. 
and  his  brother.  Rev.  Henry  R.  Miles,  of  Brattleboro,  Vermont. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Miles  was  Humphrey  Miles,  a  native  of 
Vermont.     He  was  a  lay  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Church.     He  was  twice 


282  CO^r:iIEAIORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

married,  aiul  died  at  tlie  age  of  seventy  years,  at  Mason  City,  Iowa.  The  ma- 
ternal grandfather,  Robert  R.  Roberts,  was  born  at  Llangollen,  Wales,  and 
about  1840  came  to  Racine,  Wis.,  where  he  entered  into  the  employ  of  Lee  & 
Dixon,  in  the  mercantile  line.  Later  he  removed  to  Waupaca,  Wis.,  where  he 
entered  into  business  for  himself,  becoming  the  principal  figure  in  the  various 
activities  of  the  town.  He  married  Elizabeth  Jones,  born  at  "The  Moat,"  at 
Newtown,  Shropshire,  England.  The  father  of  Robert  R.  Roberts  was  John 
Roberts,  also  of  Llangollen. 

In  tracing  the  Miles  ancestry  it  is  seen  that  for  several  hundred  years  the 
family  has  been  one  of  prominence  and  stability  in  New  England.  The  founder 
was  John  Miles,  a  native  of  old  England.  It  has  kindrerl  among  many  other 
distinguished  families  of  the  United  States,  particularly  of  New  England. 
The  grandmother  three  generations  back  was  an  Adams,  a  close  relative  ot 
John  Adams,  who  in  1796  was  elected  President  of  the  United  States. 

Henry  Miles,  father  of  Herbert  Edwin  Miles,  was  a  banker,  merchant 
and  manufacturer  at  Waupaca,  Wis.,  and  was  closely  ide.itified  with  all  the 
leading  interests  of  that  place.  His  death  in  1866,  at  the  early  age  of  forty- 
three  years,  was  the  result  of  an  accident.  He  is  survived  by  his  widow,  who 
resides  at  Chicago,  111.  She  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  as  was  her  hus- 
band. 

Herbert  Edwin  ]\Iiles  completed  the  high  school  course  at  Waupaca  in 
1876,  and  then  entered  Lawrence  L'niversity,  at  Appleton.  Wis.,  where  he  was 
graduated  in  1882.  subsequently  taking  up  postgraduate  work  at  Harvard.  In 
1884  he  turned  his  attention  to  business  and  came  to  Racine,  having  declined 
a  tempting  offer  of  a  college  presidency.  Here  he  accepted  the  position  of  treas- 
urer with  the  Racine  Wagon  &  Carriage  Company,  and  continued  with  that 
company  until  1894.  in  the  meantime  efficiently  filling  the  various  positions  of 
responsibility.  In  1894.  upon  the  death  of  his  father-in-law.  Massena  B. 
Erskine.  he  was  made  president  of  the  company,  a  position  for  which  he  is 
eminently  qualified  and  which  he  has  filled  ever  since. 

In  1903  the  company  was  merged  into  the  Racine-Sattley  Company,  of 
Springfield,  111.,  the  combination  producing  one  of  the  three  largest  manufac- 
turing companies  of  its  kind  in  the  world.  The  products  of  this  company  go 
to  every  civilized  part  of  the  globe,  these  being  a  full  line  of  wagons  and 
vehicles  of  all  kinds  and  descriptions,  plows,  harrows  and  agricultural  imple- 
ments. Their  three  factories  are  located  at  Racine,  Wis.,  and  at  Springfield. 
111.,  and  they  have  branch  hoitses  in  all  important  distributing  localities.  They 
give  employment  to  large  bodies  of  labor,  from  nine  hundred  to  one  thousand 
workmen  being  employed  at  the  Racine  works,  and  tlie  Springfield  works  hav- 
ing few  less.  The  business  now  amounts  to  something  like  five  million  dollars 
a  year  and.  comparatively  speaking,  it  is  only  in  its  infancy. 

While  the  duties  incident  to  his  position  as  president  of  this  vast  corpora- 
tion are  of  an  absorbing  character,  Mr.  Miles  is  a  man  of  method  and  has 
found  time  to  give  his  attention  to  a  number  of  other  concerns  in  which  he  is 
financially  or  otherwise  interested.  He  is  president  of  the  National  Bank  at 
Waupaca ;  is  connected  with  the  W^aupaca  Electric  Light  &  Railway  Com- 
pany :  is  the  main  owner  of  the  Racine-Sattley  Company,  and  is  one  of  the  di- 
recting board  of  a  number  of  smaller  industries.     ^Ir.  ^liles  is  the  controlling 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  283 

spirit  in  several  national  trade  organizations  related  to  his  line  of  business.  He 
has  thoroughly  demonstrated  the  value  of  the  educated  man  in  business. 

On  Sept.  27,  1887,  Mr.  Miles  was  married  to  Miss  Flora  A.  Erskine, 
daughter  of  Massena  B.  and  Susan  (Perry)  Erskine.  They  have  one  son, 
Philip  Erskine,  born  March  4,  1899.  They  have  a  beautiful  modern  home  on 
Washington  avenue,  Racine,  which  is  frequently  the  scene  of  pleasant  social 
functions.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miles  attend  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican. 

In  closing  this  short  sketch  of  a  prominent  citizen  mention  should  be  made 
of  Mr.  Miles's  public  spirit.  He  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  civic  mat- 
ters and  time  and  again  has  evinced  a  much  more  than  passing  interest  in  the 
public  schools.  It  remained  for  him  to  not  only  suggest  but  to  make  possible 
the  introduction  of  manual  training  into  the  Racine  schools.  At  his  request 
permission  was  also  given'  him  to  decorate  and  adorn  with  suitable  pictures  the 
rooms  and  hallways  of  the  different  schools,  and  that  the  children  might  take 
a  personal  interest  in  the  preservation  of  these  works  of  art  he  proposed  to 
pay  for  one-half  of  the  decorations  in  the  buildings,  provided  the  pupils  would 
pay  one-fourth  and  the  city  the  other  fourth.  This  generous  proposition  was 
met  more  than  half  way  and  the  effect  on  the  pupils  is  marked,  all  feeling  a 
personal  proprietorship  in  their  surroundings. 

JOHN  T.  YULE  is  a  member  of  a  family  at  present  well  represented  in 
Kenosha  and  Kenosha  county,  not  only  with  respect  to  numbers  but  also  in 
creditable  citizens.  It  was  founded  here  by  his  father,  Alexander  Yule,  whose 
history  will  be  found  elsewhere.  Several  of  the  name,  including  our  subject, 
have  Jjeen  especially  well  known  in  their  connection  with  the  Bain  Wagon 
Company. 

John  T.  Yule  was  born  in  Aberdeenshire,  Scotland,  Jan.  31,  1831,  and 
was  nine  years  of  age  when  he  made  the  voyage  to  America,  a  trip  which  he 
still  remembers  vividly,  for  the  family  came  in  a  small  schooner,  the  "Mary", 
which  was  six  weeks  on  the  trip.  When  they  finally  reached  Southport  there 
was  no  harbor,  and  the  passengers  were  carried  ashore  in  the  sailors'  arms. 
John  T.  Yule  remained  on  the  farm  until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  assist- 
ing his  father.  He  put  together  and  operated  the  first  reaper  ever  set  up  in 
Kenosha  county,  an  old-fashioned  McCormick  machine.  In  1850  he  followed 
his  brother  George  to  Southport  and  worked  at  wagonmaking  with  him  a 
year  and  a  half,  after  which  he  went  to  Chicago  and  spent  some  time  there 
learning  carriagemaking.  In  185 1  he  returned  to  Kenosha  and  entered  the 
employ  of  Mitchell  &  Quarles,  which  firm  sold  out  to  Bain  &  Towsley.  Mr. 
Towsley.  retiring,  left  Mr.  Bain  in  sole  charge,  and  he  continued  the  business 
until  his  death.  With  the  exception  of  about  six  years  John  T.  Yule  was  con- 
nected with  the  establishment  from  185 1  until  July,  1905,  when  he  retired 
from  active  work.  He  was  superintendent  of  construction.  Two  years  he 
spent  at  Pike's  Peak,  and  the  next  four  he  was  employed  in  the  wagon  shop 
of  Peter  Wood. 

John  T.  Yule  stands  high  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  well 
deserves  their  confidence  and  esteem,  for  he  has  done  good  service  for  the  citv. 
For  sixteen  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board,  acting  as  presi- 


284  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

dent  seven  years  of  that  time,  and  for  fourteen  years  was  an  alderman  in  tlie 
city  council.  He  has  always  been  a  Republican,  and  cast  his  first  vote  for 
Fremont  and  Dayton,  hoisting  the  first  flag  raised  for  them  in  Kenosha. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  the  Blue  Lodge  and  Chapter. 

On  Dec.  23,  1851,  Mr.  Yule  married  Miss  Lucy  Tapling,  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Hannah  Tapling;  she  died  in  1864,  leaving  one  son,  Edwin,  now 
deceased.  In  1866  Mr.  Yule  married  Miss  Fannie  Heald,  daughter  of  Nathan 
and  Fannie  Heald,  and  she  died  three  years  later,  the  mother  of  one  child, 
who  lived  but  a  year.  Mr.  Yule's  third  union  occurred  March  10,  1870,  and 
was  to  Miss  Hattie  V.  Reed,  daughter  of  Asa  and  Rebecca  (Fuller)  Reed. 
To  this  union  six  children  have  come,  three  sons  and  three  daughters :  ( i ) 
Herbert  died  aged  four  months  and  eighteen  days.  (2)  Lucy  married  W. 
H.  Moses,  of  Denver,  Colo.,  and  they  have  two  children,  Helen  and  John. 
(3)  Belle  is  the  widow  of  the  late  Elbert  W.  Phillips.  (4)  La  Maud  is  at 
present  a  teacher  in  the  high  school  at  Black  River  Falls,  Wis.  She  was  grad- 
uated from  the  Kenosha  high  school,  the  State  Normal  at  Milwaukee  (in 
which  city  she  taught  for  two  years)  and  the  State  University  at  Madison. 
(5)  Leroy,  who  married  Miss  Mabel  Mclntyre.  is  a  machinist  in  the  Jeffreys 
Automobile  Works.  (6)  Orman  Nelson  has  been  employed  under  his  father, 
but  is  now  attending  the  Northwestern  Military  Academy,  at  Highland  Park, 
111.,  where  he  is  one  of  the  popular  students.  Besides  attaining  the  military 
rank  of  captain  he  is  prominent  in  most  of  the  school  activities,  being  editor 
of  the  school  paper,  "The  Target."  the  president  of  his  class,  captain  of  the 
football  team,  and  president  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yule  are  Con- 
gregationalists  in  their  religious  belief. 

Mrs.  Hattie  V.  Yule  is  descended  in  the  paternal  line  from  New  York 
ancestors,  of  English  lineage.  Her  grandparents,,  Squire  and  Rebecca  Reed, 
were  natives  of  New  York  State,  and  he  was  a  farmer.  Of  his  large  family, 
his  son,  Asa  Reed,  born  in  New  York,  moved  to  Ohio  and  thence  to  Illinois, 
going  still  later  to  Spring  Lake,  Mich.,  where  he  died  in  1879.  His  occupa- 
tion was  ship  carpentry.  He  married  Miss  Rebecca  Fuller,  of  Ohio,  who 
died  in  1855,  the  mother  of  three  sons  and  seven  daughters,  of  whom  five  arc 
living,  namely ;  Josephine,  !Mrs.  Anthony  J.  Simmons :  Rebecca,  widow  or  a 
Mr.  Jnnes:  Julia,  who  married  the  late  O.  W.  ^lessenger;  Hattie  V.:  and 
\\'illiam.  ]\Irs.  Yule's  maternal  grandparents  were  Perley  and  Rebecca  Ful- 
ler, the  former  a  native  of  Ohio,  of  English  descent,  and  the  father  of  a  large 
family.     The  wife  died  in  Morris,  111.,  in   1855. 

THOMAS  HANSEN,  a  resident  of  Kenosha  for  many  years,  is  a  native 
of  Denmark,  l)ut  has  spent  his  adult  life  whollv  in  America.  He  was  born  in 
Selbjorg,  Nov.  23.  1853,  son  of  Hans  and  Mette  Maria  (  Skands)  Hansen, 
both  pIso  natives  of  Denmark. 

The  forefathers  of  Mr.  Hansen  all  lived  in  Denmark,  his  father  being 
the  first  to  emip-rate  to  America.  Hans  Hansen  was  a  son  of  Hans  Anderson, 
will)  flied  in  18^0,  aged  sixty-five  years.  He  was  a  farmer  all  his  life.  He 
marrie<l  Anna  Maria  Anderson,  who  died  in  1871,  at  the  aee  of  ninety-five 
years,  the  mother  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  Hans  was  the  youngest. 

Hans  Hansen  was  born  in  Denmark  and  followed  the  occupation  of  a 


..-^i 


COAniEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  285 

fisherman.  He  came  to  America  in  1S73,  and  frum  that  time  till  his  death, 
March  21,  1896,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years,  he  was  a  resident  of 
Kenosha.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Mette  Maria  Skands,  was  born 
at  Hjerting,  Denmark,  Jan.  3,  181 7.  She  was  a  woman  of  many  noble  traits 
of  character,  a  dex'out  Christian  and  one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Danish 
Lutheran  Church  in  Kenosha,  her  husband  belonging  to  the  same  denomina- 
tion. Mrs.  Hansen  was  always  very  active  in  church  work,  particularly  in  her 
younger  days,  and  when  she  died,  Aug.  23,  1904,  she  left  a  vacancy  in  the 
church  hard  to  fill.  Her  death  resulted  from  a  general  breakdown  caused 
by  old  age.  To  Hans  Hansen  and  his  wife  were  born  seven  sons  and  two 
daughters,  viz. :  Christian,  a  sailor,  who  was  drowned  near  Kenosha  many 
years  ago;  John,  deceased,  formerly  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Bendt  &  Hansen; 
Tonnes,  deceased,  who  was  the  general  superintendent  of  the  Lhiited  States 
Steamship  Company  of  Copenhagen;  Mads  C,  a  grocery  merchant  in  Racine, 
now  deceased;  Caroline,  of  Marcpiette,  Neb.:  Maria,  wife  of  Nels  H.  Ander- 
son, of  Marquette,  Neb.;  Thomas,  of  Kenosha:  Dr.  Andrew  Skands,  of  Cedar 
Falls,  Iowa;  and  Thue  Paulsen. 

Mr.  Hansen's  grandparents  in  the  maternal  line  were  Tonnes  and  Karen 
(Jansen)  Skands,  who  were  born  in  Denmark.  Tonnes  Skands  was  accident- 
ally killed  in  1820  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-two,  while  unloading  a  vessel,  and 
his  wife  died  in  1836,  aged  fifty-three  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  four 
children. 

Thomas  Hansen  left  Denmark  in  1871,  when  between  seventeen  and 
eighteen  years  of  age.  He  had  been  given  a  fairly  good  education  there, 
although  he  had  commenced  to  work  out  a  part  of  the  time  when  he  was  quite 
small,  and  when  fourteen  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade.  After 
he  came  to  America  he  continued  to  follow  that  industry  until  1880,  but  since 
that  year  he  has  been  engaged  in  business  for  himself  in  Kenosha.  He  began 
with  the  furniture  and  undertaking  lines  combined,  but  in  1892  sold  out  the 
furniture  branch  of  his  establishment,  now  carrying  on  only  the  undertaking 
part  of  the  business.  In  the  quarter  of  a  century  since  he  embarked  in  the 
enterprise  he  has  built  up  a  large  business.  He  attended  the  first  school  of 
embalming  held  in  this  country,  and  in  January,  1883,  graduated  from  the 
Cincinnati  School  of  Embalming. 

Mr.  Hansen  married,  June  10,  1880,  Miss  Elizabeth  Kreuscher,  and 
they  have  become  the  parents  of  six  children,  viz. :  Eugene,  who  died  in 
infancy:  Elmer;-  Mark;  Edith;  Alwin:  and  Ralph,  who  lived  only  one  year. 
The  family  residence,  owned  by  Mr.  Hansen,  is  at  No.  354  Main  street,  while 
he  has  his  place  of  business  adjoining,  at  No.  163  South  street. 

Thomas  Hansen  afiiliates  with  the  Republican  party  and  has  filled  various 
offices,  for  he  is  popular  personally  and  commands  the  confidence  of  his  fel- 
low-citizens. He  was  county  treasurer  for  two  terms,  Jan.  i,  1895,  to  Jan.  i, 
1899,  being  elected  by  a  majority  of  1,228  votes,  the  largest  ever  polled  by 
any  candidate  for  that  office.  Later  he  was  deputy  treasurer  for  two  terms. 
Religiously  he  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Hansen  is  perhaps 
quite  as  widely  known  by  his  fraternal  as.sociations  as  from  his  political 
record,  for  he  is  connected  with  a  number  of  the  largest  organizations.  He 
has  been  an  Odd  Fellow  since  he  was  twenty-one  years  old,  and  is  a  Freema- 


286  COMMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

son,  belonging  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47.  ¥.  &  A.  AI. ;  Ken'jsha  Chapter,  No. 
3,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Racine  Commander}-,  No.  7,  K.  T.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Modern  Woodmen,  Royal  Arcanum,  A.  O.  U.  \V., 
Equitable  Fraternal  Union,  Yeomen  of  America,  the  Danish  Brotherhood, 
and  the  Dania  Society. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  K.  Hansen  is  descended  from  the  Kreuscher  family  of 
Rhenish  Prussia.  Her  great-grandfather  was  John  Kreuscher,  who  married 
Marguerita  Schwenk.  His  son,  Jacob,  was  born  in  Prussia,  and  died  there, 
reaching  the  age  of  seventy-six,  and  surviving  his  wife  by  four  years.  Her 
maiden  name  was  Anna  Maria  Hehn,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  ten 
children,  seven  of  whom  grew  to  maturity. 

Jacob  Kreuscher  (2),  father  of  Mrs.  Hansen,  was  born  in  Prussia  in 
1832.  A  lifelong  farmer,  he  came  to  America  in  1857,  landing  in  New  York 
Dec.  1st.  He  went  at  once  to  Kenosha  and  bought  eighty  acres  in  Paris 
township,  onto  which  he  moved  March  i,  1858,  and  which  is  still  his  home. 
He  has  since  purchased  more  land,  having  at  one  time  owned  220  acres.  Mr. 
Kreuscher  served  in  the  regular  army  in  Germany,  and  after  settling  in  Wis- 
consin was  drafted  at  the  first  call  from  President  Lincoln,  but  furnished  a 
substitute.  He  married  Miss  Mary  Kreuscher,  daughter  of  Philip  Kreuscher, 
whose  wife's  maiden  name  was  Altes ;  they  were  German  farming  people,  and 
lived  to  be  well  past  middle  age.  They  were  the  parents  of  five  children.  Mrs. 
Mary  K.  Kreuscher  bore  her  husband  three  children :  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Han- 
sen, Jacob,  Jr.,  of  Paris  township,  and  George,  of  the  same  section.  The 
mother  of  this  family,  who  was  born  in  Prussia,  passed  away  in  1889,  at  the 
age  of  fifty-seven  years.     She  and  her  husband  were  both  Lutherans. 

CHARLES  OLIVER  JOHNSON,  an  extensive  farmer  of  Racine  coun- 
ty, cultivating  280  acres  of  land  in  Norway  township,  resides  on  Section  14, 
in  that  township,  of  which  he  is  a  native,  born  March  4,  1857. 

John  Landsverk,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native 
of  Norway,  where  he  died.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  was  twice 
married,  his  first  wife  being  the  grandmother  of  our  subject.  Ole  Johnson, 
father  of  Charles  O.,  was  born  Feb.  2,  1808,  at  Tudolf,  Norway,  was  there 
reared  and  educated,  and  came  to  .America  in  1838.  Locating  in  Chicago,  he 
there  spent  four  years,  in  1842  coming  to  Wisconsin  and  settling  on  160 
acres  in  Norway  township,  where  he  cleared  several  farms,  the  old  homestead 
being  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son  Henry  F.  Ole  Johnson  died  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  his  son  Charles,  in  Norway  township,  July  17,  1902,  aged 
ninety-four  years,  five  months,  fifteen  days.  He  had  been  a  soldier  in  the 
regular  army  in  Norway.  In  Chicago  Mr.  Johnson  married  Julia  Beckjord, 
daughter  of  Halvor  Beckjord,  a  farmer  of  Norway,  who  died  there  at  an  ad- 
vanced age,  while  his  wife,  at  the  time  of  her  death,  was  nearly  one  hundred 
years  old.  M-rs.  Johnson  died  April  15,  1881,  aged  sixty-three  years,  seven 
months,  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran.  Church,  to  which  her  husband  also  ad- 
hered. They  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living: 
John,  of  Ogema,  Price  Co..  Wis. :  Peter,  of  Agee,  Nebr. ;  Caroline  Julia,  un- 
married, of  Norway  township;  Charles  O. ;  Henrv  F. :  and  Sarah  E.,  of  Nor- 


c^e^^^  6^<.^<>^ 


CO:\lMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  289 

terested.  He  is  a  member  of  Belle  City  Lodge,  No.  gj,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  of  Orient 
Chapter,  No.  12,  R.  A.  ]\I. ;  of  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  K.  T.,  of  which 
he  is  past  commander;  and  of  the  Royal  Arcanum.  In  politics  he  has  always 
voted  the  Republican  ticket.  Mr.  Grenier  resides  in  a  comfortable  home  at 
No.  1 5 10  Ninth  street,  which  he  erected  in  the  fall  of  1882. 

George  \V.  Grenier  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Miss 
Annie  Eliza  Bettridge,  by  whom  he  had  one  son,  Achille  B.  This  son  is  a 
druggist  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and  is  married  to  Miss  Hattie  Schmidt.  Mrs. 
Annie  E.  Grenier  was  born  March  3,  1855,  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Eliza 
(Dearsley)  Bettridge,  and  died  July  12,  1897. 

Abraham  Bettridge,  with  whom  Mr.  Grenier  first  went  into  business,  was 
born  in  London,  England,  July  14,  1819,  son  of  John  and  Ann  (Phillipson) 
Bettridge.  The  family  emigrated  to  America  in  1832,  and  settled  in  Toronto, 
Canada,  the  father  becoming  one  of  the  prominent  merchants  of  that  city. 
Abraham  Bettridge  remained  in  Toronto  till  he  was  twenty  years  old,  and 
then  came  to  Racine,  but  did  not  locate  permanently  there  till  1849.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  acted  as  a  clerk,  but  in  1855  went  into  business  for  himself 
as  an  ice  dealer,  and  in  time  became  one  of  the  rich  men  of  Racine.  He  had 
great  business  ability  and,  embarking  in  various  enterprises,  was  for  nearly 
half  a  century  prominent  in  Racine  financial  circles.  He  organized  a  company 
for  the  manufacture  of  tow  and  was  made  its  president,  a  position  he  held  until 
his  death,  March  10,  1881.  In  all  the  affairs  of  life,  whether  public  or  pri- 
vate, Mr.  Bettridge  bore  himself  as  an  upright  and  honorable  man,  of  sterling 
worth  and  integrity.  He  was  a  prominent  Knight  Templar,  and  held  a  num- 
ber of  ofScial  positions  in  the  Masonic  fraternity.  IMr.  Bettridge  married  Miss 
Eliza  Dearsley,  born  in  Haverhill,  SufTolk,  England.  Sept.  24,  1825.  daughter 
of  William  Dearsley,  whose  life  was  spent  in  England.  Mrs.  Bettridge  came 
to  Racine  in  1851,  and  was  married  there  April  6.  1854. 

On  Dec.  14,  1899,  Mr.  Grenier  was  united  in  marriage  to  ]Miss  Cynthia 
M.  Walderon,  a  daughter  of  Rufus  and  Cornelia  S.  (Lilly)  Walderon.  Her 
parents  were  natives  of  New  York  State,  and  had  a  family  of  eleven  children, 
Rufus  Walderon,  Jr.,  Aaron,  Isaac,  George,  Cynthia  M.,  Jane  E.,  Henry,  Wil- 
liam, Albert,  Jason  and  Benjamin  Franklin.  Rufus  Walderon  gave  most  of  his 
attention  to  farming,  and  in  1844,  came  to  Racine  county,  where  he  lived  on  a 
farm  in  Yorkville  township,  finally  moving  to  Milwaukee,  where  he  died  in 
1898.  aged  eighty-four.  His  wife,  who  survived  until  Feb.  3,  1905,  dying 
when  over  eighty-two  years  of  age,  was  a  daughter  of  Aaron  Lilly.  Aaron 
Lilly  was  born  in  New  York  State,  of  French  and  English  ancestry,  and  was 
a  carpenter  by  trade.  Mrs.  Cornelia  S.  (Lilly)  Walderon  was  a  firm  Metho- 
dist in  her  religious  belief,  and  had  a  long  life  of  Christian  usefulness  to  look 
back  upon  in  her  declining  years. 

JA:\IES  C.  ROWNTREE,  one  of  Racine  county's  reliable,  practical 
farmers,  now  operating  on  Section  12,  Rochester  township,  was  born  in 
Dover  township,  that  county,  July  18,  1855,  son  of  Christopher  and  Jane 
(Sollitt)  Rowntree,  natives  of  Yorkshire.  England. 

The  paternal  grandfather  was  also  named  Christopher  Rowntree,  and 
was  also  a  native  of  Yorkshire.     He  came  to  America  in  1848  with  his  wife 


290  COM^IEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  several  cliiklren,  and  died  in  Dover  township  in  1849,  ^S^^  about  sixty 
years.  He  married  Susan  Ramshaw,  also  a  native  of  England,  who  survived 
him  until  1855.     She  was  the  mother  of  twelve  children. 

James  C.  Rowntree's  maternal  grandfather  was  James  Sollitt,  a  native 
of  England,  who  died  in  York,  that  country,  in  middle  life.  He  w-as  by  occu- 
pation a  contractor  and  builder.  He  married  a  Miss  Cass,  who  died  at  York 
some  years  after  her  husband's  death,  and  they  had  a  family  of  se\en  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  came  to  America  and  located  in  Chicago,  where  they  en- 
gaged in  contracting  and  building. 

Christopher  Rowntree,  father  of  James  C,  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood and  youth  in  his  native  land  in  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  lads,  and  in 
the  public  schools  acquired  a  fair  education.  He  crossed  the  Atlantic  with 
the  family  in  1848,  and  also  became  a  resident  of  Racine  county.  In  October, 
1 8 so.  he  married  Miss  Jane  Sollitt,  who  survives  her  husband  and  resides  in 
Chicago;  she  is  now  eighty-six  years  old,  having  been  born  Pel).  3,  1820. 
Previous  to  his  marriage  Mr.  Rowntree  had  purchased  a  farm  with  slight 
improvements,  near  where  he  died  and  there  the  young  couple  began  their 
domestic  life.  The  following  year  he  purchased  the  farm  on  which  his  son 
George  W.  now  resides,  and  upon  which  he  himself  resided  until  his  death, 
on  Aug.  28.  1898.  His  property  on  Sections  7  and  18  is  a  valuable  one,  owing 
to  the  improvements  he  placed  upon  it,  and  the  highly  cultivated  condition  of 
the  land.  His  possessions  aggregated  520  acres,  a  large  portion  of  which  is 
under  cultivation  or  meadow  land,  the  remainder  being  timber  pasture.  This 
land  is  embraced  within  three  farms,  all  well  improved,  with  good  residences, 
barns  and  outbuildings. 

In  political  sentiment  ]\Ir.  Rowntree  was  a  Republican,  and  usually  sup- 
ported the  nominees  of  that  party.  He  took  an  active  part  in  politics  and  held 
several  positions  of  honor  and  trust.  He  was  elected  and  served  as  a  member 
of  the  board  of  supervisors,  being  its  chairman  for  several  years.  He  ever 
gave  the  cause  of  education  his  hearty  support,  and  as  a  member  of  the 
school  board  did  efficient  service  for  the  schools  of  his  community.  In  what- 
ever position  he  was  called  upon  to  fill  he  proved  a  faithful  officer,  prompt  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties,  and  thus  won  the  commendation  of  all  concerned. 

^Ir.  Rowntree  was  truly  a  self-made  man,  for  he  began  life  for  himself 
empty-handed,  working  his  way  upward  unaided  save  by  the  industry,  enter- 
prise and  good  business  ability  with  which  nature  endowed  him.  He  was  one 
of  the  extensive  landowners  and  substantial  citizens  of  the  county.  He  ever 
lived  an  upright  life,  worthy  of  high  regard,  and  was  well  and  favorably 
known  throughout  the  community.  Two  children,  both  of  whom  survive, 
were  born  to  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Christopher  Rowntree.  namely :  George  W.  and 
James  C. 

James  C.  Rowntree  grew  to  manhood  in  Dover  township  on  his  father's 
farm,  and  attended  the  district  schools  and  Rochester  Seminary.  He  lived 
at  home  until  grown,  and  after  his  marriage  cultivated  the  old  homestead  in 
partnership  with  his  father  and  brother  for  several  years.  Later  the  farm  was 
divided  between  the  two  sons.  Since  coming  to  his  present  farm  Mr.  Rown- 
tree has  made  many  improvements  which  attest  to  his  ability  and  taste. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  291 

On  Nov.  13,  1877,  Mr.  Rowntree  married  Miss  Mary  Beaumont,  daugh- 
ter of  George  and  Ellen  (Howeth)  Beaumont,  of  Dover  township,  and  three 
children  were  born  to  this  union,  Mabel  B.,  Jennie  Imogene  and  Jessie  Ellen. 
Mabel  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  while  attending  college  at  Beloit, 
being  buried  on  her  twenty-tirst  birthday ;  Jennie  Imogene  is  now  attending 
Beloit  College;  and  Jessie  Ellen  is  attending  Rochester  Academy. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rowntree  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  like  his  father  lias  been  greatly  interested 
in  all  matters  educational.  He  has  been  a  trustee  of  Rochester  Academy  ever 
since  its  organization,  and  was  a  school'  director  for  many  years. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  James  C.  Rowntree  were  natives  of  England,  and 
were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Dover  township,  Racine  county,  where  Mr. 
Beaumont  owned  over  200  acres  of  land.  Here  he  reared  his  family,  he  and  his 
wife  having  thirteen  children,  two  of  whom  were  born  in  New  York  State, 
and  the  rest  in  Dover  township.  There  were  four  sons  and  nine  daughters,  of 
which  family  ten  children  still  survixe :  Jeanette,  wife  of  William  Hanna- 
ford.  of  Dover  township ;  Thomas,  of  Rochester,  Wis. ;  Hannah,  wife  of  Will- 
iam Metcalf,  of  the  town  of  Raymond;  Ellen,  the  widow  of  W.  D.  White, 
of  Madison,  Wis.;  Joseph,  who  is  on  the  old  homestead  in  Dover  township; 
Mary,  the  wife  of  James  C.  Rowntree;  Emma,  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Summers, 
of  Rochester  township:  Sarah,  the  wife  of  William  Vyvyan,  of  Yorkville 
township;  Lettie,  the  wife  of  Abraham  Gilmore,  of  Yorkville  township;  and 
George,  w^ho  owns  and  operates  the  old  homestead  in  Dover  township,  at 
Beaumont.  George  Beaumont,  Sr.,  the  father  of  Mrs.  James  C.  Rowntree. 
died  in  August,  1882,  aged  seventy-seven  years,  while  his  wife  survived  him 
some  time,  her  death  occurring  in  April,  1888,  when  she  was  sixty-eight 
years  old.     They  were  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  I\Irs.  James  C.  Rowntree  was  Thomas  Beau- 
m<:,nt,  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  son  of  Thomas,  Sr.  He  came  to 
America  and  settled  among  the  early  pioneers  in  Dover  township,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  passing  away  at  an  advanced  age,  while  his 
wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Jeanette  Fish,  also  attained  advanced 
years.  She  bore  her  husband  a  large  family.  Mrs.  Rowntree's  maternal 
grandfather  was  Robert  Howeth,  also  a  native  of  England,  and  an  early 
pioneer  of  New  York!  He  was  a  wood  engraver.  He  and  his  wife,  Harriet 
(Sutton)   Howeth.  bad  a  family  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 

WILLLAM  ;\I.  KUPFER,  who  conducts  a  large  bakery  and  confection- 
ery establishment  in  Kenosha,  has  spent  his  life  in  that  city,  where  he  was  born 
Nov.  25,  1861. 

On  the  paternal  side  Mr.  Kupfer  comes  of  Bavarian  ancestrv,  while 
his  mother's  family  was  of  Alsace-Lorraine.  Grandfather  Kupfer  was  born 
in  Germany  and  died  there.  He  served  in  the  army  during  the  Prussian  war. 
Of  his  three  children,  John  B.  Kupfer  was  the  father  of  William  M.  He 
married  Adelaide  Bostetter,  of  Alsace-Lorraine,  whose  parents  lived  to  a  good 
old  age.  Mrs.  Kupfer  was  one  of  three  children,  two  daughters  and 
one  son.     John  B.  Kupfer  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  after  coming  to 


2y-'  CO.AIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

the  United  States  li\ed  for  a  few  years  on  a  farm  at  St.  Lawrence,  Wis.  He 
then  located  permanently  in  Kenosha,  where  in  1859  he  opened  a  bakery  and 
confectionery  which  he  conducted  till  his  death.  He  and  his  wife  died  the 
same  year.  1897,  Mrs.  Kupfer  a  few  months  earlier  than  Mr.  Kupfer.  who 
was  sixty-six  years  old  when  he  died;  his  wife  was  a  year  younger.  Both 
were  Roman  Catholics  in  religious  belief.  Mr.  Kupfer  was  a  well-known  man 
in  Kenosha,  where  he  served  as  mayor  one  term,  and  where  he  had  previously 
filled  various  minor  offices.  He  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  six  children, 
namely:  Charles,  of  Peoria,  111.;  Rose,  deceased  wife  of  E.  J.  English;  Carrie, 
Mrs.  \V.  J.  Dever.  of  Milwaukee;  William  M. ;  Harry  A.,  of  Kenosha;  and 
John  C.  of  Chicago. 

William  M.  Kupfer  received  his  earlier  eilucation  in  the  public  schools 
of  Kenosha  and  then  was  sent  to  the  St.  Francis  Academy,  at  Milwaukee. 
After  completing  his  studies  he  went  into  his  father's  store  to  work.  In  1887 
the  concern  was  turned  into  a  stock  company — the  members  being  the  father 
and  three  sons — under  the  firm  name  of  the  Kupfer  Cracker  Company.  Event- 
ually William  M.  Kupfer  purchased  his  brothers'  shares  and  is  now  conducting 
the  business  alone.  He  has  a  fine  property  in  a  good  location,  and  does  a 
large  business. 

Mr.  Kupfer  was  married  Nov.  29,  1883.  to  ]\Iiss  ^Minnie  Pirsch,  daughter 
of  the  late  Nicholas  and  Celia  (Spilman)  Pirsch  and  to  their  union  have 
come  four  sons,  Raymond,  Urban,  Omer  and  Cletus.  Mr.  Kupfer  and  his 
wife  are  both  Catholics.  He  belongs  to  a  number  of  fraternal  orders,  being 
prominent  in  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  the  Elks,  the  Columbian  Knights  and 
the  Royal  League.  Politically  he  is  independent.  Mr.  Kupfer  ranks  among 
Kenosha's  successful  business  men  and  stands  high  in  the  general  esteem. 

HALA'OR  N.  PETERSON.  Among  the  list  of  representative  men 
and  highly  esteemed  residents  of  Racine  county  will  be  found  the  name  of 
Halvor  N.  Peterson,  an  energetic  agriculturist  of  Waterford  township,  wdio 
owns  a  fine  farm  of  150  acres  where  he  lives,  besides  another  farm  of  sixty 
acres  in  the  same  township.     Beautiful  lake  Tichigan  extends  along  his  land. 

^Ir.  Peterson  was  born  in  Norway  Nov.  23,  1841,  son  of  Nels  and  Liefe 
(Oleson)  Peterson,  and  grandson  of  Peter  Peterson,  a  native  of  Norway, 
who  died  in  that  country  aged  about  ninety-five  years.  He  was  twice  married. 
Ole  Oleson,  the  maternal  grandfather,  was  a  farmer  in  the  same  country,  and 
died  in  middle  age. 

Nels  Peterson,  father  of  Halvor  N.,  was  a  laboring  man.  He  came  to 
America  about  1847.  locating  in  ^^'aterford  township,  and  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land  from  the  Government,  to  which  he  added  until  he  had  120  acres. 
He  died  on  the  old  homestead  on  which  his  son  Halvor  now  lives,  June 
3,  1892,  aged  seventy-eight  years,  seven  months.  His  wife  passed  away 
Feb.  28,  1891,  when  seventy-nine  years  of  age.  Both  were  Lutherans.  Thev 
had  a  family  of  six  children,  but  two  of  whom  are  now  living:  Ole  died 
July  6,  1905;  Halvor  N.  is  our  subject;  John  died  in  infancy;  Cornelia  died 
in  infancy;  Cornelia  (2)  married  H.  K.  Johnson  and  is  deceased;  John  lives 
in  the  village  of  Waterford. 


COMME.AIORATiVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  293 

Ilalvur  X.  Peterson  was  iKjt  (luite  six  years  old  when  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica witli  his  parents.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm  in  W'atertord  town- 
ship, which  has  ahvays  been  his  home,  tie  received  his  education  in  the  dis- 
trict school,  and  was  reared  in  the  ways  of  thrift,  honesty  and  integrity.  On 
reaching  mature  age  he  bought  the  old  homestead  of  his  parents,  and  took 
care  of  them  until  they  died. 

On  Jan.  8,  1868,  Mr.  Peterson  married  Miss  Irene  Oleson,  daughter  of 
Simon  and  Cornelia  Oleson.  She  died  June  17,  1884.  aged  thirty-nine  years, 
in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  In  1905  Mr.  Peterson  married  (second) 
Miss  Ida  Peterson,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Hannah  (Hanson)  Peterson,  and 
one  son,  Harvey  Norman,  has  been  born  to  this  union.  The  paternal  grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Ida  Peterson  was  Hans  Peterson,  a  resident  of  Norway  town- 
ship for  some  years.  On  the  maternal  side  Mrs.  Peterson  is  a  granddaughter 
of  John  Hanson,  also  a  native  of  Norway  and  an  early  settler  of  Waterford 
township,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age. 

Halvor  N.  Peterson  was  supervisor  for  a  number  of  times,  served  sev- 
eral terms  as  school  treasurer,  and  has  been  juryman  in  Racine  several  times. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He  is  connected  with  the  Lutheran  Church, 
and  attends  regularly. 

JOSEPH  W.  SUMMERS,  a  highly  esteemed  resident  of  Rochester 
township,  Racine  county,  who  is  engaged  in  farming  on  Section  16,  has  also 
carried  on  an  extensive  milk  bvtsiness  for  the  past  fifteen  years.  He  was  born 
in  Wauwatosa,  Wis..  April  14,  1854,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Wolfenden) 
Summers,  natives  of  England.  His  paternal  grandfather  died  in  England, 
as  did  also  his  wife,  and  nothing  is  known  of  him  except,  that  he  was  twice 
married.  John  Wolfenden,  the  maternal  great-grandfather  of  Mr.  Summers, 
passed  his  entire  life  in  England,  where  he  was  employed  in  a  cotton  factory. 
His  children  were:  John;  Joseph;  James;  Ann;  Amelia,  and  Ralph.  Of 
these,  Ralph  and  James  were  the  onlv  ones  that  came  to  America.  Ralph 
settled  in  Menomonee  Falls,  Wis.,  taking  up  a  large  tract  of  timber  land,  and 
there  his  death  occurred  Sept.  22,  1882,  when  he  was  aged  eighty-one  years 
and  nine  months.  James  Wolfenden  worked  in  a  cotton  mill  in  England  be- 
fore his  emigration  to  America.  He  and  his  wife,  Betty  Buckley,  whom  he 
had  married  in  Middleton,  England,  were  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Wis- 
consin, making  their  home  near  Menomonee  Falls,  Waukesha  county,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming.  He  died  there  Dec.  7,  1864,  aged  seventy-one  years, 
and  his  wife  on  March  11,  1862,  when  seventy  years  old.  They  were  the 
parents  of  three  children,  John,  Samuel  and  Mary,  the  last  named  becoming 
the  nii.ither  of  Joseph  W.  Summers. 

William  Summers  came  to  America  \\hen  sixteen  years  of  age.  and  his 
wife.  Mary  Wolfenden.  was  also  very  young  when  her  parents  brought  her 
to  this  country.  They  were  the  first  couple  married  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clapp, 
at  Wauwatosa.  Four  children  were  born  to  their  union ;  Hattie,  deceased, 
who  married  John  Britton,  and  had  one  child,  Fannie,  who  is  now  the  wife 
of  Edmund  Root,  of  Famosa,  Kern  Co.,  Cal. ;  Mary,  deceased  wife  of  H.  A. 
Russell,  of  Rochester  townshi]) ;    Miss    Alice,    of    Rochester    township;    and 


294        co:mme:\iorative  biographical  record. 

Joseph  W'.,  our  subject.  William  Summers,  when  a  boy,  was  bound  out  to 
a  shoemaker  in  England,  but  Ijoiight  his  time  and  came  to  America,  working 
oil  the  Erie  canal  at  Lockport,  there  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he 
followed  for  a  number  of  years.  Erom  Buffalo,  X.  Y.,  he  came  west  to  Rock- 
ford,  111.,  driving  through  with  two  four-horse  teams  in  company  with  eight 
or  ten  other  persons.  He  settled  at  Wauwatosa,  and  worked  at  his  trade  until 
1856,  when  he  located  in  Racine  county,  and  purchased  a  farm  of  120  acres 
in  Rochester  township.  There  he  died  June  9,  1890,  on  his  seventy-seventh 
birthday,  his  w-idow  surviving  until  June  18,  1898,  when  she  passed  away, 
aged  seventy-three  years,  eleven  months.  They  were  adherents  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church. 

Since  1856  Joseph  W.  Summers  has  lived  on  the  farm  in  Rochester 
township  which  his  father  bought,  and  which  he  now  owns.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  Rochester  Seminary.  At  his  father's 
death  he  inherited  a  share  of  the  homestead,  and  purchasing  the  interest  of 
the  otlwir  heirs  he  has  since  successfully  operated  the  old  home  farm. 

On  Dec.  14,  1881,  Mr.  Summers  married  Miss  Emma  J.  Beaumont, 
daughter  of  George  and  Ellen  (Howeth)  Beaumont,  and  one  son  has  been 
born  to  this  union,  Wilham  Beaumont.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Summers  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregational  Church  at  Rochester.  Politically  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  for  four  years  acceptably  served  as  school  treasurer.  3vlr.  Sum- 
mers is  now  not  only  engaged  in  a  profitable  agricultural  venture,  Ijut  he  has 
also  proved  himself  a  capable  business  man,  and  carries  on  a  very  flourishing 
milk  business,  disposing  of  his  product  in  Burlington,  Wis.  He  is  very  well 
known  in  Rochester  township,  and  he  is  highly  esteemed  by  his  neighbors  as 
a  man  of  honesty,  integrity,  and  sterling  worth  of  character. 

Thomas  Beaumont,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Summers,  was  a 
native  of  England,  who  came  to  America  w-ith  his  family  and  settled  in  Dover 
township,  wdiere  he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife  was  Jeanette  Fish, 
and  she.  too,  lived  to  an  old  age.  They  had  six  children,  Thomas,  John, 
George,  Jonathan,   Betty  and  . 

George  Beaumont,  son  of  Thomas,  was  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England, 
and  his  wife,  Ellen  Howeth.  of  Berry.  They  came  to  America  in  1842,  and 
after  a  short  stay  in  New  York  located  in  Dover  township,  Racine  county, 
the  village  of  Beaumont  being  named  after  the  father.  Elere  he  bought  land, 
and  followed  farming  until  August,  1882,  when  he  died  aged  seventy-six 
j^ears,  his  widow^  surviving  him  until  April  3,  1887,  when  she  passed  away, 
when  sixty-nine  years  of  age.  They  had  a  family  of  thirteen  children,  four 
sons  and  nine  daughters:  Jeanette,  the  wife  of  William  Hannaford,  of 
Dover  township;  Harriet,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  John  Smith; 
Thomas,  of  Rochester,  Wis.;  John,  deceased;  Betty,  deceased;  Hannah,  wife 
of  William  Metcalf,  of  Raymond  township;  Ellen,  the  wido\<-  of  William  D. 
White;  Joseph;  Mary,  the  wife  of  James  C.  Rowntree,  of  Rochester;  Emma 
J.,  wife  of  our  subject;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  William  ^'yvyan,  of  Yorkville 
township;  Letty.  the  wife  of  Abraham  Gilmore.  of  Yorkville  township;  and 
George,  of  Dover  township,  on  the  old  homestead. 

Mrs.  Ellen  (Howeth)  Beaumont's  father  was  a  native  of  England.  He 
died  in  Xew  York  City,  where  he  is  buried.     By  occupation  he  was  a  wood 


COMME^^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  295 

engra\er.  His  wife  died  in  England,  when  still  a  young  woman,  leaving 
tive  children,  as  follows :  John,  a  lieutenant  in  the  Union  army  in  the  Civil 
war,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg;  Edmund,  w'ho  remained  in 
England :  William,  of  Jersey  City,  N.  J. ;  Ellen,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Summers, 
and  Harriet,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Gilbert  Ferris,  of  Greenwich, 
Connecticut. 

JAMES  HEXRY  ^MURRAY,  one  of  the  prominent  citizens  and  suc- 
cessful farmers  of  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  residing  on  a  valuable  farm  situ- 
ated in  Section  30.  belongs  to  one  of  the  old  pioneer  families  of  this  locality. 
He  w-as  born  in  Paris  township,  Oct.  21,  1852,  son  of  Patrick  and  Bridget 
(McGinn)  Murray. 

Patrick  Murray  was  born  in  County  Mayo,  Ireland,  and  his  wife  in 
County  Down.  They  had  eleven  children  born  to  them,  four  sons  and  seven 
daughters,  namely:  Sarah,  wife  of  George  Shanley,  Jr..  of  Brighton  town- 
ship: Mary,  wife  of  Frank  Farrell,  of  Sioux  City.  Iowa:  Rose,  deceased, 
wife  of  James  McCarthy,  of  Fargo,  N.  Dak. :  Margaret,  wife  of  John  Mc- 
Cann,  of  Osage.  Mitchell  Co.,  Iowa :  James  Henry :  Dominick,  of  Wood- 
stock, 111. :  Catherine,  wife  of  James  Leonard,  of  Albion,  Neb. :  Alice,  wife 
of  W^illiam  E.  Heidersdorf,  of  Paris  township;  Frank,  of  Ogema;  Price  Co., 
Wis.;  Ellen,  w-ife -of  Frank  Garland,  of  Waukegan,  111.;  and  William,  de- 
ceased. 

Patrick  Murray  was  a  laboring  man  and  came  to  America  in  1835  in  the 
hope  of  bettering  his  condition.  He  worked  for  a  time  on  the  Erie  canal  and 
then  came  West  to  Lockport,  111.,  and  thence  to  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  set- 
tling here  among  the  early  pioneers.  His  first  purchase  of  land  was  forty 
acres,  to  which  he  subsequently  added  ten  acres  and  on  this  farm  he  reared 
his  large  family  in  comfort  and  taught  them  to  be  industrious  and  self-sup- 
porting. He  died  there  in  1879,  aged  eighty  years.  His  wife  survived  hirn 
and  died  in  1901,  aged  seventy-four  years.  Both  were  worthy  members  of 
the  Catholic  Church.  On  the  paternal  side  of  the  family,  the  family  records 
have  been  lost,  but  on  the  maternal  side  it  is  known  that  the  grandfather  came 
from  Ireland  at  an  early  day  and  settled  first  in  Paris  and  then  moved  to 
Pleasant  Prairie  township,  where  he  died  when  almost  100  years  of  age  and 
his  wife  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-four.  They  had  two  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters:  James,  of  Neenah,  Wis.;  Patrick,  of  Kenosha:  Ann,  wife  of  J. P.  Cal- 
lahan, of  Kenosha;  Bridget,  mother  of  our  subject,  now  deceased;  and  Cath- 
erine, deceased,  wife  of  a  Mr.  McDonald. 

James  Henry  Murray  was  reared  in  Paris  township,  w^orked  on  the 
home  farm  and  attended  the  district  schools.  Later  he  took  a  course  at  a 
seminary  at  Osage,  Iowa,  in  which  town  he  lived  for  two  years  and  eight 
months,  and  then  went  to  teaching.  He  spent  his  summers  at  farm  work, 
and  for  fourteen  terms  taught  winter  sessions  of  school,  being  considered 
a  most  excellent  instructor.  After  his  marriage  he  rented  his  present  farm 
but  one  year  later  bought  it  and  has  resided  on  it  ever  since.  It  is  a  fine  piece 
of  lanfl.  consisting  of  297  acres  and  Mr.  Murray  has  spent  a  great  deal  of 
labor  in  making  the  substantial  impro^•ements  here.  He  carries  on  a  general 
line  of   farming:. 


296        co:m:\iemorati\'e  biographical  record. 

On  Sept.  28,  1880,  Mr.  AIurni\-  was  married  to  jNIiss  Sarah  A.  Cranev, 
daughter  of  John  and  Jolianna  (O  Leary)  Cranev,  and  they  have  five  chil- 
dren, viz. :  John  C,  James  P.,  Irene,  Ahce  and  Arthur  Jerome.  John  C, 
a  machinist  in  Kenosha,  married  Agnes  McKenna.  All  the  others  reside  at 
home,  Miss  Irene  heing  a  local  teacher.  All  the  children  have  been  well 
educated  and  Alice  was  the  valedictorian  of  her  class  when  she  was  graduated 
in  the  class  of  1905  at  the  College  of  Commerce,  at  Kenosha.  Mrs.  Murray 
is  a  graduate  of  the  St.  Clara's  Academy  at  Sinsinawa  Mound,  Wis.,  and 
for  several  years  taught  school  in  Kenosha  county.  The  family  are  prominent 
in  the  social  circles  of  the  township  and  have  many  friends  who  frequently 
enjoy  the  hospitality  of  their  home.  They  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  Politically  Mr.  Murray  is  a  Democrat.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member 
of  Camp  No.  828,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  at  Somers.  He  has  ser\-ed 
for  the  past  eleven  years  as  school  treasurer  of  District  No.  8. 

John  and  Johanna  (O'Leary )  Craney,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Murray,  were 
both  born  in  Ireland,  the  father  in  County  Down  and  the  mother  in  County 
Cork,  and  both  emigrated  to  Canada  where  they  were  married.  They  came 
to  the  United  States  after  the  birth  of  their  first  child,  and  were  among  the 
earliest  settlers  in  Kenosha  county.  Mr.  Craney  was  a  man  of  vast  energy 
and  fine  intelligence,  and  at  one  time  he  owned  600  acres  of  land  in  Paris 
township.  He  died  Jan  9,  1881,  aged  sixty-seven  years,  and  the  mother, 
Aug.  24,  1901,  aged  eighty-four  years.  Tliey  had  four  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters, seven  of  whom  still  survive,  viz. :  James,  near  Independence,  Iowa ;' 
Jeremiah,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. :  Rose,  wife  of  George  McGill,  of  Kenosha'; 
Mary,  wife  of  ^lichael  C.  Kelley.  of  Bristol  township:  Margaret,  wife  of 
William  J.  Ryan,  uf  Kenosha;  Sarah,  wife  of  \lv.  Murray;  and  \\'illiam  J., 
of  Kenosha. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Murray  was  James  Craney,  who  died 
in  middle  life  in  Ireland,  where  he  was  a  linen  manufacturer.  He  and  his  wife 
Rose  had  five  sons  and  two  daughters:  John,  James,  William.  Michael. 
Bernard,  Margaret  and  IMary. 

On  the  maternal  side  the  O'Leary  family  emigrated  early  to  Canada, 
giving  up  a  large  propertv  in  Ireland  rather  than  surrender  their  faith,  and 
those  who  kno\\-  the  history  of^  Ireland  will  understand  this.  The  mother 
of  ^Irs.  ^Murray  had  a  brother,  Jeremiah,  who  had  established  a  home  in 
America  before  the  rest  of  the  familv  came  across  the  Atlantic. 

ANDREW  JACKSON  RUSSELL,  one  of  the  prominent  l>usiness  men 
of  Racine  county,  is  engaged  in  the  milling  business  at  Rochester,  ^^'is.  He 
was  born  in  Cabot.  Vt..  Tan.  6.  1833,  son  of  Henry  and  Emily  E.  (Stone) 
Russell,  natives  of  New  Hampshire. 

Peter  B.  Russell,  paternal  grandfather  of  Andrew  T..  was  a  native  of 
Claremont.  N.  H..  born  Tan.  8,'  1774.  and  was  a  farmer  by  occunation.  He 
died  Tuly  5.  1831,  in  Cabot.  Vt..  his  wife.  Charlotte  fivellogg)  Russell,  also 
attaining  advanced  vears;  she  was  born  Sept.  24,  i/Jv  and  died  IMarch  20, 
1853. 

Henry  Russell  was  a  mechanic  all  his  life,  and  engaged  chieflv  in  car- 
pentering and  joining.     He  came  to  Wisconsin  with  his  family  in  1850.  and 


y4^    (fL<^-Ut 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  297 

purchased  I30  acres  of  school  section  land  in  tlie  town  of  Rochester,  dying 
here  March  2,  1885,  aged  eighty-two  years.  On  Oct.  5,  1830,  he  married 
Emily  E.  Stone,  daughter  of  Joseph  Stone,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire  and  a 
miller  by  trade.  iNIrs.  Russell  died  April  13,  1889,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 
She  and  her  husband  were  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  They  were  the 
parents  of  the  following  children:  Rosetta  E.,  born  July  7,  183 1,  died  Feb. 
19,  1855;  Andrew  J.  is  our  subject;  Julia  K.,  born  June  17,  1837,  died  May 

22.  1840;  Julia  A.,  wife  of  T.  C.  Hoyt,  of  Norwich,  Kans.,  was  born  June  15, 
1840;  Lucia  H.,  wife  of  William  Gould,  of  Houghton,  Wis.,  was  born  March 

23,  1843;  Henry  A.,  born  May  6,  1845,  is  now  living  in  Rochester  township, 
on  the  old  home  farm;  Frank  W..  of  Conway  Springs,  Kans.,  was  born  Aug. 
28,  1847;  and  Charles  F.,  now  of  Wellington,  Kans.,  born  March  13,  1852. 

Andrew  Jackson  Russell  lived  in  Vermont  until  seventeen  years  of  age, 
and  there  received  his  education,  in  1850  coming  to  Rochester,  Wis.,  where  lie 
engaged  in  teaching  school  for  four  years.  He  then  lived  six  years  on  the 
home  farm,  in  i860  moving  to  Waterford,  Wis.,  to  take  charge  of  the  post- 
office  and  store  of  general  merchandise,  remaining  in  the  store  four  years.  He 
then  commenced  milling  in  Waterford,  and  there  continued  for  one  year, 
after  which  he  returned  to  Rochester,  yir.  Russell  purchased  the  Roches- 
ter mills  in  1864,  and  in  1884  rebuilt  them,  operating  a  flour  and  feed  mill 
ha\-ing  a  daily  capacity  of  seventy-five  barrels  of  flour  and  fifteen  tons  of  feed. 
Mr.  Russell  also  owns  a  beautiful  residence  facing  Fox  river,  in  Rochester. 

On  Oct.  9,  1855,  Mr.  Russell  married  Miss  Harriet  Elizabeth  Newbury, 
daughter  of  Dayton  B.  and  Elizabeth  (Foster)  Newbury,  and  four  children 
were  born  to  this  union :  Helen,  who  died  in  infancy ;  Dwight,  who  died  when 
two  years  old ;  Arthur,  who  married  Antoinette  Wells,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.. 
and  died  when  thirty  years  old;  and  Miss  Emma,  who  lives  at  home.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Russell  are  members  of  the  Free  W'ill  Baptist  Church.  Politically 
he  has  always  been  a  Republican,  and  he  has  held  various  township  offices. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russell  are  very  highly  esteemed  in  Rochester,  in  the  locality 
in  which  they  have  spent  so  many  years. 

]\Irs.  Russell  was  born  in  Uxbridge,  Mass.,  Oct.  9,  1833,  and  her  mother 
died  in  June,  1842,  aged  thirty-six  years.  In  1853  Mrs.  Russell  came  West 
with  her  father  and  a  younger  sister,  Maria  A.  (now  Mrs.  George  Groat,  of 
Milwaukee).  They  settled  in  Waterford,  Wis.,  where  Mr.  Newbury  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  and  there  he  died  March  25.  1871,  aged  sixty- 
eight  years.  He  had  married  (second)  Miss  Sally  Tymeson,  of  New  York 
State.  The  four  sons  of  the  first  union  had  died,  and  there  were  no  children 
l:orn  to  the  second  union. 

Dayton  B.  Newbury  was  a  son  of  Comfort  and  Nancy  (Collins)  New- 
bury, of  Groton  and  Mansfield,  Conn.,  respectively.  The  former  was  a 
cooper  by  trade,  and  his  death  occurred  in  1852,  when  he  was  seventy-eight 
years  of  age.  His  wife  died  in  1864,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  Their  nine 
children  are  all  deceased. 

WILLIAM  HENRY  HALLOCK.  who  died  on  his  birthday,  March 
14.  igo6,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years,  was  one  of  the  highly  esteemed 
retired  residents  of  Corliss,  W^is.,  an  old  settler  and  a  substantial  citizen.     He 


298  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

was  born  :\Iarch  14.  1834.  in  Xew  York  city,  son  of  Robert  L.  and  Catherine 
(Pemberton)  Hallock,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  New  York. 

Robert  L.  Hallock,  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  son  of  Samuel  Hallock, 
a  large  landowner  in  New  York,  who  died  there  as  did  his  wife  in  old  age. 
They  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters.  Robert  L.  Hallock  married  Cath- 
erine Pemberton,  one  of  a  family  of  fourteen  children,  whose  father, 
operated  the  first  stage  route  and  carried  the  mail  at  Highland 
Springs,  N.  Y.  He  also  owned  a  foundry  and  grist  mill.  He  gave  each 
of  his  fourteen  children  a  farm.  To  Robert  L.  Hallock  and  wife  were  born 
three  sons  and  two  daughters,  viz. :  William  Henry ;  Clinton ;  Sarah  Ann 
married  Herbert  Graves,  a  resident  of  Racine;  George;  and  Helen.who  was 
the  wife  of  William  Wardman.  Our  subject,  the  eldest,  was  the  last  sur- 
viving member  of  this  family. 

Robert  L.  Hallock  learned  the  carpenter  trade  in  New  York  city  and 
followed  it  for  many  years.  In  1842  he  came  West  with  his  wife  and  eldest 
son,  and  landed  at  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Racine,  which  then  had 
no  harbor  where  the  vessel  could  land,  and  the  passengers  were  taken  to 
shore  from  the  old  "DeWitt  Clinton"'  on  a  scow.  ]Mr.  Hallock  bought  his 
first  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  north  of  McGett's  Corners,  for  which 
he  paid  four  dollars  an  acre.  Later  he  sold  it,  and  bought  sixty  acres  across 
the  road  from  the  Klinkert  race  track  which  he  also  sold,  and  then  bought 
sixty  acres  of  what  is  now  the  town  of  Corliss  Station,  where  Lingeweiler's 
store  now  stands.  Mr.  Hallock  continued  to  live  there  until  1864  and  then 
moved  to  Racine,  where  the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent,  and  where  he  died  in 
1889.  aged  eighty  years.  His  wife  was  accidentally  burned  so  badly  that 
her  death  took  place  soon  after,  in  1884,  when  she  was  seventy-one 
years  old.  Both  had  been  reared  Quakers,  but  I\Irs.  Hallock  was  a  professed 
Methodist,  while  Mr.  Hallock  was  a  Universalist.  He  was  a  Democrat  all 
his  life  but  never  desired  political  honors. 

William  Henry  Hallock  was  eight  years  old  when  he  came  to  Wisconsin 
with  his  parents.  Their  first  home  was  a  log  house  12x15  ^^^^^  '^^'^'^'^  ^^^  old- 
fashioned  fireplace.  The  school  house  where  he  received  his  first  instruc- 
tion had  split  logs  for  seats.  The  farmers  hauled  logs  to  the  school  yard  and 
it  was  a  part  of  the  teacher's  duty  to  chop  them  into  lengths  to  fit  the  fire- 
place. At  a  later  date  the  father  of  our  subject  built  a  brick  school  house 
near  the  site  of  the  old  one,  which  subsequently  gave  way  to  the  present  frame 
building  of  modern  construction.  Among  his  old  schoolmates  in  this  vicin- 
ity, Mr.  Hallock  recalled  William  Smith  and  James  Slossen. 

^Ir.  Hallock  lived  a  busy  life  in  his  youth,  working  in  the  timber  and 
on  the  farm,  and  also  doing  carpenter  work,  for  which  he  had  a  special  apt- 
ness. Later  he  took  up  carpenter  work  and  followed  it  with  contracting, 
working  at  Racine,  Wis.,  Peoria  and  Bloomington,  111.,  and  at  other  points. 
In  1886  he  bought  three  acres  of  land  at  Corliss  Station,  on  which  he  erected 
several  good  houses,  in  one  of  which  he  lived.  At  one  time  he  owned  five 
residences  in  Racine  but  he  disposed  of  his  property  there.  His  time  in  late 
years  was  mainly  occupied  in  looking  after  his  property  interests.  He  was 
taxed  to  help  build  every  public  Ijuikling  in  the  city  of  Racine,  as  well  as  in 
Mt.  Pleasant  township. 


COAIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  299 

On  Sept.  20,  1855,  ^If-  Hallock  was  married  to  Aliss  Sarah  A.  Bates, 
daugliter  of  Benjamin  Bates,  of  Beloit,  Wis.,  whose  wife  was  a  Warner.  Mrs. 
Hallock  died  without  issue  in  1897,  aged  forty-seven  years.  Mr.  Hallock 
was  married  (second)  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  1898,  to  Miss  Eliza  Mimna, 
daughter  of  William  and  Catherine  (Morrice)  Mimna.  The  father  was 
born  in  Ireland  and  the  mother  in  Aberdeen,  Scotland,  and  they  were  mar- 
ried in  Canada,  where  the  father  died  in  1900,  aged  sixty-one  years.  His 
widow  moved  to  Chicago  with  her  five  daughters,  the  two  sons  remaining 
in  Canada.  The  names  of  the  Mimna  children  were:  Charles;  William; 
Charlotte,  wife  of  Samuel  Johns;  Eliza,  wife  of  Mr.  Hallock;  ^Margaret,  wife 
of  James  Carson;  Ida  Lillian,  wife  of  James  Seaman;  and  Alice  Jane,  wife 
of  Frederick  Hector. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Airs.  Hallock  died  in  Canada,  leaving  his 
widow.  Mrs.  Margaret  (Perry)  Mimna  with  three  daughters  and  two  sons. 
viz. ;  Michael,  Henry,  Margaret,  Rebecca  and  Charlotte.  The  maternal 
grandparents  were  natives  of  Scotland,  but  they  died  in  Canada,  leaving  three 
daughters :  Catherine,  Jane  and  Sarah.  Mrs.  Hallock  is  a  member  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  while  Mr.  Hallock  inclined  more  to  the  Universalist  faith. 
He  was  very  liberal-minded  and  proved  his  Christianity  by  living  it. 

During  some  years  before  retirement.  Mr.  Hallock  was  engaged  in 
business  in  Chicago,  manufacturing  lubricating  candle  cups  which  he  fle- 
veloped  into  a  large  business.  Politically  Mr.  Hallock  was  always  a  Demo- 
crat, but  at  all  times  a  strong  supporter  of  the  Government.  At  the  opening 
of  the  Civil  war  he  attempted  to  enlist  but  failed  to  pass  the  examination, 
two  of  his  brothers,  Clinton  and  George,  entering  the  service.  He  was  al- 
wavs  a  leader  in  public  affairs,  and  was  appointed  by  President  Buchanan,  the 
first  postmaster  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  He  was  again  appointed  by 
President  Cleveland.  The  receipts  of  the  ofifice  for  three  months  under  his 
first  term,  were  twenty-one  cents  for  the  Government. 

The  present  brief  biography  is  but  supplementary  to  an  interesting  pam- 
phlet which  Mr.  Hallock  had  prepared  giving  a  detailed  account  of  the  fam- 
ily ancestry.  This  biography  tells  many  interesting  events  of  a  family  which 
has  been  prominent  in  America  from  Colonial  days.  The  date  reaches  back 
to  1640,  when  one  of  our  subject's  ancestors,  Peter  Hallock,  who  was  one 
of  the  original  thirteen  Pilgrim  Fathers,  fled,  with  Rev.  John  Youngs,  from 
the  civil  and  religious  persecutions  to  which  they  were  subjected  in  England, 
to  the  inhospitable  shores  of  another  continent.  From  New  Haven.  Conn., 
where  the  early  history  can  be  substantiated  from  records,  Mr.  Hallock  went 
to  a  point  which  was  named  Hallock's  Neck.  This  name  was  given  because, 
in  defiance  of  a  threat  to  take  his  neck,  he  commanded  his  men  to  land  and 
meet  the  foe  and  here  the  enemy  was  conquered  and  in  commemoration  of 
the  adventure  the  place  became  as  still  known,  Hallock's  Neck,  N.  Y.  The 
bravery  of  Peter  Hallock  won  him  a  grant  of  1,700  acres  of  land  at  this 
point,  from  King  George,  and  this  fact  appears  on  the  local  records. 

JOSEPH  M.  CHRISTIEN.  proprietor  of  a  boot  and  shoe  establish- 
ment"'a  Burlington,  \\'is..  is  one  of  that  city's  energetic  and  substantial  busi- 
ness men.  He  was  born  Feb.  i,  1858,  in  Grafton,  Mass.,  son  of  Joseph  and 


300        co:mme-morati\'e  biographical  record. 

Sophia  (  Lemareaux)  Christien,  the  former,  a  native  of  France  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Canada. 

Joseph  Christien,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of  France, 
and  died  there  in  middle  life.  He  was  a  machinist  by  trade  and  served  in 
the  Napoleonic  wars.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  na- 
tive of  Canada,  of  French  descent,  who,  on  coming  to  the  United  States, 
settled  in  Spencer,  Mass.,  where  he  died  well  ailvanced  in  years.  He  married 
a  Miss  Comoe  and  they  had  a  large  family. 

Joseph  Christien,  the  father  of  Joseph  M.,  was  a  shoemakei  by  trade,  at 
which  occupation  he  worked  until  about  twelve  years  ago,  at  that  time  retir- 
ing; he  is  now  living  in  Spencer,  Mass.  He  came  to  America  when  a  boy, 
and  grew  to  manhood  in  Grafton,  Mass.,  where  he  married  Sophia  Lemar- 
eaux.  In  March,  1858,  he  removed  to  Spencer,  and  there  he  has  made  his 
home  to  the  present  time.  Fifteen  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Joseph  Christien,  seven  of  whom  are  still  living:  Joseph  M.,  our  subject;- 
Mitchell,  of  Spencer,  Mass. ;  Albert,  of  Athol,  Mass. ;  Ida,  married  and  in 
Spencer.  ]Mass. ;  John,  of  Manchaug,  Mass. ;  Sophia,  married  and  in  Spencer, 
^lass. ;  and  Mary,  wife  of  Joseph  Dumas,  of  Spencer,  Massachusetts, 

Joseph  M.  Christien,  was  reared  in  Spencer,  Mass.,  and  there  attended 
the  public  schools,  learning  the  shoemaking  trade  at  home,  under  his  father's 
instruction.  When  twenty  years  of  age  he  came  West  as  far  as  Lafayette, 
Ind..  where  he  remained  eight  months,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  returned 
to  his  home  on  a  visit.  He  then  worked  in  Chicago  for  two  years,  and  spent 
one  year  in  Elgin,  III,  and  on  St.  Patrick's  Day,  1885,  came  to  Burlington, 
Wis.,  where  be  has  lived  ever  since.  He  opened  a  custom  shop,  and  engaged 
in  the  r(  pairing  of  boots  and  shoes.  This  he  still  continues,  and  has  a  large 
stock  of  footwear  in  his  well  appointed  place  of  business.  Mr.  Christien  also 
carries  on  egg  dealing  to  some  extent. 

On  Xov.  16,  1882,  Mr.  Christien- married  Miss  Mary  Inglehart.  daugh- 
ter of  Philip  and  Sophia  ( Solbrighter )  Inglehart,  and  to  this  union  twelve 
children  have  been  born:  Joseph,  Marie,  Theressa,  Lizzie,  Sophia,  Frank, 
Mary.  Charles.  Corona  and  D(irothy.  and  two  who  died  in  infancy,  both 
named  Philip.  ]Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Christien  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
and  fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  Mr.  Chris- 
tien is  independent  in  politics  and  served  as  an  alderman  of  Burlington  ten 
years  ago.  The  family  reside  on  Edwards  street,  where  ^Ir.  Christien  erect- 
ed a  fine  home  in  1903. 

JAMES  MURPHY,  proprietor  of  one  of  the  largest  hardware  estab- 
lishments in  Racine,  financially  interested  in  various  institutions  and  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  public  educational  system,  is  a  typical  American  of 
enterprise  and  substance.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Belle  City,  born  Sept.  i,  1852, 
son  of  John  and  Mary  S.  (Atkey)  Murphy,  the  former  a  native  of  Ballin- 
robe.  County  Mayo,  Ireland,  and  the  latter  of  Southampton.  England.  The 
five  children  born  to  them  were:  Edward  F.,  who  died  in  infancy:  Helen, 
who  also  died  young:  Mary  T.,  deceased  wife  of  William  P.  Brown,  of  Ra- 
cine: James,  and  Catherine  L..  wife  of  James  P.  Hove,  of  Milwaukee. 

The    paternal    grandparents    were    Michael    and    Margaret    Murphy,    of 


^<Z(44JMb 


COAaiEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  301 

County  Mayo,  Ireland,  who  remained  in  the  country  of  their  birth.  They 
were  the  parents  of  a  large  fannly,  and  their  son  John,  the  father  of  James 
Murphy,  was  in  his  early  life  employed  as  a  coachman.  In  1848  he  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  and,  with  his  wife,  located  in  Racine  and  engaged  in 
draying.  He  was  born  May  22,  1808,  and  died  at  his  home  on  Bridge  street, 
Aug.  16,  1875,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  The  deceased  accumulated  some  prop- 
erty and  was  one  of  the  original  stockholders  of  the  Manufacturers  National 
Bank,  of  Racine.  He  was  a  faithful  Catholic,  as  is  his  good,  venerable  and 
remarkable  widow,  who  still  survives.  She  is  in  fine  health,  is  especially 
bright  mentally  and  has  a  \-ery  retentive  memory  for  one  of  her  age.  She 
has  tra\-eled  extensively  in  Europe,  having  visited  France,  Switzerland  and 
Italy ;  was  baptized  in  Rome,  and  her  recollection  of  the  coronation  of  Pope 
Pius  IX  is  clear  and  her  description  vivid. 

The  maternal  grandparents  of  James  Murphy  were  John  and  Sarah 
Atkey,  of  Ryde,  Isle  of  Wight,  and  Ithe,  Canterbury,  England.  ^Ir.  Atkey 
was  an  excise  officer  and  died  in  Wallingford,  England. 

Racine  has  been  Mr.  Murphy's  home  all  his  life.  He  attended  the  public 
and  parochial  schools,  and  then  thoroughly  mastered  the  tinner's  trade.  With 
that  as  a  basis  he  established  a  hardware  store  in  1882,  at  his  present  location, 
No.  614  State  street.  The  business,  w'hich  then  was  small  and  uncertain,  has 
through  his  industry,  energy  and  practical  knowledge  been  expanded  into  a 
substantial  and  prominent  establishment,  embracing  not  only  a  line  of  hard- 
ware and  tinware  but  ranges  and  heaters,  hot  air  furnaces,  white  lead  and 
mixed  paints  and  a  general  jobbing  business.  He  also  holds  stocks  in  various 
enterprises  of  the  city,  his  aged  mother  being  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Manu- 
facturers National  Bank,  of  which  his  father  was  one  of  the  founders. 

On  June  27,  1883,  Mr.  Murphy  married  Miss  Celia  Hoye,  born  in  Ken- 
osha, Wis.,  Feb.  29,  1852,  daughter  of  Oliver  O.  and  Margaret  (O'Hara) 
Hoye.  both  natives  of  Ireland.  They  were  married  in  Belfast,  Mr.  Hoye  emi- 
grating to  America  in  1850  and  locating  in  Kenosha,  his  wife  joining  him 
there  in  the  following  year.  He  was  a  skillful  gardener  and  was  engaged  in 
that  occupation  all  his  life,  during  the  last  twenty-three  years  being  connected 
with  the  Kenosha  cemetery.  He  died  Nov.  15,  1892,  his  death  being  caused 
liv  a  vicious  horse,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years;  his  widow  survived  until 
Jan.  1 1,  1894,  when  she  died  aged  sixty-three.  Twelve  children  were  born  to 
this  union,  as  follows :  Bridget,  married  to  Emil  Tecktonius.  of  Racine ; 
Mary,  Mrs.  Nicholas  Kline,  of  West  Pullman,  111. ;  Michael,  deceased :  Celia. 
Mrs.  James  Murphy ;  Agnes,  married  to  Thomas  Adamson,  of  Geneva.  111. ; 
James  P.,  residing  in  Milwaukee,  Wis.;  Margaret,  deceased;  Annie,  wife  of 
Thomas  Treston,  of  Chicago,  111. ;  Oliver,  of  Kenosha,  Wis. ;  and  John,  Ed- 
ward and  Belle  (Mrs.  John  Dorsey),  all  of  Chicago. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Murphy  are  the  parents  of  the  following  seven  chil- 
dren:  Agnes,  James  O.,  John  H..  Belle  Margaret,  Celia  Mary,  Raymond  and 
Jerome.  The  family  reside  in  a  comfortable  residence  at  No.  1128  North 
Erie  street,  which  Mr.  Murphy  erected  in  1889.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Murphy  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church,  he  being  also  connected  with  the  Knights 
of  Columbus  and  the  Hibernians.  Politically  Mr.  Murphy  is  a  Democrat,  but 
although  he  is  well  educated,  bright  and  popular  his  ambition  for  public  ser- 


302  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

vice  has  been  confined  to  a  participation  in  the  management  of  the  common 
schools.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  for  ten  years — 
during  the  last  two  years  of  that  period  as  its  president. 

CHARLES  TONER,  one  of  the  most  substantial  old  settlers  and  es- 
teemed residents  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  whose  hos- 
pitable home  is  situated  in  Section  ii.  was  born  April  21,  1836,  in  Oneida 
county,  X.  Y.,  a  son  of  Michael  and  Rose  (McClusky)  Toner. 

The  Toner  family  is  of  Irish  extraction  and  the  paternal  grandfather, 
John  Toner,  was  a  farmer  in  Ireland,  where  he  died  in  old  age,  leaving  two 
sons  and  two  daughters.  Michael  Toner,  father  of  Charles,  was  born  in 
Londonderry,  Ireland,  and  married  Rose  McClusky,  of  the  same  place.  They 
had  five  sons  and  one  daughter:  John,  Mary  (wife  of  Bernard  Hanway), 
Charles,  James,  Joseph  and  Daniel.  Charles  being  the  only  survivor  of  the 
family. 

In  young  manhood,  before  coming  to  America,  in  1835,  Michael  Toner 
lived  with  his  parents.  He  lived  for  ten  years  in  Oneida  county,  \.  Y.,  and 
in  1845  came  to  what  is  now  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  settling  in  Paris  town- 
ship, where  he  bought  120  acres  of  land.  He  improved  that  farm  and  died 
there  in  1851,  aged  fifty-one  years.  His  widow  survived  until  1881,  dying 
aged  seventy-si.x  years.     Both  w-ere  worthy  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Charles  Toner  was  nine  years  old  when  he  came  to  Wisconsin  with  his 
parents  and  he  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  in  Paris  township,  mean- 
time obtaining  his  education  in  the  district  schools.  He  lived  at  home  until 
grown  to  manhood  and  after  the  death  of  his  father  bought  the  home  farm 
from  his  father's  heirs,  continuing  to  live  on  that  place  until  1885,  when  he 
sold  out  and  bought  his  present  farm  of  200  acres  in  Pleasant  Prairie  town- 
ship— undoubtedly  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  that  township.  Here  Mr.  Toner 
and  his  most  estimable  wife  are  enjoying  their  later  years,  having  every  com- 
fort they  can  desire.  They  have  reared  and  educated  a  fine  family,  which 
reflects  credit  upon  them. 

Mr.  Toner  was  married  June  29,  1868,  to  ;\Iiss  Ellen  Rategan,  daughter 
of  John  Rategan.  Mrs.  Toner  was  educated  at  the  Kenosha  high  school, 
and  taught  school  for  four  years.  Eight  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Toner,  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  viz. :  Henry  J.,  William  Charles, 
Alice.  Thomas  Joseph,  Ellen  Anna,  Mary  Gertrude.  Loretta  Catherine  and 
James  Leo.  Of  this  family,  Henry  J.  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  in 
Chicago.  William  Charles  is  a  railroad  man  in  Dakota,  engaged  in  contract 
work.  Alice  married  Charles  Stanhope,  and  they  live  in  Centralia.  111.,  and 
have  one  son.  Charles  Rottger.  Thomas  Joseph  is  a  physician,  a  graduate 
of  the  medical  department  of  the  Northwestern  University  of  Chicago.  For 
some  years  Ellen  Anna  was  a  teacher,  but  at  present  she  is  a  student  of  domes- 
tic science  in  Pratt  Institute,  at  Brooklyn.  N.  Y.  Mary  Gertrude  is  a. 
teacher  in  the  Kenosha  public  schools.  Loretta  is  a  graduate  of  The  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago  and  is  now  at  home  with  her  parents.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Toner  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Politically  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat, but  he  is  no  aspirant  to  office. 

!Mrs.  Toner  comes  of  one  of  the  pioneer  families  of  Wisconsin.     Her 


CO^IME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  303 

father,  John  Rategan,  was  born  in  Ireland,  whence  he  came  to  America 
in  1836,  and  settled  in  Lynn,  Mass.  His  wife  was  born  in  County  Carlow, 
Ireland,  and  came  to  Massachusetts  in  1838.  They  were  married  in  1843, 
after  which  they  started  out  to  make  a  home  in  the  far  West,  leaving  many 
warm  friends  behind  them  in  their  old  eastern  home.  They  settled  in  South- 
port,  Wis.,  and  in  the  following  year  Mr.  Rategan  went  to  farming,  at  first 
Having  but  three  acres  of  land.  After  this  he  bought  as  he  was  able  and  kept 
adding  until  he  finally  accumulated  120  acres,  which  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
in  1893,  was  worth  $20,000.  He  died  on  his  farm  aged  eighty-four  years, 
his  wife  died  in  1891,  aged  eighty  years.  They  had  twelve  children,  eight  of 
whom  reached  maturity,  and  four  are  yet  living,  viz.:  Ellen,  Mrs.  Toner; 
James  J.,  of  Chicago;  William,  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  Annie. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Toner  was  James  Rategan,  who  was 
an  early  settler  in  Keiiosha  county,  where  he  came  to  live  with  his  son  John 
for  a  short  time.  However,  he  returned  to  Ireland,  where  he  died  at  the  age 
of  ninety  years.  His  wife  also  lived  to  old  age,  and  was  the  mother  of  sixteen 
children. 

PIEXRY  H.  TOIME.  at  present  deputy  sherift'  of  Kenosha  county,  and 
formerly  sheriff,  comes  from  a  substantial  German  family  which  has  been 
located  in  Wisconsin  for  the  past  sixty  years,  identified  for  the  whole  of  that 
period  with  Kenosha  county,  where  the  Timmes  were  among  the  pioneers 
in  the  forties.   . 

Garrett  and  Eliza  Timme,  grandparents  of  Henry  H.,  came  from  Ger- 
many in  1846  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Wheatland  township,  where  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives  was  passed.  In  the  Fatherland  Mr.  Timme  had  served 
the  required  time  in  the  regular  army,  and  after  his  discharge  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  broadcloth  factory,  where  he  rose  to  be  assistant  superintendent. 
On  his  removal  to  America  his  whole  family  accompanied  him.  He  lived 
to  the  age  of  seventy-seven,  and  his  wife  to  be  over  eighty. 

Theodore  Timme.  son  of  Garrett,  who  also  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1846, 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1825.  He  worked  in  the  same  factory  with  his 
father  and  was  foreman  of  a  department.  After  his  arrival  in  Southport, 
in  September,  1846,  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  farming  land  in  Wheatland 
township,  but  before  long  sold  that  tract  and  purchased  another  of  100 
acres,  on  which  his  family  all  grew  up,  and  where  he  lived  until  1892,  the  year 
he  died.  During  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Timme  was  drafted,  but  was  rejected 
because  of  defective  eyesight.  As  a  young  man,  however,  he  had  served  in  the 
German  army.  Theodore  Timme  married  Henrietta  Sturtznickle,  who  was 
born  in  Germany  in  1825,  and  thirteen  children  were  born  to  them.  The  fol- 
lowing nine  are  still  living:  Hon.  Ernest  G.,  one  of  Wisconsin's  prominent 
citizens,  now  fifth  auditor  of  the  Department  of  State,  Washington,  D.  C, 
ex-county  clerk  for  Kenosha  county.  State  senator  for  four  years  and  secre- 
tary of  State  for  seven  years;  Henrietta,  wife  of  Henrv  Benedict,  of  Randall, 
Kenosha  county:  Matilda.  Mrs.  Henry  Hirt.  of  Erie.  Pa.;  ]Minnie,  ^Irs.  Rey- 
nold Ott.  on  the  old  homestead ;  Mary,  wife  of  L.  N.  Dediemer,  lighthouse 
keeper  at  Kenosha :  Henry  H. ;  Julia.  Mrs.  Charles  Lammerhart,  residing 
near  Lake  Geneva.  Walworth  county ;  Theodore,  of  Early.  Iowa ;  and  Carrie, 
IVIrs.  Benjamin  Schultz.  of  Brighton,  Kenosha  county. 


304  CO:\niEMORATIV£    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Mrs.  Henrietta  Tinimc  died  in  the  .spring  of  1900,  in  religious  faith  a 
Lutheran  hke  her  husband.  Her  parents  were  John  and  Henrietta  Sturtz- 
nickle.  natives  of  Germany,  who  came  to  America  in  1846,  and  settled  in  Erie, 
Pa.,  where  the  father  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business.  Before  leaving  Ger- 
many he  had  served  in  the  army.  Mr.  Sturtznickle  died  in  Pennsylvania  at 
the  age  of  eighty-nine  years,  and  his  wife  was  seventy  at  the  time  of  her 
death.     They  had  a  family  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Henry  H.   Timme  was  born  in  Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  county, 
July  12.  1857,  and  remained  on  the  farm  until  he  was  sev^enteen  years  old, 
receiving  his  education  in  the  district  school.     In  1874  he  went  to  work  in 
a  blacksmith's  shop  and  was  engaged  at  that  trade  for  eight  years.     Since 
then  his  life  has  been  one  of  considerable  variety.     Two  years  he  spent  in 
Kenosha   as  superintendent  of  the   Domestic  Organ  Factory,   two  more  as 
compiling  clerk  in  the  secretary    of    State's    ofSce    at    Madison,    under    his 
brother,  and  one  in  Chicago  as  superintendent  for  the  Hoffman-Kief  Com- 
pany, manufactvn"ers  of  vault  fixtures.     On  leaving  that  position  Mr.  Timme 
returned  to  Kenosha,  and  after  two  years  in  charge  of  a  department  for  the 
Chicago  Brass  Company  went  back  to  his  old  business  of  blacksmitbing,  con- 
ducting a  shop  of  his  own  for  four  years.     Since  then  he  has  most  of  the 
time  held  positions  of  a  political  nature,  for  he  has  always  been  a  Republican 
and  has  done  considerable  active  work  for  the  party.     He  was  first  deputy 
sheriff  for  a  year  under  C.  H.  Whitcher,  and  for  two  years  under  John  Able. 
In  i8g8  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  the 'county;  then  was  chief  of  police  for 
Kenosha:  in  1902  was  again  chosen  sheriff,  which  office  he  held  two  years, 
and  then  became  deput}'  sheriff,  an  office  which  he  is  still  occupying  with 
much  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public.     Besides  his 
official  duties  Mr.  Timme  finds  time  for  the  handling  of  thoroughbred  horses. 
Mr.   Timme  was  united   in  marriage  Aug.    19,    1880,   to   Miss   Emma 
Stringham,   daughter  of  Willet  and   Eliza    (Cain)    Stringham.      Their  five 
children  are  as  follows:     Ernest  G.,  an  agent  for  the  Northern  National  Life 
Insurance  Company,   at   Minneapolis,   Alinn. :   Harry,   employed   in  a   liver}- 
stable  in  Kenosha :  Leith  and  Flora,  in  school :  and  Mabel.     Mr.  Timme  be- 
longs to  a  nunil>er  of  fraternal  organizations  in  Kenosha,  including  the  F.  & 
A.  M. :  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  B.  P.  O.  Elks :  the  Knights  of  Pythias :  the 
Modern  Woodmen :  and  the  Royal  League :  in  all  of  these  he  is  a  prominent 
and  popular  member. 

Mrs.  Emma  S.  Timme  comes  of  New  York  State  stock,  both  her  grand- 
fathers being  natives  of  that  State.  Of  her  paternal  grandfather  nothing  i^ 
now  known  further  than  that  he  was  a  farmer.  His  son,  Willet  String- 
ham, also  a  farmer,  was  born  in  New  York,  but  moved  West  to  Wisconsin 
in  the  early  days  and  settled  at  Springfield,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
five.  He  married  Miss  Eliza  Cain,  daughter  of  John  Cain,  and  she  survived 
her  husband  until  1893,  when  she,  too.  departed  this  life,  aged  seventy-five. 
Of  their  five  children  the  only  two  surviving  are  Edward  C.  and  Emma, 
Mrs.  Timme. 

GRIFFITH  RICHARDS,  chairman  of  the  town  board,  and  a  successful 
farmer  of  ^It.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  was  born  on  the  farm 
where  he  now  resides,  on  Sections  25  and  26,  Nov.  13.  1845.  ^on  of  Richard 


^^:<^z^^i^^^ /B-e</^W^ja^ 


COAIAIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  305 

and  Jane  Wynne  (Evans)  Richards,  natives  of  Dyffryn,  Alerionethshire, 
Wales. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  also  named  Griffith  Richards,, 
after  selling  off  considerable  of  his  land,  continued  to  reside  on  a  farm  adjoin- 
ing his  son  Richard's  home  until  his  death,  keeping  just  enough  land  to  oc- 
cupy his  attention  in  caring  for  it  properly.  He  brought  a  great  deal  of  money 
from  the  old  country,  and  was  considered  a  wealthy  man  in  those  days,  and 
rented  his  land  and  loaned  money.  He  left  $1000  in  trust,  as  an  endowment 
to  the  Congregational  Church,  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  and  donated  the 
ground  on  which  the  first  church  was  built.  He  was  an  active  member,  and  al- 
ways a  liberal  supporter  of  the  church.  The  church  building  was  afterward 
removed  and  rebuilt  on  another  spot  in  the  same  field,  on  a  piece  of  ground 
donated  by  his  granddaughter,  Laura  (Richards)  (Lloyd)  Graves,  and  there 
the  building  now  stands.  He  was  born  in  1794,  and  died  in  i860,  and  his 
wife,  Anna  Richards,  born  in  1779,  died  Jan.  2,  1862.  They  had  two  sons — 
Richard  and  Thomas.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  William 
Evans,  a  native  of  Wales,  where  he  was  a  farmer  and  died  when  over  eighty 
years  of  age.  His  wife  was  Laura  Evans,  and  she  too,  lived  to  quite  an  old 
age.  They  had  four  children :  Evan,  Francis,  Jane  and  Ellen,  the  latter  of 
whom  married  George  Williams  and  at  her  death  left  a  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  born  Aug.  16,  181 8,  in  Wales,  where  he 
followed  farming  until  1841.  In  this  year  he  came  to  America,  and,  after  a  few 
months  at  Newark,  Ohio,  came  to  Racine  county,  his  father  and  mother,  and 
an  uncle,  Thomas,  also  coming  at  the  same  time.  Griffith  Richards  bought  a 
large  tract  of  land  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  from  the  squatters,  and  Richard 
purchased  about  350  acres  from  his  father.  This  land  he  improved,  and  here 
he  reared  his  family.  He  also  engaged  extensively  in  raising  trotting  horses 
and  was  known  throughout  the  United  States  as  a  horseman,  owning  "Swi- 
gert,"  the  most  noted  horse  in  the  Northwest.  Mr.  Richards  was  one  of  the  first 
breeders  of  Short-horn  cattle  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  He  was  an  extensive 
breeder  of  Berkshire  hogs  and  sold  them  in  nearly  every  State  in  the  Union ; 
and  also  raised  Merino  sheep,  taking  prizes  at  the  State  fairs,  and  he  took 
first  prize  at  the  World's  Exposition  at  Paris,  France,  in  1867,  for  fine  Merino 
wool.  He  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  and  member  of  the  State 
Legislature  for  the  year  1873.  Mr.  Richards  died  at  the  old  homestead  Feb. 
28,  1887.  His  wife  was  born  in  March,  1822,  and  died  Aug.  11,  1883.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church,  which  he  attended  although  not 
a  member.  He  was  a  good,  moral  man,  his  word  was  as  good  as  his  note, 
and  he  was  considered  very  reliable  in  all  his  dealings.  He  and  his  wife  had 
five  children,  two  sons  and  three  daughters :  Laura,  the  wife  of  George  W. 
Graves,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. :  Griffith,  our  subject:  Evan,  deceased:  Ann,  de- 
ceased wife  of  William  Bristol :  and  Miss  Jennie,  of  Racine. 

Griffith  Richards  was  reared  on  the  farm  where  he  was  born  in  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant township,  and  which  he  now  owns.  He  attended  the  district  schools  and 
took  a  course  at  the  commercial  school  at  Racine,  and  since  completing  his 
education  has  always  followed  the  life  of  a  farmer.  After  his  marriage  he 
went  to  Columbia  County,  Wis.,  and  lived  there  twenty-two  years,  and  then  re- 

20 


3o6  COM^IE^klORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

turned  to  I\It.  Pleasant  township,  and  when  the  old  homestead  was  sold,  pur- 
chased 350  acres  of  it.  He  was  the  first  to  raise  Short-horn  cattle,  and  to 
operate  a  general  stock  farm  in  Columbia  county,  Wis.  He  bred  many  Clydes- 
dale horses,  and  when  he  returned  to  Racine  county  I:roug-ht  with  him  thirtv- 
five  registered  animals,  mostly  of  that  variety. 

On  Jan.  4.  1871,  Mr.  Richards  married  Miss  Laura  Williams,  daughter 
of  William  R.  and  Laura  (Owen)  Williams,  and  nine  children  were  born  to 
this  union:  Richard,  Laura  J.,  William  B.,  Francis  E.,  Eva,  Anna.  Griffith, 
and  two  that  died  in  infancy.  Richard  is  a  druggist  at  Hillsboro,  Wis.,  and  is 
a  graduate  of  Ripon  College,  he  married  Josie  Ludwig.  Miss  Laura  J.  is  a 
music  teacher  in  Racine,  and  a  graduate  of  the  Milwaukee  Downer  College, 
in  music.  William  B.,  a  graduate  of  the  Racine  high  school  and  the  Lhiiver- 
sity  of  Wisconsin,  is  single  and  lives  in  Fargo,  X.  Dak.,  and  is  professor  of 
Animal  Husbandry  in  the  Agricultural  College  of  that  place ;  he  was  formerly 
assistant  professor  of  Animal  Husbandry  in  the  Wisconsin  State  University 
at  Madison.  Francis  E.  is  a  dentist  in  Racine,  and  a  graduate  of  the  Racine 
High  school  and  the  Chicago  College  of  Dental  Surgery.  Eva,  a  graduate 
of  the  Racine  high  school,  and  also  of  the  Stout  Training  school  of  Di:imestic 
Science  at  TMenomonie,  Wis.,  taught  three  years  in  the  district  schools  of  Ra- 
cine county,  and  is  now  at  home.  Anna  and  Griffith,  Jr.,  are  attending  the 
high  school  in  Racine. 

Mrs.  Richards  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Chiuxh.  'Slv.  Rich- 
ards belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M.  Politically  he  is  a  Repub- 
hcan,  and  is  chairman  of  the  town  board  of  supervisors  of  Mt.  Pleasant  town- 
ship, and  is  director  of  school  district  No.  i,  of  Mount  Pleasant  township, 
and  takes  considerable  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  schools.  He  was  also 
chairman  of  the  town  board  of  Cortland  township,  in  Columbia  county,  for 
five  years  of  his  residence  there.  He  was  president  of  the  Yorkville  &  Mt. 
Pleasant  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Co.,  for  five  years,  and  a  director  in  that  com- 
pany for  ten  years.  He  was  also  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Portage,  Wisconsin. 

William  R.  Williams  was  a  native  of  Wales.  He  came  to  America  in 
1847,  and  located  in  Columbia  county.  He  was  a  quarryman  in  his  native 
country,  but  on  coming  to  this  country,  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
On  July  14,  1849,  he  married  Laura  Owen,  also  a  native  of  Wales,  who  came 
to  this  country  in  1848.  Their  only  child  was  Laura,  Mrs.  Richards.  He 
died  Aug.  26.  1868,  aged  fifty-one  years,  while  his  wife  survived  him  many 
years,  passing  away  in  1895,  when  seventy-one  years  of  age.  They  were 
valued  and  consistent  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Politically  he 
was  a  Republican,  and  was  chairman  of  the  town  board  of  Cortland  township, 
Columbia  Co..  Wis.,  for  a  number  of  years. 

Robert  Williams,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Richards,  came  from 
Wales  to  Columbia  Co..  Wis.,  in  1847,  and  died  in  Cortland  township,  at  an 
advanced  age  in  1849.  His  wife  was  Laura  Griffiths,  who  died  in  New  York 
State,  while  the  party  were  on  their  way  to  Columbia  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Robert  \\'illiams  had  quite  a  large  family.  On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Rich- 
ards is  a  granddaughter  of  John  Owen,  who  made  his  way  to  America  from 
Wales  in  1848.  and  on  settling  in  Wisconsin,  located  in  Racine  county  for  a 


COMAIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  307 

short  time,  after  which  he  removed  to  Cohimbia  county,  where  he  (hed  while 
on  a  visit  to  one  of  his  daughters,  aged  fifty-six  years.  His  wife,  Margaret 
(Edwards)  Owens,  Hved  to  an  advanced  age.  They  had  a  family  of  ten 
children. 

Mrs.  Richards,  the  wife  of  our  subject,  attended  the  high  school  at 
Portage  City,  Wis.,  in  1867-8,  and  Downer's  College,  when  it  was  known  as 
Fox  Lake,  in  1868. 

JOHN  W.  CRANE  is  one  of  the  prominent  and  leading  citizens  of 
Dover  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  is  at  present  engaged  in  opera- 
ting his  fine  farm  on  Section  25.  He  was  born  in  Middlezoy,  Somersetshire, 
England,  Nov.  28,  1830,  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Browning)  Crane,  na- 
tives of  England.  George  Crane,  the  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  England, 
and  died  in  that  country,  when  over  ninety  years  old.  He  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade.  On  the  maternal  side  Mr.  Crane's  grandfather  was  Samuel  Brown- 
ing, who  followed  farming  all  of  his  life,  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  as  did 
also  his  wife,  Jane  (Calloway)  Browning. 

John  Crane,  father  of  John  W.  Crane,  was  a  carpenter  and  blacksmith. 
He  died  in  England,  aged  ninety-two  years,  three  months ;  Mrs.  Crane  also 
died,  in  the  faith  of  the  Church  of  England.  She  and  her  husband  had  eight 
children:  Samuel,  of  Middlezoy,  England;  John  W..  our  subject:  Charles,  of 
Australia;  Joseph,  of  Arizona:  Matilda,  wife  of  Thomas  Heal,  of  Middlezoy, 
England;  James,  who  died  in  Union  Grove;  Miss  Elizabeth  of  Middlezoy. 
England ;  and  William,  of  Australia. 

John  W.  Crane  was  reared  in  his  native  place,  and  there  received  his 
education.  He  came  to  America  in  1852,  and  worked  for  his  uncle,  W^illiam 
Crane,  for  a  year.  He  then  engaged  in  working  for  others  until  his  marriage, 
when  he  took  up  farming  on  his  own  account,  on  the  farm  which  he  now 
owns.  The  tract  originally  consisted  of  200  acres,  but  it  now  contains  487 
acres,  all  finely  improved.  On  March  9,  1857,  John  W.  Crane  married  Miss 
Peggy  Dale,  daughter  of  Edward  and  Peggy  (Harry)  Dale,  and  three  sons 
and  two  daughters  were  born  to  this  union,  namely :  Paley,  Ella,  Laura, 
Albert  and  Cyrus.  Paley,  Laura  and  Albert  live  on  the  home  farm.  Miss 
Laura  keeping  house  for  her  parents ;  she  is  bright  and  intelligent,  taught 
for  some  time  in  the  district  schools,  and  has  traveled  extensively.  Ella  was 
married  Dec.  30,  1880,  to  George  B.  Willmore,  and  both  are  now  deceased; 
they  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  Georgia,  John,  Laura  and  Cyrus. 
Cyrus  Crane,  the  youngest  son  of  our  subject,  died  March  19,  1892. 

Mrs.  Peggy  Crane  was  born  Nov.  20,  1823.  in  Mullion,  Cornwall,  Eng- 
land, and  was  there  reared  until  eighteen  years  old,  when  she  came  to  Amer- 
ica with  her  parents,  five  brothers  and  two  sisters  and  settled  in  Dover  town- 
ship, which  has  been  her  home  ever  since,  a  period  of  sixty-five  years.  She 
has  resided  in  the  same  house  since  1842,  and  is  the  onlv  survivor  of  her  fath- 
er's family.  Mrs.  Crane's  paternal  grandfather  was  Henry  Dale,  who  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Thomas,  bv  whom  he  had  four  children  :  Joseph,  Henry,  Ed- 
w-ard  and  Elizabeth.  Of  the  eight  children  of  Echvard  Dale  who  came  to 
America,  one,  Nicholas,  w^as  a  colonel  in  the  Civil  war,  and  wdiile  in  the 
service  was  wounded  in  the  ankle,  and  had  his  horse  shot  from  under  him;  he 
died   in    1878.     The  other   seven   children   were:     Edward,   who  died   aged 


3o8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

thirty-six  years;  Alice,  wlu)  was  the  wife  uf  Edmund  Baker,  and  died  at  the 
age  uf  twenty-six  years;  Thomas,  wlio  died  m  iS^.^;  Eiizabetli,  who  was  the 
wife  of  John  Baker,  of  Madison,  and  died  Dec.  25,  1899;  Joseph,  who  died 
at  Savannah,  Ga.,  April  i,  1904;  Henry,  who  died  at  Brunswick,  Ga.,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-six  years;  and  Peggy,  Mrs.  Crane. 

John  W.  Crane  is  one  of  the  extensive  and  influential  farmers  of  Dover 
township.  He  settled  there  when  Wisconsin,  as  a  State,  was  young,  and 
has  lived  in  that  township  ever  since  coming  to  this  country,  a  period  of 
over  fifty-three  years.  Mr.  Crane  has  ahvays  been  a  hard  worker  and  a 
strictly  temperate  man,  never  having  used  tobacco  or  liquor.  He  has  a  beau- 
tiful farm,  finely  improved  and  well  stocked.  Mrs.  Crane  is  now  eighty-two 
years  old,  but  is  very  well  preserved  for  one  of  her  age.  With  her  husband 
she  shared  the  hardships  and  trials  incident  to  pioneer  life,  and  she  has  a  keen 
recollection  of  the  important  events  of  the  early  days.  She  is  a  good  conver- 
sationalist, and  her  reminiscences  of  the  early  days  are  interesting  and  in- 
structive. She  has  been  a  good  wife  and  a  loving  mother,  and  is  esteemed 
throughout  the  community  for  her  many  charming  traits  of  character. 

WILLIAM  G.  DABBS,  one  of  the  representative  and  substantial  farm- 
ers of  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  who  resides  on  his  valu- 
able farm  in  Section  22,  was  born  in  that  township  April  28,  1854,  a  son  of 
Charles  and  Ann  (Gould)  Dabbs.  His  grandfather,  John  Dabbs,  lived  and 
died  in  England.  He  married  Nancy  Maggs,  and  they  had  one  son  and  one' 
daughter. 

Charles  and  Ann  (Gould)  Dabbs  were  natives  of  Somersetshire,  Eng- 
land. They  came  to  America  in  1850  and  settled  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township, 
renting  land,  and  there  the  father  died  Sept.  17,  1882,  aged  fifty-nine  years. 
Mrs.  Dabbs  died  in  1891,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  Her  father,  George  Gould, 
spent  his  life  in  England.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dabbs  were  members  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church.  Their  children  w-ere :  Angeline.  widow  of  John  Lucas,  of 
Kenosha ;  Mary,  widow  of  William  Stanley,  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township ; 
William  G.,  of  Section  22;  Anna,  wife  of  N.  C.  Thomey,  of  Kenosha;  James 
H.,  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township;  Florence,  wife  of  George  White,  of  Pleas- 
ant Prairie  township;  and  three  deceased,  as  follow^s :  Elizabeth,  who  mar- 
ried Joseph  Crow ;  Sarah  A. ;  and  Charles. 

William  G.  Dabbs  has  devoted  his  whole  time  to  agricultural  pursuits 
since  he  completed  his  education  in  the  district  schools.  He  remained  at 
home  until  he  reached  his  majority,  and  then  rented  land  which  he  cultivated 
for  some  years  prior  to  buying  his  present  valuable  farm  of  145  acres,  which 
he  has  finely  improved.  The  evidences  of  thrift  and  good  management  to 
be  seen  on  every  side  tell  of  the  great  interest  Mr.  Dabbs  takes  in  his  prop- 
erty. It  well  represents  the  best  and  most  improved  farming  land  in  the 
township. 

-  Mr.  Dnbbs  wns  niarrie-l  Tin.  ;o.  t886.  to  ^Tiss  Aueusti  Schnucbel. 
daughter  of  Frederick  and  Carrie  (Smith)  Schnucbel,  and  tliev  have  one  son 
and  four  daughters,  namely:  Florence  A.,  Charles  \\'.,  Sarah  E.,  \"i\ian 
M.  and  Lila  A. 

Mrs.  Daubbs's  grandfathers  spent  all  of  their  lives  in  Germany.    Her  par- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  309 

eats  were  buth  burn  in  Pomerania,  Germany,  and  they  came  to  iVmerica  some 
time  in  the  sixties,  settling  in  the  town  of  Somers.  In  his  own  land  the 
father  was  a  coachman  and  served  his  allotted  time  in  the  German  army. 
After  coming  here  he  rented  land  for  some  years  and  then  bought  120  acres 
in  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  on  which  he  and  his  wife  passed  the  rest  of 
their  days,  Mr.  Schnuchel  dying  in  1904,  aged  eighty-two  years,  and  she  in 
1885,  aged  sixty-two  years.  Their  children  were:  August,  w'ho  is  deceased; 
Herman,  of  Germany;  Albert,  of  Pleasant  Prairie;  Charles,  of  the  same  town- 
ship; and  Augusta,  wife  of  Mr.  Dabbs. 

Politically  Mr.  Dabbs  is  a  Republican  and  he  served  one  term  as  town 
treasurer.  He  is  one  of  the  township's  reliable,  intelligent  men,  one  who  has 
made  his  own  way  in  the  world,  and  has  honestly  earned  all  he  possesses.  He 
is  a  member  of  Kenosha  Lodge  No.  47,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  the  Modern  Wood- 
men, and  of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  No.  273. 

WTLLIAM  STANBRIDGE,  whose  death  occurred  in  Kenosha,  Jan. 
17.  igo6,  was  descended  from  English  ancestry  who  lived  and  died  near 
\Vorthing.  in  Sussex.  His  grandfather.  Thomas  Stanbridge.  was  a  sur- 
veyor, whose  wife,  Jane,  was  born  in  1760  and  died  April  2j,  1846.  Their 
son  Walter,  born  in  1780,  married  Miss  Sarah  Sole,  who  was  born  in  1785 
and  died  Feb.  24,  1855.  He  died  in  1853.  leaving  nine  children,  one  of  whom, 
William,  was  born  at  Shoreham,  Sussex,  England,  Jan.  21,  1830. 

William  Stanbridge  grew  up  in  England  and  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  Little  Hampton.  His  first  work  was  as  a  clerk  in  his  brother  John's 
grocery  store,  where  he  was  employed  till  1854.  In  that  year  he  came  to 
America  with  his  brothers  Frederick  and  Walter  and  all  three  proceeded  di- 
rectly to  Wisconsin.  Black  Earth  was  chosen  as  their  destination,  and  as  the 
railroad  then  ran  no  further  than  Madison  they  walked  the  last  twentv  miles. 
Their  mother,  a  widow,  died  the  following  year,  and  Frederick  went  Iwck 
to  England  to  settle  up  the  estate,  marrving  and  remaininor  there  permanently. 
\\'alter  eventually  moved  to  Denver,  C0I0.,  where  he  died.  William  Stan- 
I'rJdpe  continued  in  Black  Earth  for  nearly  eight  years. 

In  1 86 1  began  William  Stanbridge's  connection  with  Keno^^lm.  and  he 
ever  after  had  his  home  in  that  countv.  He  acquired  altogether  some  295 
acres  of  land  in  Somers  township  and  for  some  years  was  engaged  in  farm- 
ing, but  later  rented  his  farm  and  for  more  than  twenty  years  gave  his  atten- 
tion mainly  to  looking  after  the  property,  both  here  and  in  Minnesota,  of  his 
father-in-law,  John  Lamb  (one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Kenosha  county).  This 
charge  lasted  until  after  the  latter's  death,  in  1886.  From  1802  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  while  still  owning  his  farm,  Mr.  Stanbridge  led  a  retired 
life  in  Kenosha.  He  was  always  a  prominent  man  in  his  locality  and  a  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen,  and  in  his  earlier  life,  while  living  in  the  country,  he  held 
various  township  offices,  including  those  of  supervisor  and  school  director. 
His  party  affiliations  were  always  with  the  Republicans. 

William  Stanbridge  was  united  in  marriage  in  May,  1861,  to  Miss  Mary- 
Anna  Lamb,  daughter  of  John  and  Anne  Mary  (Wilcox)  Lamb.  Their  mar- 
ried happiness  was  brief,  as  Mrs.  Stanbridge  passed  from  this  world  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1864,  aged  twenty-six  years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Chlirch.     One  daughter  was  the  issue  of  this  union,  ^larv  Elizabeth  Lamb, 


3IO  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

who  is  now  the  wife  of  Louis  AL  Thiers,  a  photographer,  in  Kenosha.  On 
Oct.  8,  1 89 1,  Mr.  Stanbridge  was  married  a  second  time,  to  Miss  Mary 
Bell  McClellan,  daughter  of  Dr.  Samuel  R.  and  Catherine  (Garner)  McClel- 
lan,  pioneers  in  Kenosha  county.  Mr.  Stanbridge  was  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Congregational  Church,  in  which  he  was  senior  deacon  for  many  years. 

ELIJAH  THOMPSON  BUTTLES  was  a  highly  esteemed  citizen  and 
early  settler  of  Waterford  township,  Racine  county,  where  he  died  Nov.  25, 
1897,  aged  sixty-five  years.  Mr.  Buttles  was  torn  in  Madison  county,  N.  Y., 
June  24,  1832,  son  of  Harvey  M.  and  Abigail  (Baldwin)  Buttles,  natives  of 
Simsbury,  Hartford  Co..  Connecticut. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Daniel  Buttles,  who  died 
in  ]\ladison  Co.,  N.  Y.,  near  Hubbardsville:  he  married  Lydia  Marshall, 
daughter  of  Alexander  Marshall.  Aaron  Baldwin,  the  maternal  grandfather 
of  Elijah  T.  Buttles,  was  also  a  native  of  New  York  State,  where  he  died. 
He  and  his  wife,  Ruth  (Thompson)  Baldwin,  had  two  children:  Abigail: 
and  Permelia,  who  married  a  Mr.  Gear. 

Harvey  Buttles,  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  farmer  and  was  among  the 
early  settlers  of  Racine  county.  He  took  up  Government  land  in  Water- 
ford,  and  died  on  the  place  now  occupied  by  the  widow  of  Elijah  T.  Buttles. 
He  was  eighty-six  years  old,  his  wife  having  died  two  years  previously,  being 
seventy-eight  at  the  time  of  her  death.  He  was  a  Universalist  in  religion, 
and  she  a  Baptist.  Politically  he  was  a  Republican,  being  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  also  holding  other  offices.  Four  children  were  Ixirn  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Harvey  Buttles:  Elijah  Thompson:  Marshall,  also  deceased:  Erastus, 
of  Seymour,  Outagamie  Co.,  Wis. :  and  Permelia,  who  was  the  wife  of  Rus- 
sell Burdick. 

Elijah  Thompson  Buttles  was  but  ten  years  old  when  he  came  to  Racine 
county  with  his  parents.  He  grew  to  manhood  in  Waterford  township,  and 
there  attended  the  district  schools.  WHien  a  young  man  he  went  overland  to 
California,  and  after  spending  some  time  in  the  mines  there  returned  to  his 
father's  farm,  which  he  afterward  purchased.  It  now  contains  240  acres,  all 
finely  improved.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  township  board  of  supervis- 
ors. Fraternally  he  was  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  the  Good  Templars  and 
the  Sons  of  Temperance. 

On  Jan.  11,  1866,  Mr.  Buttles  married  Miss  Nancy  E.  Beardsley,  daugh- 
ter of  Flam  and  Naomi  (McMillan)  Beardsley,  and  six  children  were  born 
to  this  union :  Clarence  and  Arthur,  unmarried,  who  work  the  home  place ; 
Lewis,  a  farmer  of  Troy  township.  Walworth  county,  who  married  Mary 
Kabeliske,  and  has  one  daughter,  Naomi :  Ethel,  a  teacher,  living  at  home : 
Ben.  an  electrician  of  Denver.  Colo.,  who  married  Mrs.  Blanche  (Stevens) 
Anderson,  and  has  one  son,  William :  and  Flam,  a  farmer  in  Waterford  town- 
ship, who  married  Daisy  Tindall.  and  has  one  son.  Earl  T.  Mrs.  Buttles, 
who  still  survives  her  husband  and  lives  on  the  old  homestead,  was  born  in 
Caledonia  township,  Racine  county,  Dec.   11.  1836. 

Elam  Beardslev.  the  father  of  Mrs.  Buttles,  was  a  native  of  New  \  ork 
State,  and  his  wife  was  born  in  Ohio.  They  located  first  in  Michigan,  and  m 
1834  located  in  Racine  county,  settling  in  Caledonia  township,  where  they 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  311 

lived  for  a  few  years,  Mr.  Beardsley  taking  up  160  acres  of  land.  Alwut  1842 
he  sold  this  and  purchased  a  farm  of  220  acres  in  Waterford.  His  first  wife 
died  in  Caledonia  township  in  1839,  leaving  three  children:  Martin,  Nancy 
E.  and  Ezra.  He  married  for  his  second  wife  Elizabeth  Symington,  who 
died  in  1902,  he  having  passed  away  in  1877,  aged  sixty-two  years.  To  the 
second  marriage  were  born  two  children:  Marcellus  and  Frances  (the  wife 
of  John  Kelley,  of  Beloit,  Wisconsin). 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Buttles  was  Ezra  Beardsley,  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  afterward,  in  turn,  a  resident  of  New  York,  Ohio,  Michigan 
and  Wisconsin,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  married  (first)  Nancy 
Brush  and  (second)  Mary  Niblick,  and  had  a  large  family,  by  the  second 
union  having  two  children,  William  and  Merilla.  Ezra  Beardsley  and  his 
second  wife  lived  to  advanced  age. 

The  maternal  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Buttles  were  natives  of  Ireland,  the 
grandfather  a  farmer  by  occupation,  who  died  in  the  State  of  Ohio  at  an  ad- 
vanced age,  his  wife  also  attaining  advanced  years.  They  were  the  parents 
of  a  large  family  of  children. 

A  bit  of  tradition  handed  down  to  the  present  generation  is  the  change 
of  name  which  resulted  in  the  name  Buttles.  In  Colonial  times  the  name  was 
Butolph  [the  spelling  may  be  incorrect]  but  the  members  of  the  family  liv- 
ing in  the  State  of  Massachusetts  took  the  name  of  Buttles,  while  those  in 
Vermont  retained  the  original  Butolph. 

WILLIAM  ASBY,  a  highly  respected,  retired  citizen  of  Racine,  Wis., 
living  at  No.  510  Park  avenue,  was  born  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  Sept.  20, 
1826,  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Durance)  Ashy,  natives  of  England. 

The  history  of  the  grandfathers,  both  paternal  and  maternal,  of  William 
Asby  is  lost,  and  nothing  is  known  of  them  except  that  the  former  was  a 
soldier  in  the  British  army.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, where  he  died  Jan.  18,  1833,  aged  about  sixty-four  years.  After  his 
death,  his  widow  married  John  Porter,  and  died  in  March.  1851,  in  her  sixty- 
fourth  year.  Of  the  children  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Durance)  Asby,  Will- 
iam is  the  only  one  now  living. 

W'illiam  Asby  was  reared  in  his  native  shire,  where  he  attended  school 
until  ten  years  of  age.  At  that  age  he  hired  out  on  a  farm  and  when  seven- 
teen vears  old,  rented  a  small  farm  from  his  brother,  Thomas,  which  he 
operated  eight  years.  In  1851,  coming  to  America,  he  rented  a  farm  in  Dover 
township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  remained  until  1866,  when  he  came  10 
Racine,  and  has  lived  there  ever  since.  He  followed  teaming  as  an  occupa- 
tion until  1885,  since  which  time  he  has  lived  retired. 

On  Dec.  30,  1845,  Mr.  Asby  married  Miss  Maria  Clark,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Hulett)  Clark,  and  to  this  union  were  born  seven  chil- 
dren :  ( I )  John  Thomas,  who  was  a  hotelkeeper  in  Racine,  and  later  in 
L'nion  Grove,  married  Martha  Chadwick.now  deceased,  and  they  had  two 
sons  and  two  daughters.  Alma,  Fred,  Carrie  and  Harry:  he  married  for  his 
second  wife  Jeanette  Murdock.  (2)  William,  a  blacksmith  of  Racine,  mar- 
riefl  Clara  Mann  and  has  one  son,  George.  (3)  Eliza  Ann  married  O.  W. 
Smith,  and  they  live  in  Racine,  and  have  one  son,  Irvin.     (4)  Richard  mar- 


312  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRArEIICAL    RECORD. 

ncil  Mary  Snyder  and  they  have  four  children,  Alvin,  Richard,  Amanda  and 
Marie.  (^5)  Robert  married  Isabel  Mutter,  now  deceased,  and  has  four  chil- 
dren, William,  Laura,  Jessie  and  Grace.  (6)  Alice  Ann  married  Alvin  He- 
witt and  they  have  two  children,  Roy  Gardner  and  Elsie.  (7)  Elizabeth  Ann 
died  aged  one  year  and  nine  months.  Mrs.  Maria  (Clark)  Ashy  died  in 
1873,  aged  forty-eight  years  and  eleven  months.  She  was  a  primitive  Metho- 
dist in  religious  faith.  On  Feb.  21,  1876,  Mr.  Asby  married  (second)  Miss 
Sidonia  Burridge,  in  Eyeworth,  Bedfordshire,  England.  She  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Humberstone)  Burridge,  and  a  member  of  the 
Episcopal  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Asby  is  a  Republican.  Besides  his  home 
at  510  Park  avenue,  Mr.  Asby  owns  other  good  property  in  Racine. 

Thomas  Burridge,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Asby,  was  a  laborer 
and  died  in  England  well  advanced  in  years,  as  did  also  his  wife  Catherine. 
The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Asby  was  John  Humberstone.  His  wife 
was  Elizabeth  Beaumont,  a  native  of  Biggleswade,  Bedfordshire,  England, 
who  died  aged  eighty-eight  years.  He  was  a  soldier  in  young  manhood,  but 
afterwards  carried  on  farming  as  an  occupation.  Mrs.  Asby's  parents  were 
natives  of  England,  he  born  in  Hertfordshire  and  the  mother  in  Bedford- 
shire. They  had  three  children :  twins  who  died  at  birth,  and  Sidonia,  Mrs. 
Asby.  Mr.  Burridge  was  a  soldier  in  the  British  army,  later  became  a  police- 
man, and  died  in  1850.  After  her  husband's  death,  Mrs.  Burridge  married 
again,  her  second  husband  being  William  Carter,  by  whom  she  had  four  chil- 
dren:  Rhoda,  the  wife  of  Alfred  Wilkin;  Willie,  who  died  in  infancy;  Emma 
Elizaljeth;  and  Susanna. 

GUSTAVE  C.  RASCH,  president  of  the  Burlington  Blanket  Company, 
of  Burlington,  Wis.,  and  until  recently  president  of  the  Bank  of  Burlington, 
is  an  energetic  biisiness  man  and  a  representative  citizen.  He  w^as  born  in  Bur- 
lington Sept.  18,  1863,  son  of  John  and  Barbara  (Hess)  Rasch,  natives  of 
Prussia  and  Bavaria,  respectively. 

Johann  Rasch,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Gustave  C,  came  to  America 
and  settled  in  Racine  county  and  later  in  Kenosha  county,  when  the  country 
was  still  new.  He  died  at  an  advanced  age  on  his  farm,  as  did  also  his  wife. 
Fredericka.  Lorenzo  Hess,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Gustave  C.  Rasch, 
was  a  native  of  Germany,  and  was  also  an  early  settler  of  Kenosha  county.  He 
engaged  in  farming  there  for  some  years,  and  later  removed  to  Burlington, 
where  he  died  well  advanced  in  years.  He  held  various  township  offices,  be- 
ing supervisor  and  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years  in  Burlington.  He 
and  his  wife  had  a  large  family. 

John  Rasch  was  a  soldier  in  the  regular  army  in  Germany.  On  coming 
to  America  he  located  five  miles  south  of  Burlington,  being  among  the  early 
settlers  of  the  county.  The  line  dividing  Kenosha  and  Racine  counties  ran 
through  his  farm.  He  had  t6o  acres  of  land,  which  he  improved  and  on  which 
he  reared  his  family.  For  a  number  of  years  prior  to  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1891,  he  lived  in  Burlington.  His  wife  still  survives,  and  is  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the.  Lutheran  Church,  to  which  faith  he  also  adhered.  They 
had  two  children :    Gustave  C.  and  William  G.,  of  Burlington. 

Gustave  C.  Rasch  lived  on  the  farm  until  nine  years  of  age,  anrl  came  to 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  313 

Burlington  to  attend  school.  After  completing  his  education  he  clerked  for 
Theodore  Riel  for  fi\--e  years,  after  which  he  and  his  brother  formed  a  partner- 
ship and  engaged  in  the  general  merchandise  business,  in  which  they  continued 
for  about  eight  years.  They  then  established  their  present  business,  the  manu- 
facturing of  blankets,  starting  with  a  working  force  of  two  people,  which 
force  has  steadily  increased  until  they  now  employ  two  hundred.  A  specialty 
of  the  firm  is  the  manufacture  of  the  famous  "Stay-On,"  horse  blanket, 
which  they  make  in  about  three  hundred  grades,  comprising  summer  and 
wmter  blankets.  Until  he  sold  out  quite  recently  Mr.  Rasch  was  president  of 
the  Burlington  Brass  Works,  manufacturing  "Kant  Leek"  valves  and  faucets, 
brass  castings  and  brass  novelties  and  specialties.  In  this  line  are  employed 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  persons.  Mr.  Rasch  is  president  of  the  Burlington 
Advancement  Association,  for  the  encouragement  of  all  kinds  of  business  en- 
terprises and  for  the  good  of  the  city.  He  has  also  until  recently  been  presi- 
dent of  the  Bank  of  Burlington,  an  old  established  institution,  which  was 
formerlv  known  as  the  First  National.  In  June,  1902,  the  bank  was  reorgan- 
ized with  G.  C.  Rasch  as  president.  Rev.  Theodore  Jacobs,  vice-president,  and 
E.  H.  Schnederman.  as  cashier.  Mr.  Rasch  has  since  sold  his  interest  therein. 
On  Dec.  31,  1890,  Gustave  C.  Rasch  and  Miss  Tillie  Geheb  were  united 
in  marriage,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  one  child,  Henrietta.  Mrs.  Rasch 
was  a  daughter  of  Michael  and  Friedericka  ( Katzenburger)  Geheb.  She  died 
Nov.  21,  1898,  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  On  April  13,  1904,  Mr. 
Rasch  married  Miss  Nettie  Crawford,  daughter  of  William  and  Martha 
(Chesebro)  Crawford.  Mr.  Rasch  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  while 
his  wife  is  a  Congregationalist.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  was  the 
first  mayor  of  the  city  of  Burlington,  serving  in  that  high  office  one  term. 

OLE  HEG,  a  prominent  retired  citizen  of  Burlington,  makes  his  resi- 
dence on  Lewis  street,  where  he  has  lived  since  1901.  He  was  born  in  Nor- 
way, between  Drammen  and  Christiania,  June  21,  1831,  son  of  Even  and 
Sigrid  (Kallerud)  Heg,  natives  of  Norway. 

Hans  Heg,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Ole  Heg,  was  also  a  native  of 
Norway,  where  he  carried  on  farming.  He  died  in  his  native  country  at  an 
advanced  age,  as  did  also  his  wife,  Sonni  Heg.  On  the  maternal  side  Mr. 
Heg's  grandfather  was  Ole  Kallerud,  also  a  native  of  Norway,  who  carried 
on  agricultural  operations.  He  and  his  wife.  Anne  Kallerud,  lived  to 
advanced  age. 

Even  Heg,  father  of  Ole  Heg,  was  reared  a  farmer  boy,  but  engaged,  in 
the  hotel  business  in  Norway.  Coming  to  America  in  1840,  he  settled  in  the 
township  of  Norway,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  purchasing  a  large  tract  of  land  at 
government  prices,  and  at  his  death  owned  over  three  hundred  acres.  He 
died  on  his  home  farm  in  1850,  in  his  sixty-first  year,  while  his  wife  passed 
away  in  1842,  aged  forty-three  years.  Both  were  Lutherans.  He  w'as  a 
soldier  in  the  war  with  Sweden  in  1814.  While  in  Norway  township  he  w-as 
postmaster,  and  was  assisted  by  his  sons.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heg  had  four  chil- 
dren :  Hans  C.  colonel  of  the  i^th  Wisconsin  Regiment  during  the  Civil 
war,  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  being  shot  from  his  horse;  Ole 
is  our  subject;  Andrea,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  Hinioe,  who  removed  to 


314  COMMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Kansas;  and  Sophia  became  the  wife  of  Cliristen  Halsted,  of  Tong'anoxie, 
Kansas. 

Ole  Heg  was  nine  years  old  when  brought  to  this  country  by  his  parents, 
and  he  was  reared  in  Racine  county.  He  grew  up  on  the  farm,  and  attended 
the  district  schools.  His  father  with  others  established  the  first  Scandinavian 
newspaper  in  the  United  States,  which  w'as  printed  in  Norway  township,  Ra- 
cine county,  being  published  there  for  nearly  three  years,  when  it  was  sold 
and  transferred  to  Racine.  Its  name  was  then  changed  from  the  Nordlysct 
to  the  Deniukratcii.  It  was  finally  transferred  to  La  Crosse,  and  its  name 
again  changed,  this  time  to  the  Fadrckmdet  og  Emigrcinten,  under  which 
name  it  is  still  published  there.  Mr.  Heg  learned  the  printer's  trade,  and 
worked  first  on  that  paper  under  his  father  in  Racine  county,  later  working 
in  Racine  one  year,  and  then  going  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  worked  for  about 
three  years  on  the  Missouri  Republican.  He  w'as  there  during  the  cholera 
epidemics  of  1852  and  1854.  and  in  1856  returned  to  Racine  county,  and.  lo- 
cating in  Waterford,  conducted  a  general  merchandise  store  for  some  years. 
In  1 861  he  entered  the  army  as  first  lieutenant  and  quartermaster  in  his 
brother's  regiment,  the  15th  Wisconsin,  and  served  about  a  year.  The  regi- 
ment was  in  no  engagement  of  importance  during  the  time  he  was  in  service 
except  the  battle  of  Island  No.  10.  On  account  of  sickness  Mr.  Heg  was  ob- 
liged to  resign,  and  he  returned  to  Waterford  to  resume  his  business,  which 
when  the  brothers  went  into  the  service  had  been  left  in  the  hands  of  clerks. 
He  remained  in  business  until  1870,  when  he  and  his  wife  and  family  went 
to  Tennessee,  locating  in  McMinnville.  There  he  engaged  in  general  merchan- 
dising for  about  four  years,  at  the  end  of  that  time  returning  to  Waterford. 
and  remaining  seven  years.  He  then  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  resided  un- 
til 1901,  being  in  the  printing  business.  In  that  year  he  came  to  Burlington, 
where  he  has  since  lived  retired. 

On  Oct.  5,  1853.  Mr.  Heg  married  ■Miss  Emilie  Christensen,  daughter 
of  Andrew  and  Hannah  (Jessen)  Christensen,  and  three  children  were  born 
to  that  union :  Serie,  the  wife  of  Dr.  G.  E.  Newell,  of  Burlington,  Wis.. 
and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Emilie  Heg  died  in  the  spring  of  i860. 
On  Jan.  27,  1861,  Mr.  Heg  married  (second)  Miss  Nanna  Christensen.  a 
sister  of  his  first  wife.  No  children  were  born  to  this  union,  but  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Heg  adopted  an  orphan,  Ernest  Heg.  whom  they  reared  as  they  would 
a  child  of  their  own.  He  is  now  a  produce  merchant  in  Chicago,  a  partner  in 
the  firm  of  Magner,  Winslow  &  Co..  on  Clark  street.  He  married  Jessie 
Winslow,  daughter  of  Z.  R.  and  Agnes  (Magner)  Winslow,  and  they  have 
three  children,  Jessie  Agnes,  Winslow  and  Ernest  Steffer  Heg. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heg  are  Lutherans  in  religious  faith.  Politically  he  is 
now  a  Republican,  though  formerly  a  Democrat,  and  he  served  under  PresK 
dents  Pierce  and  Buchanan  as  postmaster  of  the  town  of  Norw^ay.  He  cast 
his  first  Presidential  vote  for  Pierce  and  King.  He  was  chairman  of  the 
town  board  for  four  years,  took  the  L'nited  States  census  in  i860  in  four  town- 
ships (the  ofifice  then  being  known  as  that  of  assistant  marshal),  and  was  also 
town  treasurer  for  three  years.  Mr.  Heg  is  a  valued  comrade  of  Luther 
Crane  Post,  No.  201.  G.  A.  R.,  of  Burlington. 

Mrs.  Heg's  parents  were  natives  of  Copenhagen,  Denmark,  and  came 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  315 

to  America  in  1S47.  settling  in  Racine,  where  the  father  died  in  less  than 
two  months  after  his  arrival.  The  mother  died  in  Mrs.  Heg's  home  in  Ten- 
nessee in  1872,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  They  had  a  family  of  eight  children, 
all  of  whom  are  now  dead  with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  Heg.  One  of  her 
brothers,  John  Thorwald,  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  was 
btiried  there. 

Ole  Heg  is  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Racine  county,  having  come 
here  over  sixty-five  years  ago,  and  is  well  and  favorably  known  throughout 
the  western  part  of  the  county. 

KNUT  ALAXON  (deceased),  for  many  years  a  highly  esteemed  resi- 
dent of  Waterford  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  was  extensively  engaged  in 
farming  on  his  tract  on  Section  25.  He  was  a  native  of  Norway,  born  Jan. 
28,  18 1 7,  and  his  death  occurred  Jan.  10,  1894.  Mr.  Alaxon  was  married, 
March  8,  1855,  to  Miss  Margaret  Johnson,  born  in  1830. 

Mr.  Alaxon  came  to  America  in  1836,  being  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers 
of  Waterford  township.  Racine  county,  and  he  purchased  land  at  different 
places  throughout  the  township,  at  one  time  owning  290  acres.  He  was 
likewise  prominent  in  public  matters,  and  was  school  clerk  for  a  number  of 
years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alaxon  had  a  family  of  eleven  children,  five  of  whom 
died  young,  while  the  remaining  six  still  survive,  namely:  Edwin,  at  home; 
Robert,  of  Rochester  village:  Anna,  the  wife  of  Elmer  Jacobson,  of  Norway 
township:  Oscar,  at  home:  John,  at  home;  and  Martha,  the  wife  of  Arent 
Peterson,  of  the  town  of  Lesser,  Shawano  Co.,  Wis.  Edwin  and  John  now 
own  the  old  homestead  in  Waterford  township,  which  they  operate,  and 
Oscar  owns  an  eighty-acre  farm  one  mile  east,  which  was  also  formerly 
owned  by  his  father. 

Knut  Alaxon,  deceased,  is  worthy  of  special  mention  in  this  work.  Com- 
ing to  this  country  when  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  began  life  for  himself  as 
a  poor  boy,  possessing  nothing  but  an  indomitable  spirit  and  a  brave  heart. 
He  finally  won  in  the  struggle  to  possess  a  home,  but  it  was  only  after  years 
of  the  hardest  kind  of  work.  At  his  death  he  owned  290  acres  of  fine  farm 
land,  he  being  at  the  time  of  his  demise  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  his 
township.  He  was  a  man  of  plain  and  quiet  manner,  but  was  highly  esteemed 
by  his  neighbors  for  his  integrity  of  character,  and  respected  for  his  business 
capacity.  His  good  wife,  who  still  survives  him.  was  ever  a  faithful  helpmate, 
and  it  was  largely  through  her  loving  and  faithful  assistance  that  he  attained 
the  success  which  he  so  justly  merited.  Mrs.  Alaxon  is  now  seventy-six  years 
old,  and  she  and  her  husband  were  among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  the  town- 
ship. No  family  is  more  highly  regarded  in  the  county,  their  reputation  for 
honesty,  integrity,  charity  and  hospitality  being  almost  universal.  At  his 
death  Mr.  Alaxon  left  his  children  well  equipped  to  meet  the  difficulties  of 
life,  and  his  name  will  live  long  in  the  memories  of  his  fellow  townsmen.  He 
was  truly  a  representative  citizen  of  Racine  county. 

John  Johnson,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Margaret  Alaxon,  was  better  known  as 
John  Dale  in  Racine  county.  He  was  also  a  native  of  Norway,  and  came  to 
America  with  his  wife  and  two  children  in  1837.  settling  in  LaSalle  county, 
III.     A  few  years  later  he  removed  to  Racine  county.  Wis.,  settling  in  Nor- 


3l6  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

way  township,  where  he  owned  i6o  acres  of  land.  His  wife,  Anna,  died  in 
lUinois,  leaving  two  children,  Margaret,  Mrs.  Alaxon,  and  John,  who  now 
lives  in  Livingston,  Mont.  The  father,  John  (Dale)  Johnson,  married  again 
but  there  were  no  children  born  to  the  second  union.  Mr.  Johnson  died  at  the 
age  of  eighty-seven  years  and  two  months,  in  1882.  On  coming  to  America 
he  landed  at  New  York  empty  handed  and  was  obliged  to  work  (in  the 
canal  in  order  to  earn  money  to  pay  his  way  to  Chicago,  going  from  the  latter 
city  to  LaSalle  county  by  way  of  team. 

ED\\'ARD  H.  SCHXEDERMAN,  cashier  of  the  Bank  of  Burlington, 
Burlington,  Wis.,  is  by  virtue  of  that  position  also  one  of  the  most  prominent 
business  men  of  that  place.  He  was  born  near  Hanover,  Germany,  Nov.  15, 
1864,  son  of  Frederick  and  ;\Ieta  (Hinrichs)  Schnederman,  also  natives  of 
that  country. 

Frederick  Schnederman  was  a  merchant  in  his  native  land,  and  when  he 
came  to  America,  in  1869,  he  located  in  Kewaunee,  Wis.,  and  engaged  in 
merchandising.  There  he  .died  in  1871,  aged  about  thirty-five  years.  His 
widow  passed  away  in  1900,  when  about  fifty  years  of  age.  They  were  both 
Lutherans.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schnederman  had  four  children :  ]\Iiss  Marie,  of 
Tacoma.  Wash.:  Edward  H.,  of  Burlington,  Wis.:  Rebecca,  of  Chicago:  and 
Benjamin,  of  Hinton,  West  Virginia. 

Edward  H.  Schnederman  was  only  in  his  fifth  year  when  he  came  to 
America,  and  he  lived  in  Kewaunee  until  his  sixteenth  year,  attending  the 
public  schools.  He  then  worked  in^  a  printing  office  for  two  years,  and  in  a 
store  in  the  pineries  of  Door  county,  later  engaging  with  the  Goodrich  Trans- 
portation Company,  for  whom  he  sailed  twelve  years  on  their  passenger  boats. 
He  afterward  became  the  company's  cashier  in  ]\Iilwaukee.  and  their  agent  in 
Racine  for  seven  years,  in  1902  coming  to  Burlington,  where  he  bought  an 
interest  in  the  Bank  of  Burlington,  of  which  he  became  cashier. 

On  ]May  11,  1904,  Mr.  Schnederman  married  Miss  Mildred  Lyman, 
daughter  of  Justus  H.  and  Mary  (AlcCanna)  Lyman,  of  Syracuse.  N.  Y. 
Politically  Mr.  Schnederman  is  a  Democrat.  Fraternallv  he  is  a  member  of 
the  B.  P.'  O.  Elks. 

TOM  HINCHLIFFE  (deceased)  was  a  successful  iiorist,  situated  at 
Nos.  504-506  Wisconsin  street,  Racine,  Wis.  He  was  born  in  Yorkshire, 
England,  in  1843,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Firth)  Hinchlifte,  both  natives 
of  England. 

John  Hinchliffe  was  a  woolen  mill  operative  in  England,  and  died  there 
aged  thirty-six  years,  survived  by  his  widow  until  she  had  reached  fifty  years. 
Both  were  members  of  the  Church  of  England.  They  had  six  children,  the 
survivors  being  these:  Charles  F.,  of  Scotland:  Walter,  of  England:  Eliza, 
wife  of  Joshua  Kaye,  of  Lowell,  Mass. :  and  Miss  Harriet  Ann.  of  Dracut, 
Massachusetts.  The  paternal  grandfather  was  George  HinchlifYe,  a  native 
of  England,  who  filled  the  position  of  time-keeper  in  a  large  mill  in  which 
all  the  family  had  emplovment.  He  died  aged  seventy-eight  years,  having 
been  the  father  (^f  nineteen  children.     The  maternal  grandfather  was  Richard 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  317 

Eirth,  a  native  of  Engiaiid.  and  a  liand-loom  \vea\ei".     He  li\-e(l  to  the  age 
of  seventy-two  years,  but  his  wife  died  young,  leaving  several  children. 

Tom  Hinchliffe  lived  in  England  until  February,  1882,  when  he  came 
to  America.  He  was  reared  to  woolen  mill  work  in  England,  and  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Yorkshire.  After  reaching  America  he 
went  to  work  first,  at  Dracut,  Mass.,  just  outside  the  city  limits  of  Lowell,  and 
there  he  was  employed  for  seven  and  a  half  years.  From  there  he  went  to 
Philadelphia  and  worked  in  a  mill  and  thence  to  Marcellus,  N.  Y..  where  he 
worked  six  months,  and  then  to  Boston  where  he  lived  for  a  time  work- 
ing in  a  mill  at  Bemis,  Massachusets.  In  the  fall  of  1891  he  came  to  Racine 
and  worked  some  six  years  in  the  Blake  &  Co.  woolen  mill  as  superintendent, 
and  from  there  went  to  Grand  Forks,  N.  Dak.,  where  he  ran  a  woolen  mill  for 
three  years.  From  there  he  went  to  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  and  then  came  back 
to  Racine,  where  he  was  successfully  engaged  as  a  florist  until  his  death, 
June  1 1,  1005. 

Mr.  Hinchlitte  was  married  June  ig,  1873,  to  Miss  Jane  T.  AVyper, 
daughter  of  Rev.  William  and  Janet  Ann  (Hardie)  \^'yper.  They  had  five 
children,  two  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely :  Jessie  Ann,  Maggie  \Vyper, 
John  William,  Harry  and  Marietta.  Maggie  W^  married  Charles  A.  Toste- 
son  and  they  have  one  son,  Alexis  Hinchliffe.  John  W'..  in  the  farmers'  sup- 
ply business  in  Boulder,  Colo.,  married  Elsie  Freeman,  of  Racine.  Harry  is 
agent  at  Racine  for  the  Chicago  newspapers.  Jessie  Ann  is  a  teacher  in  Ra- 
cine public  schools.  Mrs.  Hinchliffe  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  as  was  her  lamented  husband.  His  fraternal  connection  was  with 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.     Politically  he  was  a  Republican. 

Rev.  William  Wyper  and  his  wife  were  natives  of  Scotland.  They  had 
four  children  who  grew  to  maturity,  viz. :  Mrs.  Jane  T.  Hinchliffe :  INIargaret, 
wife  of  John  Hendry,  of  Paisley,  Scotland ;  James,  of  Bunderburg,  Queens- 
land, Australia ;  and  William,  of  the  same  place,  who  carries  on  a  hardware 
business  there.  Rev.  \\'illiam  Wyper.  father  of  Mrs.  Hinchliffe.  was  a  mm- 
ister  of  the  Established  Church  of  Scotland,  and  he  died  in  that  country  in 
1870,  aged  sixty-nine  years.  His  wife  died  in  1869,  aged  forty-nine  years. 
The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Hinchliffe  was  William  Hardie,  who  was 
born  in  Scotland  and  was  a  farmer  there,  but  who  died  in  Northumberland- 
shire,  England,  nf  old  age.  He  married  Jean  Taylor,  who  died  in  young 
womanhood.    Their  only  child  was  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Hinchliffe. 

BENJAMIN  R.  BONES,  a  prominent  and  highly  esteemed  citizen  of 
Mt.  Pleasant  township.  Racine  county.  Wis.,  is  engaged  in  farming  and  gar- 
dening on  his  tract  of  land  in  Section  31.  He  was  born  in  Owings\'ille,  Ky., 
March  8,  1841,  son  of  Thomas  and  Catherine  (Frey)  Bones,  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  York,  respectively. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Thomas  Bones,  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  His  ancestors  were  Scotch,  and  emi- 
grated to  the  North  of  Ireland,  and  thence  to  America  in  1680.  settlins:  in 
Bucks  county.  Pa.  Thomas  Bones  was  a  farmer  and  a  cnrrier  of  dispatches 
when  General  Washington  was  at  Valley  Forge.  Mr.  Bones  was  married 
at  the  latter  place,  and  property  owned  bv  him  at  that  time  is  still  in  the  posses- 


3i8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

sion  of  the  family.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  died  in 
Jefferson  county.  N.  V.,  when  advanced  in  years.  There  the  family  had  moved 
and  matle  a  Quaker  settlement.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Rowland,  and  she  bore  him 
six  children.  Our  subject's  maternal  grandfather  was  Philip  Rokel  Frey,  a 
native  of  New  York  State,  of  Swiss  descent.  His  ancestors  came  from  Zu- 
rich, Switzerland,  in  1684,  and  settled  in  New  York  State,  forty  miles  west 
of  Albany  and  forty  miles  from  any  white  settler  at  that  time  in  Herkimer 
county.  His  wife  was  General  Herkimer's  sister,  and  the  Herkimer  name  is 
still  kept  in  the  family.  Philip  R.  Frey  was  reared  there,  and  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution.  He  was  later  agent  for  John  Jacob  Astor  in  the  fur  busi- 
ness, making  trips  around  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan  in  the  winter  seasons 
and  to  Green  Bay  during  the  summers.  He  continued  in  Mr.  Astor's  em- 
ploy all  of  his  life,  and  died  aged  eighty-four  years.  His  wife  was  Mary 
Louise  St.  Martin,  a  French  lady,  and  daughter  of  a  French  exile,  Count 
Jacques  St.  Martin.  She  died  when  Benjamin  R.  Bones'  mother  was  born. 
In  1791-92  he  made  a  trip  around  the  head  of  Lake  ^Michigan,  from  New 
York,  on  foot,  to  Green  Bay,  then  up  the  Fox  river,  down  the  Wisconsin,  up 
the  Mississippi,  across  to  Red  river,  collecting  furs,  which  were  taken  by 
boats  pulled  by  Indians,  down  Lake  Superior,  in  the  month  of  November. 
Philip  R.  Frey's  grandfather  carried  two  bushels  of  wheat  over  an  Indian 
trail  in  New  York  State,  a  distance  of  ninety  miles,  and  sowed  it  in  Herkimer 
county,  this  being  the  first  wheat  ever  sown  in  the  Mohawk  valley.  There 
are  still  descendants  of  tliis  Frey  family  in  Herkimer  county,  and  they  own 
property  that  was  originally  owned  by  the  founder  of  the  family  in  this  coun- 
try. 

Thomas  Bones,  father  of  Benjamin  R.,  was  an  iron  manufacturer  of 
Carthage,  N.  Y.,  and  went  to  Kentucky  in  1839,  building  some  furnaces  on 
Slate  Creek.  Owingsville,  Ky.  He  continued  there  until  1841,  when,  being 
an  anti-slavery  man,  the  agitation  on  that  question  caused  him  to  remove  from 
there  to  Wisconsin.  He  came  in  the  spring  of  1842,  purchasing  160  acres 
of  land  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township — the  farm  on  which  our  subject  now  lives. 
He  improved  the  land,  and  lived  there  until  his  death,  in  1878.  being  then 
seventy-eight  years  of  age.  His  wife  had  passed  away  ten  years  prior,  being 
sixty-eight  years  old.  He  was  a  Quaker,  while  she  was  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  Church.  They  had  six  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living :  Sus- 
anna, the  wife  of  the  late  P.  R.  Frey.  of  Genoa  Junction,  Wis. :  Thomas,  of 
W^ashington,  D.  C.  in  the  Treasury  department;  and  Benjamin  R. 

Benjamin  R.  Bones  has  lived  on  his  present  farm  since  he  was  one  year 
old,  this  being  the  place  which  his  father  settled  in  1842.  He  attended  the 
district  schools  and  Racine  high  school,  and  since  coming  of  age  has  always 
followed  farming.  He  has  been  very  successful,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  substantial  men  of  his  section.  On  Oct.  16.  1879,  Mr.  Bones  married 
Miss  Sarah  Doolittle  Cutting,  a  niece  of  Senator  Doolittle,  and  daughter  ot 
Marquis  and  Delia  (Doolittle)  Cutting.  Two  children  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bones:  Katharine,  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Chicago: 
and  Ben.  Rowland,  who  attended  Racine  College  for  four  years. 

Mrs.  Bones  and  children  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  while 
her  husband  is  not  connected' with  any  particular  denomination.     Fie   is  a 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  319 

Republican,  politically,  but  would  never  accept  an  office  of  any  kind.  He  is 
a  great  admirer  of  "Bob"  LaFollette,  ex-Governor  of  Wisconsin,  and  at 
present  United  States  Senator,  and  has  known  him  from  toyhood. 

Mrs.  Sarah  Bones'  parents  were  natives  of  New  York  State,  and  came  to 
Wisconsin  about  1850,  locating  in  Somers  township,  Kenosha  county,  where 
they  engaged  in  farming.  Mr.  Cutting  was  a  soklier  in  the  Civil  war,  in  a 
Wisconsin  caxalry  regiment,  and  was  afterward  Indian  agent  at  Cheyenne. 
He  died  July  14,  1892,  aged  seventy-two  years.  His  wife  still  survives  him 
and  Hves  in  Racine.  They  had  a  family  of  five  children,  two  daughters  of 
Avhich  are  still  living:  Mrs.  Bones;  and  Miss  Delia  Cutting,  a  teacher  for 
some  years  in  the  Racine  schools. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Bones  was  Jonas  Cutting,  a  native  of 
New  York  State,  of  English  descent.  His  wife  was  Lovina  (Fargo)  Cutting. 
The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Bones  was  Reuben  Doolittle,  a  native  of 
New  York  State,  and  a  miller  and  farmer.  His  wife  was  Sarah  (Rood)  Doo- 
little, and  they  had  a  good-sized  family. 

Benjamin  R.  Bones,  our  subject,  in  addition  to  farming,  has  given  a 
great  deal  of  attention  to  the  study  of  birds,  and  has  made  annual  reports  to 
the  department  at  Washington,  D.  C,  for  the  past  twenty-five  years,  being 
a  recognized  authority  on  the  habits  and  nature  of  birds.  Many  of  his  articles 
on  this  subject  have  been  published.  Mr.  Bones  owns  the  largest  library  of 
any  farmer  in  the  county. 

MICHAEL  BEVER,  one  of  the  well  known  residents  of  Pleasant 
Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  residing  on  his  farm  in  Section  26,  was 
born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany,  Sept.  13,  1832,  a  son  of  Peter  and  Anna 
(Schuster)   Bever. 

George  Bever,  the  grandfather  of  Michael,  died  in  his  old  home  in  Lux- 
emburg, in  the  house  he  built  soon  after  his  marriage.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
shoemaker.  He  married  Anna  Leinwieber  and  they  reared  four  children  to 
maturity,  Peter,  Michael,  Frank  and  Anna.  The  maternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  also  a  farmer  in  Germany  and  his  children  were :  Theodore, 
Anthony,  Barbara,  Margaret,  Anna  and  John. 

The  parents  of  Michael  Bever  were  natives  of  Germany.  They  had 
seven  sons  and  one  daughter,  the  four  members  of  the  family  now  living 
being:  George,  near  Pierre,  S.  Dak.:  Michael,  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township; 
John,  of  the  Black  Hills ;  and  Nicholas,  of  Pierre,  S.  Dak.  The  father  was 
a  shoemaker  and  he  also  ran  a  small  farm  in  Luxemburg,  where  he  died  in 
1872,  aged  sixty-one  years.  His  wife  died  in  1867,  aged  fiftv-eight.  Both 
were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Michael  Bever  was  reared  in  Luxemburg,  where  he  attended  school  and 
assisted  his  father  both  at  work  at  his  trade  and  as  a  farmer.     On  May  20, 

1854,  he  landed  in  New  York  and  came  on  to  Chicago,  where  he  found  em- 
ployment with  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  and  remained  there  four 
months.  He  then  went  to  a  farm  in  the  vicinity  of  Elgin,  Illinois,  and  after 
a  season  of  farm  work,  returned  to  the  railroad  company  until  the  winter  of 

1855,  when  he  came  to  Kenosha  county.  Here  he  found  work  on  a  farm  in 
Bristol  township,  and  later  worked  for  Patrick  Quigley  in  Somers  township. 


320  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

He  also  worked  on  the  farms  of  Nicholas  Pedwean  and  Alvin  Strong,  and 
then  went  to  Indiana. 

;\Ir.  Bever  in  the  fall  of  1855  went  to  St.  Louis  but  returned  to  Kenosha 
county  in  1856,  and  until  1872  worked  for  various  farmers,  including  Jonas 
Rhodes  and  S.  P.  Welch  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  In  1872  he  Ixjught  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Section  26,  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  adjoining  his  present 
farm,  later  buying  more  land  and  now  owning  no  acres.  His  farm  is  ad- 
mirably situated  five  and  a  half  miles  from  Kenosha  and  he  has  made  many 
substantial  improvements  upon  it. 

Mr.  Bever  was  married,  Nov.  18.  1864,  to  Miss  Lena  Gratz,  daughter 
of  John  and  Anna  Maria  (Rock)  Gratz,  and  four  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  viz.:  Anna,  who  died  in  her  sixteenth  year;  and  Mary,  George  and 
Fred.,  at  home.  Mrs.  Bever  died  April  23,  1905,  at  the  ag'e  of  sixty-three 
years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mrs.  Bever's  parents 
were  natives  of  the  Rhine  provinces  north  of  Switzerland.  They  came  to 
America  and  settled  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county,  in  1848,  where 
they  both  died,  the  mother  in  1865,  and  the  father  Feb.  10,  1904,  aged 
ninety-two  years. 

In  his  own  country  yiv.  Bever  was  drafted  into  the  army  in  time  of 
war  and  after  coming  to  the  United  States  he  was  again  so  unfortunate. 
He  hired  a  substitute  who  served  in  his  place  during  the  Civil  war.  He  is 
a  stanch  Republican  and  prominent  in  his  township,  where  he  served  twelve 
years  as  school  commissioner. 

MEAD  O.  MYRICK,  a  well-to-do  and  influential  farmer  of  Kenosha 
county,  residing  on  his  farm  of  310  acres  in  Section  35,  Paris  township,  was 
born  on  that  farm  Jan.  10,  1847,  son  of  Seth  Butler  and  Lucinda  J.  (Carpen- 
ter) My  rick,  natives  of  New  York  State. 

That  the  Myricks  of  America  are  descended  from  the  jiurest  Celtic 
stock  is  established  upon  the  best  of  authorities,  to-wit :  Burke's  Peerage,  which 
is  the  accepted  authority  on  all  matters  relating  to  the  ancient  families  of  Great 
Britain.  In  the  edition  of  1887,  page  946,  we  find:  "The  Myricks  are  of  the 
purest  and  nolilest  Cambrian  Ijlood,  and  have  possessed  the  same  ancestral 
estate  and  residence,  Bodorgan,  Anglesey,  Wales,  without  interruption  above 
a  thousand  years.  They  have  the  rare  distinction  of  being  lineally  descended 
both  from  the  sovereign  Prince  of  Wales  of  the  Welsh  royal  family,  and  from 
King  Edward  I.,  whose  eldest  son  was  the  first  Prince  of  Wales,  of  the  Eng- 
lish royal  family.  Descended  from  a  long  line  of  regal  ancestry,  the  Myricks 
occupied  the  throne  of  Wales  in  the  sixth  century,  and  their  heirs  for  many 
generations  following.  Their  descendants  had  among  them  many  luen  of 
prominence,  in  the  church,  in  the  army,  in  the  letters  and  in  representatives 
in  foreign  courts.    Six  were  knighted  by  the  difYerent  sovereigns  of  England." 

Four  brothers  of  the  Myrick  family  came  to  America  from  Wales  in 
1636  and  located  at  Charlestown,  Mass.  They  were  soldiers  under  Miles 
Standish.  and  \\'illiam  ■Myrick,  spoken  of  as  first  ensign,  was  also  a  lieutenant 
and  surve}'or.  The  ^lyricks  were  active  participants  in  the  Colonial  and  Rev- 
olutionarv  wars,  holding  of^ces  of  trust  and  responsibility,  and  they  ha\e  been 
pioneers  in  the  building  of  America. 


COAIAIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  321 

The  line  of  descent  to  Mead  O.  Myrick  from  William  Myrick  ( 1 )  is  through 
William  {2),  Stephen,  Thomas,  Giles,  Joseph,  Seth  Butler,  Mead  O.  William 
(2),  Stephen,  and  Thomas  each  married  hneal  descendants  of  Stephen  Hop- 
kins, of  the  "Mayflower." 

Joseph  Myrick,  the  grandfather  of  Mead  O.,  was  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  born  March  5,  1782,  in  Dutchess  county,  and  later  settled  in  Clinton. 
He  was  a  farmer,  and  also  carried  on  a  tannery  at  Clinton,  Oneida  Co.,  N. 
Y.  He  was  married  Sept.  9,  1810,  to  Tryphosa  Butler,  who  was  born  July 
20,  1789,  in  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  daughter  of  Rufus  Butler,  and  died  Sept. 
25,  1864;  she  was  buried  at  Woodworth,  Wis.  Mr.  Myrick  passed  away  Nov. 
23,  185 1.  Their  children,  all  born  in  Clinton,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  were  as 
follows:  Lydia  Ann,  born  Sept.  16,  181 1,  died  Sept.  25,  1828;  Seth  Butler, 
born  May  16,  1813,  died  June  12,  1868;  John  Jesse,  born  March  9,  181 5, 
died  Feb.  21,  1865;  Giles,  born  July  14,  1818,  died  June  23.  1822;  Wealthy 
Jane,  born  May  2j,  1827,  married  Ruben  Harris,  and  died  Aug.  7,  1897; 
Mead  Obediah  was  born  Dec.  7,  1824;  and  Mary  M.,  born  Dec.  7,  1824,  died 
April  7,  1849. 

Seth  Butler  Myrick,  the  father  of  Mead  O.,  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade. 
He  first  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1835,  and  looked  over  the  country.  After  selec- 
ting his  land  he  bought  a  horse  and  rode  back  to  his  home  in  Paris  Hill,  Paris 
township,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  whence  he  returned  the  following  year  (1836), 
being  the  first  settler  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county,  to  which  township 
the  name  was  given  by  him.  He  took  up  a  large  tract  of  Government  land, 
but  all  this  he  sold  excepting  the  homestead  of  160  acres.  There  he  lived 
until  his  death.  He  also  owned  land  in  Lake  county.  111.  Mr.  Myrick  died  in 
1868,  aged  fifty-five  years,  while  his  widow  survived  until  1892,  dying  aged 
eighty-four  years.  Both  were  Methodists.  Mr.  Myrick  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace  for  many  years,  and  held  numerous  township  of^ces.  Seth  Butler  and 
Lucinda  J.  (Carpenter)  Myrick  had  eight  children,  five  of  whom  still  survive, 
as  follows:  Joseph  J.,  of  Menomonie,  Wis.;  Seth  B.,  of  Bristow,  Butler  Co., 
Iowa;  George  W.,  of  Capioma,  Nemaha  Co.,  Kans. ;  Mead  Obediah,  our  sub- 
ject; and  Edwin  J.,  of  Capioma,  Kansas. 

Jesse  Carpenter,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Lucinda  J.  Myrick,  was  a  native  of 
Rhode  Island,  later  removing  to  New  York,  and  he  died  in  Oneida  county,  that 
State.  His  widow,  Polly  Jilson,  came  West,  and  died  in  Wilmot,  Kenosha 
Co.,  Wis,  leaving  a  large  family. 

Mead  O.  Myrick  received  his  preliminary  education  in  the  discrict  schools 
of  his  home  locality  and  subsequently  supplemented  this  with  a  course  at  Ober- 
lin  College.  \Vhile  he  was  there  his  father  died.  Mr.  Myrick  then  taught 
school  in  Kenosha  county  for  six  years  during  the  winter  months,  while  he 
operated  the  farm  in  the  summer  seasons,  having  inherited  a  share  of  the 
father's  estate  and  purchased  the  rest.  The  farm  then  consisted  of  160  acres, 
to  which  Mr.  Myrick  added  150  acres.  On  Sept.  7,  187.6.  Mr.  Myrick  and 
Miss  Sarah  D.  Strong  were  united  in  marriage.  Mrs.  Myrick  is  a  daughter 
of  Alvin  and  Melissa  (Trowbridge)  Strong,  granddaughter  of  Eliphalet  and 
Marcia  (Groves)  Strong,  and  a  direct  descendant  of  Revolutionary  partici- 
pants. Her  maternal  grandfather,  James  Trowbridge,  was  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, and  a  farmer  by  occupation.     He  was  married  three  times,  Nancy 


322        co:^ime:\iorative  biographical  record. 

Lyon,  his  second  wife,  being  the  grandmother  of  INIrs.  ]\Iyrick.  ^Mrs.  Aly- 
rick"s  father,  Ahin  Strong,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and  his  wife  in  Con- 
necticut. They  had  five  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  hving,  namely : 
Albert  T.,  who  lives  with  JMr.  jMyrick;  Sarah  D.,  the  wife  of  our  subject;  and 
Frances  A.,  the  wife  of  James  A.  Spence,  a  farmer  of  Somers  township.  Ken- 
osha county.  Alvin  Strong  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1846  and  located  in' Somers 
township,  taking  up  Government  land,  upon  which  he  died  in  i860,  aged 
fiftv-two  years.  His  wife  survived  him  until  1866,  and  \\as  also  fifty-two 
vears  old  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

Mr.  and  !Mrs.  Myrick  have  had  four  children,  ]Myra  Lucinda,  Xellie 
Frances,  Lorin  ]\Iead  and  Mildred  Louise.  Miss  Myra  Lucinda  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  Kenosha  high  school  and  of  Oberlin  College,  and  is  now  teaching 
school  at  Belding,  Mich. ;  Nellie  Frances  graduated  at  Rochester  Academy, 
tauo'ht-  school  for  a  number  of  years,  and  is  now  at  home ;  Lorin  ^Nlead  is 
now  a  Sophomore  at  Oberlin  College ;  and  ]\Iiss  ^Mildred  Louise  resides  at 
home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  i^Iyrick  are  consistent  members  of  the  Congregational 
Church.  Politically  Mr.  Myrick  has  always  been  a  Republican,  and  he  has 
been  clerk  of  the  school  district  for  twenty-five  or  thirty  years.  He  has  num- 
erous business  interests,  and  was  the  organizer  of  the  IMutual  Fire  Insurance 
Company,  of  Paris  township,  of  which  he  was  secretary  for  some  years,  and 
also  organized  the  \\'oodworth  Creamery  Company,  of  which  latter  concern 
he  has  been  secretarv  since  its  organization.  He  is  a  firm  believer  in  co-opera- 
tion. 

In  i86g  ]\Ir.  ]\Iyrick,  under  stress  of  adverse  circumstances,  organized 
a  Young  People's  Literary  Society,  which  was  maintained  in  a  flourishing  con- 
dition for  twenty-five  years,  and  was  one  of  the  most  potent  educational  in- 
fluences the  community  ever  enjoyed. 

HUGH  R.  COOPER,  one  of  Racine  county's  representati\-e  citizens, 
now  living"  retired  in  W'aterford  township,  is  a  native  oi  that  township, 
born  Oct.  4,  1854.  son  of  Archibald  and  Emily  (Palmer)  Cooper,  natives 
of  New  York  State. 

The  paternal  grandfather,  Samuel  Cooper,  was  a  native  of  Ireland, 
and  coming  to  America  settled  in  Montgomery  county,  X.  Y.,  where  he 
reared  his  family.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  among  the  first  pioneers,  and  here 
died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  married  Esther  Reed,  and  they  had  a  family 
of  five  sons  and  two  daughters.  On  the  maternal  side,  Hugh  R.  Cooper 
is  a  grandson  of  Elias  Palmer,  a  native  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  who 
died  when  nearly  one  hundred  years  of  age.  His  wife,  Anna  (Bemis) 
Palmer,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  also  attained  a  ripe  old  age,  and  was 
buried  in  Dodge  county.  Wis.  They  had  seven  children,  four  sons  and 
three  daughters. 

Archibald  Cooper,  the  father  of  Hugh  R.,  always  followed  farming. 
He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1836,  and,  locating  in  Waterford  township  among 
the  early  pioneers,  purchased  altogether  240  acres  of  land.  Here  he  died 
Dec.  2.  1885,  aged  seventy-five  years,  while  his  widow  still  survives,  resid- 
ing on  the  old  homestead.     Thev  had  three  sons,  Hugh  R..  Fred  and  Tohn. 


C0M:\IE:^I0RATIVE    biographical    record.  323 

Hugh  R.  Cooper  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  has  spent  all  of  his  life 
in  W'aterford  township.  He  attended  the  district  schools,  and,  until  grcjwn, 
worked  on  his  father's  farm,  a  part  of  which  he  inherited  at  his  father's 
death.  Later  the  three  sons  divided  up  the  land  and  separated,  Hugh  lo- 
cating in  the  village  of  W'aterford,  where  he  built  a  fine  modern  home,  in 
which- he  has  since  resided,  living  retired.  On  March  21,  1897,  Mr.  Cooper 
married  Miss  Adelaide  M.  Orvis,  daughter  of  Charles  W.  and  Bethiah 
(Selleck)  Orvis.     Mr.  Cooper  is  a  Democrat  politically. 

Charles  W.  Orvis  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  he  and  his  wife,  who 
was  a  native  of  Canada,  were  early  settlers  of  Kenosha  county.  Wis.  They 
were  there  married,  and  lived  in  Salem  township,  where  Mr.  Orvis  owned 
107  acres  of  land,  and  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  His 
willow,  who  still  survives,  is  now  eighty  years  old.  They  had  children  as 
follows:  John  Mills,  of  Missoula,  Mont.;  Adelaide  M.,  wife  of  Hugh  R. 
Cooper,  of  W'aterford;  Miss  Flora  B.,  of  Salem  township;  Charles  Seymour, 
of  Los  Angeles.  Cal. ;  Harry  F.,  of  Camp  Lake,  W^is. ;  Levi  C,  of  Salem 
township;  and  Justin  K.,  of  W'aukegan. 

Mrs.  Cooper's  paternal  grandfather.  John  ]\I.  Orvis,  was  also  a  native 
of  Vermont;  his  wife,  Anna  Larabee,  attained  the  remarkable  age  of  ninety- 
five  years.  They  reared  one  son  and  three  daughters,  all  now  deceased.  The 
maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Cooper  was  Ira  Selleck,  a  native  of  Canada, 
and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  His  wife  was  Eliza  (Hicock)  Selleck.  and 
thev  had  three  sons  and  five  daughters,  Mrs.  Cooper's  mother  being  the 
only  survivor. 

ISAAC  T.  BISHOP,  a  prominent  member  of  one  of  the  pioneer  fam- 
ilies of  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  who  resides  in  Section  16.  Somers  township,, 
was  born  June  6.  1844,  in  a  log  house  on  his  father's  farm  in  this  township, 
son  of  Jacob  and  Fanny  (Potter)  Bishop. 

On  both  sides  !Mr.  Bishop  can  trace  an  old  and  interesting  ancestry. 
This  branch  of  the  Bishop  family  in  America  dates  its  history  back  to  John 
Bishop  and  Mary  (Champion)  Bishop,  his  wife,  who  were  natives  of  Con- 
necticut, and  who  moved  to  Dutchess  county,  X.  Y.,  in  the  year  1740,  where 
their  son  John  C,  was  born  July  2"/,  1746. 

John  C.  Bishop  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  his  great-grand- 
son. Isaac  T.  Bishop,  holds  a  $15  bill  with  which  the  patriot  was  paid  for 
service  in  that  conflict.  In  1765  he  married  Abigail  Reynolds  and  to  this 
union  was  born:  Abram.  Nov.  i.  1766.  Abram  Bishop  married  Anna 
Bond,  born  Oct.  5.  1783,  who  died  Jan.  11,  1870.  in  Somers  township,  on 
the  farm  of  her  son  Jacob.  She  had  been  afflicted  with  blindness  for  fif- 
teen years  prior  to  her  death.  Their  family  of  fifteen  children  has  all 
passed  away.  Abram  Bishop  was  buried  in  the  Bishop  burying  ground  at 
Granville.  X.  Y..  and  a  city  has  grown  around  what  was  once  a  secluded 
spot. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Bishop  was  Nathaniel  Potter,  a  na- 
tive of  New  York  and  a  Revolutionarv  soldier  who  lived  to  advanced  age. 
He  married  Elizabeth  Johnson,  who  also  lived  long,  becoming  the  mother 
of   these   children :      Ann,    Marv,    Fannie,    Peter   and    Sarah.      The    Potter 


324  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

family  in  America  dates  its  history  back  to  two  brothers,  Nathaniel  and 
Ichab'od,  who  came  to  New  England  in  1638.  Nathaniel  was  admitted  as  an 
inhabitant  of  the  Island  of  Aquidneck  April  t,o,  1639,  under  King  Charles, 
and  he  and  his  brother  Ichabod  lived  at  Portsmouth,  R.  I.  The  wiflow  of 
Ichabod  removed  to  King's  Town  about  1687. 

Jacob  Bishop,  father  of  our  subject,  when  a  boy  of  fifteen  years,  left 
his  home  in  New  York  and  made  his  way  to  Sandusky.  Ohio,  where  he 
clerked  in  a  store  until  he  became  of  age.  He  married  Fanny  Potter,  Jan. 
19,  1833,  in  Granville,  N.  Y.,  and  the  record  of  their  children  is  as  follows: 
Henry  H.  died  aged  seven  years.  Abraham  T.,  a  retired  merchant,  is  mar- 
ried and  had  eight  children.  Mary  E.  died  in  infancy.  Phebe  J.  died  in  in- 
fancy. ;\Iary  E.  (deceased)  married  Adelmar  Graves,  and  had  five  children. 
Victoria  A.,  unmarried,  died  at  the  age  of  si.xty-two  years.  Phebe  J.  (2), 
unmarried,  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-one  years.  Isaac  T.  is  mentioned  below. 
Joseph  F.,  of  Somers,  Wis.,  is  married  and  has  five  children.  Anna  L.  mar- 
ried (first)  Edwin  Sherwood,  and  had  one  child,  and  (second)  C.  C.  Hurd, 
of  Foxlake,  Wis.  Fanny  J.  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  Hiram  Curtis,  of  Sutton, 
Neb.,  and  the  mother  of  five  children.  Jacob  R.,  deceased,  married  Emma 
Carpenter,  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y..  and  had  one  son,  Jacob  R.,  of  Castleton,  N. 
Dak.  John  E.  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years.  Delia  E.,  of  Somers,  Wis.,  is 
unmarried.  Harriet  E.  married  Leander  Capon,  of  Perry.  Iowa,  and  had 
eight  children,  one  of  wdiom  is  deceased. 

After  marriage  Jacob  Bishop  removed  to  Cle\-eland,  Ohio,  and  went 
into  the  grocery  business  for  himself.  In  1838  he  came  West  and  pre-empted 
land,  and  bought  altogether  about  1600  acres  of  land  in  the  township  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  Racine  county,  and  Somers,  Kenosha  county,  the  former 
covering  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Corliss.  He  was  accompanied  West 
by  Seth  Doan,  who  subsequentlv  became  the  leading  dealer  in  dry  goods  in 
Kenosha. 

Jacob  Bishop  was  an  excellent  business  man.  He  followed  farming 
and  kept  on  accumulating  land  until  he  owned  20,000  acres  in  Dunn  and 
Waupaca  counties.  In  1839  he  brought  his  family  West,  and  located  on  a 
farm  of  240  acres  in  Somers  township,  and  of  his  large  family  of  fifteen  chil- 
dren ten  were  born  and  reared  on  this  farm.  Later  in  life  he  moved  into  Ra- 
cine, his  main  object  being  to  give  his  children  better  educational  advantages. 
He  continued  to  reside  in  the  city  for  some  six  years,  in  the  meantime  con- 
tinuing the  management  of  the  farm  to  which  he  then  returned,  having  im- 
proved it  with  substantial  and  comfortable  buildings.  He  died  on  the  farm 
May  6,  1885.  aged  seventy-seven  years.  His  wife  died  Jan.  21.  i88q,  aged 
seventy-five  years.  Politically  he  was  a  Republican.  He  and  his  wife  had 
both  been  reared  in  the  Quaker  faith  and  they  continued  to  be  Friends  all 
their  lives,  honest,  virtuous,  kindly  people  who  were  respected  and  esteemed 
wherever  known. 

Isaac  T.  Bishop  has  lived  in  Somers  townshii)  all  his  life.  He  attended 
the  local  schools  and  lived  at  home  until  seventeen  years  of  age.  when  he  went 
to  Kenosha  and  became  clerk  for  Doan  &  Hawley.  where  he  remained  one 
year,  but  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  interrupted  the  quiet  current  of  his 
life  just  as  it  did  the  thousands  of  others  who  answered  the  call  of,  country 
in  the  fateful  years  of  1861-^. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  325 

On  Sept.  9,  1862,  Mr.  Bishop  enlisted  under  Chief  of  Pohce  Bradley  of 
Chicago,  in  Battery  B,  First  Illinois  Light  Artillery,  and  was  ordered  to  re- 
port to  the  battery  then  located  at  Memphis,  Tenn.  The  quota  of  the  batteiy 
having  been  filled,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  55th  111. 
V.  I.  During  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  he  was  assigned  to  special  duty  in  the 
Ordnance  Department  of  the  15th  Army  Corps.  After  the  capitulation  of 
Vicksburg,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Post  Ordnance  Department.  In  Jan- 
uary, 1864,  he  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  Ordnance  Department,  Military 
Division  of  the  Mississippi,  located  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  by  order  of  Lieut. 
Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  where  he  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war,  in  May,  1865. 
He  enlisted  as  a  private,  and  was  mustered  out  as  assistant  ordnance  officer. 
Seven  days  after  joining  the  55th  regiment,  he  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Chancellorsville  and  his  regiment  soon  after  went  down  the  Mississippi  river 
to  Young's  Point,  opposite  Vicksburg,  where  in  the  summer  of  1863  they 
helped  to  dig  the  canal  which  was  usually  called  by  the  soldiers,  "Grant's 
Ditch,"  which  is  destined  some  day  to  cut  an  important  figure  in  navigation. 
A  force  of  25,000  men  was  engaged  for  three  months  in  digging  this  canal. 
The  object  was  to  cut  off  and  leave  Vicksburg  an  inland  town,  and  the  work 
was  in  charge  of  Generals  Grant  and  Sherman. 

General  Grant  then  threw  his  army  across  the  river  to  Grand  Gulf,  where 
he  met  General  Pemberton  in  command  of  the  Confederate  forces,  who  fought 
stubbornly  from  Grand  Gulf  to  Raymond,  and  next  at  Champion  Hills,  Black 
River  Bridge,  ending  with  the  siege  of  Vicksburg.  Mr.  Bishop  carried  a  gun 
and  participated  in  all  of  that  campaign,  and  was  finally  mustered  out  of  the 
service  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  He  returned  to  his  home  in  Somers  township, 
and  again  became  a  farmer  with  his  father. 

On  Nov.  28,  1866,  Mr.  Bishop  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Lydia 
J.  Clemons,  who  was  born  in  Oswego  county,  N.  Y.,  July  3.  1846,  daughter 
of  Hosea  and  Eliza  (Wallace)  Clemons,  and  five  sons  were  born  to  that 
union,  as  follows:  John  C,  who  was  drowned  in  August,  1902.  while  in  the 
employ  of  the  St.  Paul  Railway  Company,  married  Maggie  Fitzgerald,  of 
Somers  township,  and  had  two  daughters,  Arvilla  L.  and  Delia  M. ;  Adelniar 
A.,  a  graduate  of  the  State  Normal  School  at  Whitewater,  and  formerly  for 
nine  years  bookkeeper  for  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Co.,  and  now  in 
the  laundry  business  at  Racine,  married  Maud  E.  Thompson,  and  has  one  son, 
Gordon  A.;  Isaac  T.  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years:  Edwin  S.,  a  graduate 
of  the  State  University  at  Madison,  taught  two  years  there  in  the  Physics 
Department,  and  at  present  occupies  the  chair  of  Physics  in  the  East  Division 
High  School  at  Milwaukee:  and  Benjamin  H.  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Bishop  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  on  numerous  occasions  he  has 
been  called  upon  to  serve  in  offices  of  trust  and  responsibility.  He  was  town 
treasurer  for  one  year,  and  for  a  period  of  five  years  was  chairman  of  the 
board  of  supervisors,  and  while  a  member  of  the  county  board  was  elected 
chairman.  For  eleven  years  he  has  served  as  a  justice  of  the  peace,  rendering 
decisions  based  upon  a  proper  recognition  of  facts,  and  with  the  experienced 
judgment  which  has  given  satisfaction  to  his  fellow  citizens.  He  has  always 
been  prominent  in  the  various  public-spirited  movements  of  his  locality,  and 
as  a  man  of  sterling  integrity  and  ripe  judgment  has  been  chosen  as  a  leader 
in  manv  of  these.     For  twentv-four  vears  he  has  served  as  secretary  of  the 


326  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Somers  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company,  a  local  organization  of  assured 
stability.  He  has  been  one  of  the  promoters  of  progress  along  agricultural 
lines  and  local  development  of  all  kinds,  claiming  that  Somers  township  pos- 
sesses not  only  the  natural  advantages  but  also  the  type  of  citizenship  which 
should  make  it  a  banner  township  in  the  county.  He  has  taken  a  deep  interest 
in  all  the  work  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  is  a  valued  member 
of  the  Fred  S.  Lovell  Post.  In  fraternal  life  he  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias.  Mrs.  Bishop  is  a  consistent  and  active  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church, 
but  Mr.  Bishop  continues  a  Quaker  in  his  religious  convictions. 

Clemons.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Bishop  w'as  John  demons, 
a  native  of  New  York,  where  the  family  has  been  settled  for  generations,  two 
brothers  coming  from  England  and  locating  here  at  a  very  early  day.  John 
Clemons  married  Lydia  Devereaux,  and  he  died  in  Xew  York.  His  widow 
came  to  Mt.  Pleasant  township  where  she  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-four 
years.    They  had  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Hosea  Clemons,  son  of  Jolui  and  father  of  ]\Irs.  Bishop,  was  a  native  of 
New  York  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  October, 
1846,  and  settled  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he 
died  in  1882,  aged  seventy-five  years.  He  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife, 
Eliza  (Wallace)  Clemons,  passed  away  in  1862,  aged  forty-four  years,  in 
the  faith  of  the  Methodist  Church.  She  was  a  daughter  of  William  and  Han- 
nah (McDaniels)  Wallace,  of  Scotch  descent,  the  former  of  whom  died  in 
New  York  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years,  but  the  latter  had  died  long  before, 
the  mother  of  six  children.  The  children  born  to  the  marriage  of  Hosea 
and  Eliza  (Wallace)  Clemons  were:  William  Wallace,  of  Fairmount,  Los 
Angeles  Co.,  Cal. ;  Nancy  A.,  who  died  aged  twelve  years;  Lydia  J.,  Mrs. 
Bishop;  Sarah  E.,  wife  of  Russell  Lewis,  of  Racine;  Harriet  Eliza,  deceased, 
formerly  the  wife  of  E.  Cook;  Helen  A.,  deceased,  formerly  tiie  wife  of  James 
E.  Spencer;  Estella  R.,  wife  of  Gaylord  Shepherd,  of  Racine;  Ida  M.,  deceased 
wife  of  E.  G.  Ozanne;  Wesley  H.,  of  Berryville,  Wis.;  and  Ira  F.,  of  Ra- 
cine. Flosea  Clemons  married  (second)  Abbie  J.  DeGroat,  widow  of  Albert 
DeGroat,  and  daughter  of  a  Mr.  Dodge,  of  New  ^'ork.  There  were  two  chil- 
dren born  to  this  union,  Herbert  and  Florence,  the  latter  the  wife  of  E.  A. 
Tostevin.     Hosea  Clemons  became  a  Methodist  in  his  youth. 

JOSEPH  EVERETT  KRICHBAUM,  a  prominent  resident  of  Ken- 
osha, Wis.,  engaged  in  the  undertaking  and  embalming  business  at  No.  261 
Market  street,  was  born  in  Campbellstown,  Ohio,  June  15,  1862,  son  of  Peter 
A.  and  Sarah  Ann  (Scibird)  Krichbaum,  natives,  respecti\'ely,  of  Germany 
and  America. 

Peter  A.  Krichbaum  came  to  Amreica  when  a  young  man,  and  ran  a 
cooper  shop  in  Campbellstown,  Ohio.  He  married  in  Ohio,  Sarah  Ann  Sci- 
liird.  A\'hen  the  Civil  war  broke  out  he  enlisted  in  the  5tn  Ohio  Cavalry, 
and  was  killed  in  1864,  leaving  his  wife  with  three  children:  Joseph  Everett, 
and  two  daughters,  the  latter  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  I\Irs.  Elizabeth 
(Bookwalter)  Scibird,  mother  of  Sarah  Ann  (Scibird)  Krichbaum,  died  in 
Ohio,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  She  was  the  mother  of  four 
sons:  One  who  died  in  the  Civil  war;  Joseph,  a  captain  in  the  Cixil  war,  who 


CO^TME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  ^,27 

died  in  Bloomington,   111. ;  John,   postmaster  at   Bloomington ;  and  Harvey, 
a  photographer. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  Joseph  E.  Krichbaum  removed  with  ins 
mother  to  Bloomington,  111,  and  was  there  reared  to  manhood.  He  attended 
the  pnblic  schools  and  began  learning  the  blacksmith's  trade  when  fourteen 
years  of  age,  working  in  the  John  T.  Walton  Plow  Works  until  eighteen  years 
old.  He  then  found  employment  on  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad  as  brake- 
man,  remaining  two  years,  later  becoming  freight  conductor  and  then  passen- 
ger conductor,  holding  the  last  position  for  seven  years.  In  1894  he  became 
traveling  salesman  for  an  undertakers"  supply  house,  and,  in  July,  1896, 
started  in  business  on  his  own  account  at  his  present  location. 

In  1887  Mr.  Krichbaum  married  Miss  Anna  D.  Paulson,  daughter  of 
Hans  and  Margaret  Paulson,  natives  of  Denmark,  who  came  to  this  country 
and  first  settled  in  Chicago,  later  in  Racine  and  in  1871  in  Kenosha,  where 
the  father  worked  in  Bain's  Wagon  Shop  until  his  death,  Nov.  12,  1901, 
aged  seventy-three  years,  five  months,  eighteen  days.  His  widow  died  Feb. 
24,  1905.  They  had  four  children,  two  of  whom  are  now  living:  Mrs. 
Krichbaum,  and  Peter  M.,  of  Waukegan,  a  passenger  conductor  on  the  North- 
western Railway,  running  from  Waukegan  to  Chicago. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Krichbaum  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  He  belongs 
to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No  47,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  85,  K.  P. ; 
and  Pike  Woods  Camp,  No.  391,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  as  county  coroner  for  two  terms. 

Mrs.  Sarah  Ann  Krichbaum,  the  mother  of  our  subject,  married  a  second 
time,  her  husband  being  Philip  J.  Dagenhart,  who  was  a  passenger  engineer 
on  the  Chicago  &  Alton  R.  R.  He  lost  his  life  in  February,  1895,  by  slip- 
ping while  getting  down  from  his  engine.  He  struck  on  the  back  of  his 
head,  which  caused  concussion  of  the  brain,  and  subsequently  death.  They 
had  one  son,  Charles  E.,  who  resides  in  Bloomington,  Illinois 

ADA^I  HUNTER,  late  a  substantial  farmer  and  respected  citizen  of 
Racine  county,  Wis.,  residing  on  his  fine  farm  in  Section  35,  Yorkville  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Dumfriesshire,  Scotland,  in  August,  1830,  son  of  James  and 
Jean  (Heasty)  Hunter,  natives  of  Scotland.  His  grandfather  was  a  shep- 
herd in  Scotland,  and  -was  drowned  while  herding  his  sheep.  On  the  maternal 
side,  the  grandfather  of  Adam  Hunter  was  Andrew  Heasty,  a  weaver,  who 
died  in  Scotland  at  an  advanced  age. 

James  Hunter  was  a  laborer  in  his  native  country.  Init  on  coming  to 
America,  about  1855,  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  in  Yorkville  township, 
Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  upon  which  he  died  in  1877,  aged  seventy-one  years.  His 
wife  passed  aw-ay  in  1869,  in  the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,_  of 
which  he  was  also  a  member.  Of  their  eight  children  only  one  is  now  living, 
\\'illiam. 

Adam  Hunter  remained  in  his  native  country  until  about  twenty  years 
of  age.  and  there  received  his  schooling.  He  then  came  to  America  with  a 
brother  and  sister,  William  and  Mary,  the  latter  of  whom  afterward  became 
the  wife  of  John  Brice,  a  Scotchman.  Mr.  Hunter  located  at  once  in  York- 
ville  township,   and   here  remained   until   his   death.      After  working  out   on 


328     ^      COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

farms  for  a  time  he  and  his  father  purchased  forty-acre  farms  adjoining,  and, 
on  his  father's  death,  Adam  Hunter  came  into  possession  of  his  farm,  located 
half  a  mile  north  of  Union  Grove.  This  farm  he  sold  to  purchase  the  tract  of 
land  upon  which  he  was  living  at  the  time  of  his  death,  comprising  eight 
acres  in  Section  35  upon  which  he  spent  his  last  twenty-eight  years.  He 
died  July  22,  1905. 

On  April  10,  1869,  Mr.  Hunter  married  Miss  Charlotte  Whitcher,  daugh- 
ter of  John  C.  and  Sarah  Ann  (Holden)  Whitcher,  and  five  children  were 
born  to  this  union:  William  lives  at  home  and  works  the  farm;  Sarah  Jane, 
who  married  Charles  ^^'ilIiam  Christensen,  lives  in  Iowa,  and  had  had  chil- 
dren-— Charles,  Clara,  Henry,  John,  Martha  Jane,  and  three  who  died ;  Mar- 
tha Elizabeth  lives  at  home;  John  Charles  is  the  next  in  the  family;  Charlotte 
Maria  who  married  Jacob  Haney,  lives  west  of  Union  Grove,  and  has  five 
children  living,  Josephine,  Frank.  Edwin,  Ruth  and  Lenora  Frances,  the  last 
named  born  June  20,  1905. 

Mrs.  Hunter's  paternal  grandfather,  Thomas  Whitcher,  was  a  native  of 
England,  and  a  carriagemaker  by  trade.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  Eng- 
land. James  Holden,  the  maternal  grandfather,  was  also  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, and  was  a  razormaker  by  occupation.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  British 
army  during  the  war  of  1812,  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  He  and  his 
wife,  Sarah,  had  a  family  of  eleven  children.  Mrs.  Hunter's  father  was 
born  in  Hampshire,  England,  and  her  mother  in  London.  They  had  six  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  are  now  living:  Charlotte;  Thomas,  of  Yorkville  town- 
ship; Martha,  the  widow  of  Henry  Powles,  an  old  soldier;  and  Charles,  a 
farmer  and  butcher  of  Kenosha  county. 

Mrs.  Hunter  was  born  in  London,  England.  Dec.  10,  1837,  the  other  chil- 
dren of  her  parents  being  born  in  this  country.  Her  parents  came  to  x^mer- 
ica  in  1840,  and  settling  in  Yorkville  township  took  up  land  upon  which  they 
lived  until  a  few  years  before  their  death,  when  they  moved  into  Union  Grove. 
There  Mr.  Whitcher  died  May  12,  1893,  aged  eighty  years,  his  wife  having 
passed  away  fourteen  months  before,  in  her  eightieth  year.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  England.  Mrs.  Hunter  has  been  a  resident  of  Racine 
county  for  sixty-five  years,  having  been  but  three  years  old  when  brought  to 
this  country.  She  is  one  of  the  best  informed  persons  in  the  county  on  the 
early  history  of  the  section,  and  can  recall  events  with  remarkable  accuracy. 

HENRY  CLINTON  CASE  is  the  proprietor  of  a  flourishing  real  estate, 
loan  and  insurance  business  of  Racine,  owns  and  conducts  a  temperance  sum- 
mer resort,  is  interested  in  the  manufacture  of  flour,  and  is  placed  among  the 
most  popular,  able  and  successful  of  the  residents  of  the  Belle  City.  He  was 
born  in  Williamstown.  N.  Y..  Aug.  7,  1858,  son  of  DeWayne  and  Eliza 
(Greenhow)  Case,  the  father  a  native  of  that  place  and  the  mother  of  Kendall, 
England. 

Jonathan  Case,  the  grandfather  of  Henry  C,  was  a  farmer  of  New  York 
State.  He  married  Amv  Lot.  and  they  were  the  parents  of  a  large  family. 
Mr.  Case  died  when  ninety  years  old,  his  wife  also  passing  away  at  an  advanced 
age. 

DeWavne  Case,  the  son  of  Tonathan,  was  virtually  a  lifelong  farmer,  re- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  329 

siding  in  Williamstovvn,  N.  Y.,  until  1884,  when  he  located  in  Racine,  of 
which  place  he  has  since  been  a  citizen.  He  is  a  cousin  of  the  late  Jerome  I. 
Case,  and  for  the  past  few  years  has  hved  in  retirement,  his  resiaence  being 
just  south  of  the  city  hmits  on  the  lake  shore.  He  is  a  Universalist.  his  wife, 
a  Presbyterian.  Four  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Case:  Frank  D., 
of  Racine,  of  the  firm  of  Case  Brothers  Flouring  Mill,  at  Racine  Junction; 
Henry  Clinton;  George  N.,  a  bookkeeper  of  the  Manufacturers  Bank;  and 
Lillie  E.,  wife  of  J.  P.  Davies,  of  Racine. 

Mrs.  Case's  father,  John  Greenhow,  was  a  native  of  England,  and  emi- 
grated to  America  about  1844,  settling  in  New  York.  He  was  a  minister,  and 
afterward  editor  of  the  Canastota  Herald,  and  later  of  the  Hornellsville  Trib- 
une, which  he  continued  to  edit  until  the  time  of  his  death,  when  he  was  suc- 
■  ceeded  by  his  son,  William  Henry,  who  still  conducts  that  paper.  He  lived 
to  be  upward  of  eighty  years  of  age.  Mr.  Greenhow  married  (first)  Jane 
Bailey,  of  Kendall,  England,  by  whom  he  had  three  daughters.  His  second 
wife  was  Mary  Frodsham,  and  to  this  union  were  born  one  son  and  two 
daughters. 

Henry  Clinton  Case  was  reared  at  Williamstown,  N.  Y.,  and  attended  the 
public  schools.  When  eleven  years  of  age  he  began  to  learn  the  printer's  trade, 
and  followed  that  occupation  three  years.  He  then  clerked  in  a  general  store 
for  nine  years,  and  in  1883  located  in  Racine,  engaging  with  the  J.  I.  Case 
Threshing  Company,  with  which  firm  he  continued  for  seventeen  years.  At 
the  conclusion  of  that  service,  in  1900,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  William 
Henry  Miller  in  the  real  estate  business.  This  connection  continued  until 
March  18,  1905,  when  he  established  himself  independently,  purchasing  the 
Old  Times  building,  northwest  corner  of  Monument  Square  and  Fifth  street. 
His  operations  in  real  estate  for  the  first  six  months  are  unexcelled  in  the  local 
history  of  the  business,  and  seldom  exceeded  by  an  individual  dealer, 
in  any  city,  as  he  has  the  distinction  of  making  sixty  sales  during  the  period 
mentioned.  He  has  since  added  insurance  and  money  loaning  to  the  scope  of 
liis  transactions,  and,  as  he  is  also  a  notary  public,  there  are  few  men  in  Ra- 
cine who  are  busier,  are  brought  into  contact  with  more  people,  or  are  more 
substantial  and  prosperous,  than  Henry  C.  Case. 

Mr.  Case  is  also  a  partner  with  his  brother,  Frank  D.,  in  the  manufacture 
of  flour  at  Racine  Junction,  the  business  being  known  as  the  Junction  Flour- 
ing Mills.  They  specialize  in  grain  and  rye  feed,  and  do  custom  grinding. 
Mr.  Case  owns  and  conducts  a  temperance  summer  resort  on  the  south  side, 
known  as  Evergreen  Hall,  40x80  feet,  which  has  courts  and  balconies  extend- 
ing all  around  it,  both  on  the  first  and  second  stories,  and  has  one  of  the  best 
dancing  floors  in  the  State.  During  the  summer  months  picnic  and  dancing 
parties  come  from  Milwaukee  and  Kenosha,  as  well  as  Racine,  and  the  place 
is  well  patronized  by  those  who  do  not  wish  to  aiter  beer  gardens.  No  intox- 
icants a];e  sold  or  allowed  on  the  place.  The  resort  is  situated  on  a  ten-acre 
tract  of  land,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  Racine- College,  on  the  Lake 
Shore  road,,  known  as  Evergreen  Drive,  and  is  reached  In'  the  Milwaukee,  Ra- 
cine and  Kenosha  electric  cars. 

Politically  Mr.  Case  is  a  Republican,  and  as  a  good  citizen  is  especially 
interested  in  educational  matters.     Since  1902  he  has  served  as  district  clerk 


330  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

of  school  district  Xo.  13.  In  the  year  named  he  was  secretary  of  the  Business 
Men's  Association.  He  owns  a  beautiful  home,  with  ten  acres  of  grounds,  on 
the  Lake  Shore,  adjoining  Racine  College,  and  his  domestic  life  is  that  of  a 
typical  American  business  man — thoughtful,  liberal  and  moral. 

GEORGE  WEST,  who  for  forty-five  years  has  devoted  himself  to  the 
practice  of  veterinary  surgery,  is  one  of  the  popular  and  prominent  citizens 
of  Raymond  Center.  Racine  Co.,  Wis.  He  is  a  native  of  Canada,  born  in 
West  Gwillimbury.  Out..  April  17.  1834,  son  of  Thomas  and  Hannah  Re- 
becca (Phillips)  West,  natives  of  iNIassachusetts  and  Pennsylvania,  respec- 
tively. 

Thomas  West,  Sr.,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  born  in  ^lassachusetts, 
the  son  of  an  English  missionary.  For  a  time  he  was  engaged  in  the  dairy 
business  near  Montpelier,  Vt.,  but  later  moved  to  Canada,  and  thence  to  Wis- 
consin, his  remains  now  resting  in  Raymond  township,  Racine  county.  He 
married  Mary  Davis,  who  bore  him  ten  children :  Julian.  Deborah,  Thomas, 
Benjamin,  Eliza,  George,  Quincy,  Alfred,  Derrick  and  David. 

William  Phillips,  tlie  maternal  grandfather  of  George  West,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Pennsylvania,  of  Quaker  stock.  He  moved  to  Canada,  and  there  Ijoth 
he  and  his  wife  died.  They  had  four  children:  Owen,  ]\lary.  Hannah  Re- 
becca and  Gideon. 

Thomas  West,  son  of  Thomas,  Sr..  and  father  of  George,  was  a  farmer 
all  his  life.  He  w^as  quite  young  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Canada, 
whence  he  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1848,  a  little  later  locating  in  Raymond 
township,  Racine  county.  He  became  the  owner  of  740  acres  of  land,  to 
which  he  afterward  added  other  tracts.  His  death  occurred  in  Iowa,  wdien 
he  was  eighty  years  old,  and  his  wife  died  on  Feb.  20,  1876,  aged  sev- 
enty years.  In  the  early  days  Mr.  West  was  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin 
State  Assembly.  He  and  his  wife  had  eleven  children :  Thomas ;  William 
and  Timothy,  both  deceased ;  George,  of  Raymond  Center ;  Gideon  and  David, 
deceased ;  Owen,  of  Raymond  township ;  Derrick,  deceased ;  Stephen  and  Ben- 
jamin, of  Raymond  township;  and  Rebecca  H.,  deceased. 

George  West  lived  in  Canada  until  fifteen  years  of  age,  receiving  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  the  locality  and  day.  In  1849  1^^  came  to 
the  United  States  with  his  parents,  and  on  a  farm  in  Raymond  township, 
Racine  county,  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  remained  at  home  until  he  at- 
tained mature  years,  and  then  began  the  study  of  veterinary  surgery  with  his 
father,  with  whom  he  practiced  some  years,  and  he  has  always  made  it  his 
principal  business.  At  one  time  he  had  a  farm  of  121  acres  in  the  township, 
l3ut  he  sold  off  100  acres  of  it,  and  for  forty-five  years  has  devoted  himself 
steadily  to  his  calling,  in  which  he  has  been  very  successful. 

On  Feb.  22,  1858,  Mr.  West  was  married  to  Miss  Ann  Tvlaria  Davis, 
daughter  of  Capt.  David  I.  and  Margaret  (Owens)  Davis.  To  this  union 
came  one  son  and  four  daughters :  George  A.,  mentioned  in  full  farther  on ; 
Edith  A.,  who  married  Newton  S.  Wait,  of  Racine,  and  died  twelve  years 
after  marriage;  Jennie  Louise  and  Margaret,  both  deceased;  and  one  that 
died  in  infancy. 

George  \Vest  has  alwavs  been  interested  in  the  affairs  of  his  township 


COAIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.      .      331 

and  county.  He  was  a  member  of  the  building  committee  when  the  present 
courthouse  was  built,  and  for  fourteen  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  county 
board  of  supervisors.  For  several  years  he  was  superintendent  of  the  poor 
in  the  middle  district,  and  had  full  charge  of  the  county  poor  house.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican.  Neither  he  nor  his  wife  is  identified  with  any  re- 
ligious denomination,  but  endeavor  to  follow  in  their  daily  lives  the  principles 
of  the  true  Christian  believer. 

George  A.  West,  son  of  George,  is  an  attorney-at-law,  and  makes  his 
home  in  Milwaukee,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the  active  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. For  a  time  he  was  associated  with  Quarles,  Spence  &  Ouarles.  He 
now  has  charge  of  the  City  Investment  Association,  an  incorporated  com- 
pany with  a  capital  of  $750,000,  of  which  association  he  is  secretary  and 
treasurer.  In  his  younger  days  he  taught  school  in  Caledonia.  For  three 
terms  in  succession,  prior  to  his  removal  to  Milwaukee,  he  was  register  ot 
deeds  of  Racine  county.  He  spent  a  number  of  years  in  collecting  "Indian 
Pipes  of  Wisconsin,"  and  is  well  known  throughout  the  United  States  and 
in  foreign  countries.  He  is  president  of  the  ^^''isconsin  Archreological  Soci- 
ety. Mr.  West  married  Miss  Edith  Richards,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Jean  and  Grace. 

Davis.  The  Davis  family,  to  which  Mrs.  Ann  Maria  (Davis)  West 
belongs,  is  native  of  Wales.  Her  grandfather,  Isaac  Davis,  was  born  in 
South  Wales,  and  came  to  this  country  when  an  old  man,  going  on  to  a  farm 
in  Erie  county.  Pa.,  where  he  died.  He  and  his  wife,  Maria,  had  ten  sons 
and  one  daughter. 

Capt.  David  I.  Davis,  son  of  Isaac,  was  born  in  South  Wales,  and  came 
to  America  in  his  young  manhood.  He  married,  in  New  York  City,  I\Iar- 
garet  Owens,  daughter  of  Owen  Owens,  who  died  in  North  Wales  in  middle 
life,  the  father  of  seven  daughters  and  two  sons.  His  wife  died  in  Wales  in 
1877,  at  a  very  old  age.  Capt.  Davis  and  his  young  wife  moved  to  Erie 
county.  Pa.,  where  all  their  children  but  one  were  born.  He  was  a  sea  cap- 
tain for  over  forty  years  on  the  Great  Lakes.  In  1849  they  moved  their 
family  to  Wisconsin,  and  were  well  known  to  all  the  early  settlers  of  Racine 
county.  Capt.  Davis  died  in  Raymond  township  Aug.  25,  1886,  aged  eighty- 
one  years,  and  his  wife  died  Feb.  24,  1875,  aged  seventy.  They  were  the 
parents  of  six  children,  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  Capt.  Charles  M.,  Ann  M., 
David  I.,  John,  George  and  Seth. 

EDWARD  T.  BILLINGS,  whose  well-appointed  photographic  studios 
•  are  situated  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Fifth  streets,  in  Racine,  Wis.,  is  an 
enterprising  and  energetic  business  man.  He  was  born  April  12,  1852,  son 
of  Bradish  D.  and  Eliza  (Harry)  Billings,  natives  of  New  York  State  and 
Cornwall.  England,  respectively.  Ira  Billings,  the  grandfather,  came  to  this 
country  on  a  number  of  visiting  trips,  btit  died  in  Canada  when  aged  eighty- 
two  years.  The  maternal  grandfather,  a  native  of  England,  emigrated  to 
Canada,  where  he  engaged  in  carpentering  for  the  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Bradish  D.  Billings  was  a  farmer,  and  coming  to  Racine  conn tv  in  i860 
he  purchased  a  farm  in  Yorkville  township.  There  he  lived  for  several  years, 
when  he  moved  into  Racine.     He  died  in  that  city  in  1899,  aged  seventy-six 


332  COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

years,  while  his  widow  stiU  survives.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  to  which  her  husband  also  belonged.  To  them  were  born  four  chil- 
dren:  Edward  T. ;  William  E.,  of  Racine;  Margaret,  a  bookkeeper  and  ste- 
nographer; and  Agatha,  twin  of  Margaret,  married  to  Thomas  Rowle}-,  of 
Racine  county. 

Edward  T.  Billings  was  eight  years  old  when  he  came  with  his  parents 
to  Racine  county,  and  was  there  reared  on  the  farm.  His  education  was  re- 
ceived in  the  district  and  Racine  public  schools,  and  he  then  studied  photog- 
raphy, which  he  has  followed  ever  since.  He  established  his  present  busi- 
ness in  1872,  and  now  has  one  of  the  finest  galleries  in  the  State. 

Mr.  Billings  was  married  March  20,  1877,  to  Miss  Mary  Easson,  daugh- 
ter of  Capt.  Larry  and  Alice  (Green)  Easson,  and  to  this  union  there  were 
born  two  children,  Harry  and  Edna,  the  former  a  reporter  on  the  Milwaukee 
Free  Press  and  the  latter  in  school. 

Mrs.  Billings  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Billings  be- 
longs fraternally  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Orient  Chapter,  No. 
12,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  K.  T.  Politically  he  is 
independent.  His  fine  home  at  No.  924  Lake  avenue  was  built  by  him  in 
1893,  and  he  also  owns  other  valuable  property  in  and  around  Racine. 

HLTGH  R.  EDWARDS,  a  contractor  and  builder  of  national  reputation, 
but  especially  identified  with  the  material  growth  of  Wisconsin  and  Illinois, 
was  born  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  county,  Aug.  i,  1859,  son  of  Hugh 
H.  and  Elizabeth  B.  (Evans)  Edwards,  both  natives  of  Wales.  His  paternal 
grandparents,  Hugh  R.  and  Elizabeth  Edwards,  were  the  parents  of  a  numer- 
ous family,  three  of  whom  reached  maturity.  The  grandfather  died  in  his 
native  country  after  he  had  passed  his  ninety-fifth  year.  The  maternal  grand- 
father, Richard  Evans,  was  a  cattle  dealer  of  Wales,  who  also  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age. 

Hugh  H.  Edwards  worked  in  the  slate  mines  of  Wales,  and  in  1857  emi- 
grated from  his  native  country  and  located  as  a  farmer  near  Racine,  in  Mt. 
Pleasant  township.  Later  he  opened  the  stone  quarries  three  miles  from  the 
city,  which  he  operated  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  died  at  Racine, 
in  December,  1898,  aged  sixty-nine  years,  his  wife  surviving  him  two  years 
and  passing  away  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  He  was  a  Welsh  Presbyterian, 
while  she  was  an  active  worker  in  the  Congregational  Church.  Their  four 
children  were:  Hugh  R. ;  Margaret  Elizabeth,  of  Racine;  Annie,  the  wife  of 
J.  M.  Roberts,  of  Racine;  and  Winifred,  wife  of  James  Leith,  also  a  resident 
of  that  city. 

Until  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age  Hugh  R.  Edwards  remained  at  home 
on  the  farm,  assisting  his  father  and  acquiring  a  fair  education  in  the  dis- 
trict and  public  schools.  He  then  left  the  homestead  to  become  a  coachboy  for 
Mrs.  Charles  Ward,  but  as  his  tastes  were  mechanical  he  soon  gravitated  to  the 
trades  and  especially  to  those  which  were  to  lay  the  foundation  of  his  future 
success  as  a  contractor  and  builder.  First  he  served  an  apprenticeship  of 
eight  months  at  painting,  then  one  of  six  months  at  masonry  and  three  years  at 
at  carpentry.  This  experience  of  more  than  four  years  gave  him  absolute 
mastery  of  all  the  practical  details  of  the  business  in  which  he  has  acquired 


J^.^l'i^^i^  /2^  ^^:?J^^^>^r2^^:<^ 


COM^IE.AIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  333 

such  prominence  during  the  past  two  decades.  He  has  erected  many  of  the 
finest  buhdings  in  Racme  and  vicinity;  built  the  Blaisdell  and  Brown  blocks 
ana  the  becond  congregational  church,  at  Rockford,  and  is  the  contractor  for 
the  fine  high  school  buildings  at  Winnetka  and  Waukegan,  111.,  and  Racine, 
Wis.,  as  well  as  for  a  number  of  other  structures  at  W'aukegan,  Lake  Forest, 
Evanston  and  Kenosha. 

Mr.  Edwards'  standing  among  his  business  associates  is  seen  in  that  he  is 
serving  on  the  executive  board  of  contractors  and  builders  of  the  United 
States  representing  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  and  he  has  long  enjoyed  a  mem- 
bership in  the  Contractors  and  Builders  Association  of  Racine  and  the  Na- 
tional Builders  Association  of  the  United  States.  As  a  firm  beliver  in  Repub- 
licanism he  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  success  of  his  party,  and  locally 
has  been  supervisor  of  the  First  Ward  for  one  term.  Fraternally  he  is  iden- 
tified with  the  Royal  Arcanum,  is  also  a  director  of  the  Kymru  Club,  and  is  a 
stanch  member  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

In  1897  Mr.  Edwards  erected  the  beautiful  and  modern  residence  which 
he  now  occupies,  at  No.  936  Park  avenue — a  fitting  home  for  one  of  the  most 
substantial  and  enterprising  citizens  of  Racine,  as  closely  identified  as  any  one 
man  with  the  material  expansion  of  the  municipality. 

HORACE  CYRUS  GREELEY,  who  is  engaged  in  agricultural  opera- 
tions on  Section  5,  in  Water  ford  township,  is  an  influential  farmer  citizen  of 
Racine  county.  He  was  born  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides.  June  21, 
1856,  son  of  Warren  and  Catherine  (Aluckey)  Greeley,  the  former  a  native 
of  Vermont  and  the  latter  of  New  York. 

The  founder  of  the  Greeley  family  in  America  was  Andrew  Greeley,  born 
about  1 61 7.  whose  name  was  first  recorded  at  Salisbury,  Mass.,  in  1640.  He 
was  a  miller  by  occupation.  He  married  ]\Iary  Moyse,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Hannah  Moyse. 

Cyrus  Greeley,  paternal  grandfather  of  Horace  C.  Greeley,  was  born  in 
Wilton,  N.  H.,  Sept.  28,  1788,  and  died  Feb.  22,  1838.  He  followed  farming 
all  his  life.  His  wife,  Nancy  Marsh,  was  bom  in  Andover,  Vt.,  May  19, 
1793,  and  died  in  Iowa,  Jan.  11,  i860.  They  had  thirteen  children:  Alfred; 
Abigail;  Warren,  father  of  our  subject;  Cyrus,  who  follows  farming  in  Ver- 
mont-; Anson,  an  agriculturalist  of  Ohio ;  Nancy ;  Sallie ;  Ira  G. ;  Artemas. 
engaged  in  the  operation  of  a  farm  in  Iowa ;  Irene ;  Ithiel ;  Albert,  who  re- 
sides in  Waupaca,  Wis. ;  and  Mindwell,  who  is  married  and  makes  her  home 
in  Iowa.     In  politics  Cyrus  Greeley  was  an  old-line  Whig. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Horace  Cyrus  Greeley  was  Peter  Muckey,  a 
native  of  New  York  State,  of  Mohawk-Dutch  stock.  He  and  his  wife  Cath- 
erine were  early  settlers  of  Waukesha  county.  Wis.,  where  Mr.  Muckey  be- 
came an  innkeeper.  He  died  in  Waukesha  county  at  an  old  age.  his  wife 
passing  away  a  number  of  years  previously.  They  had  a  family  of  thirteen 
children,  only  one  of  whom  is  now  living.  Matilda,  whose  last  known  resi- 
dence was  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Wisconsin,  near  St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 

Warren  Greeley  was  for  almost  half  a  century  an  honored  and  influential 
citizen  of  Racine  county,  in  Waterford  township,  where  he  owned  a  valuable 
farm  of  400  acres  of  highly  improved  land.     He  was  a  native  of  the  Green 


334  COAIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Mountain  State,  burn  in  December,  1S12,  and  was  reared  to  manhood  in  the 
manner  usual  to  farmer  lads.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  common 
schools,  and  this  he  largely  supplemented  by  reading  and  observation  in  later 
years.  Thus  he  became  a  well-informed  man.  He  commenced  life  empty- 
handed,  but,  being  possessed  of  energy,  industry  and  a  determination  to  suc- 
ceed, he  steadily  worked  his  way  upward,  rising  step  by  step  until  he  gained 
a  position  of  wealth  and  affluence.  He  first  visited  Wisconsin  in  1837,  but 
made  a  permanent  location  in  Racine  county  in  February,  -1842,  previously 
having  resided  in  Waukesha  county,  his  home  being  a  log  cabin.  The  nearest 
market  was  at  Milwaukee,  and  many  were  the  hardships  and  privations  of 
pioneer  life  that  fie  endured.  It  was  no  easy  task  to  develop  wild  land,  but 
after  the  farms  were  once  placed  under  cultivation  the  naturally  rich  soil  soon 
yielded  a  ready  return  for  the  care  and  labor  bestowed  upon  it. 

In  his  earlier  years  Mr.  Greeley  was  an  old-line  Whig,  but  on  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Republican  party  he  joined  its  ranks.  He  never  sought 
office,  preferring  to  lead  a  quiet  life,  but  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  valued 
citizens  of  his  community.  The  cause  of  education  ever  found  in  him  a  warm 
friend,  and  for  twelve  years  he  served  as  school  treasurer  of  his  township.  _ 
He  aided  in  the  advancement  of  all  interests  calculated  to  benefit  the  com- 
munity, and  was  regarded  as  a  pubhc-spirited  citizen  and  a  man  of  sterling 
worth.  Looking  at  his  life  from  a  financial  standpoint,  it  was  very  successful, 
and  although  obstacles  and  difficulties  beset  his  path  he  overcame  them  with 
a  determination  worthy  of  emulation,  and  was  numbered  among  the  well-to- 
do  farmers  of  Waterford  township.  Mr.  Greeley  died  in  1895,  when  nearly 
eighty-three  years  of  age,  while  his  wife,  born  in  New  York  State  Nov.  23, 
1818,  died  April  29,  1893.  The  following  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Warren  Greeley:  Peter,  of  Phoenix,  Neb.,  who  was  in  the  Civil  war,  and 
lost  a  limb  while  in  the  service  (he  was  first  in  the  ninety-day  service  with  the 
ist  Wis.  V.  I.,  re-enlisting  for  three  years)  ;  Jefferson,  deceased,  who  was 
also  in  the  Civil  war;  Medora,  deceased,  wdio  was  the  wife  of  James  Quinn; 
Irene,  the  wife  of  H.  F.  Sargent,  of  Vernon  township,  Waukesha  Co.,  Wis. ; 
Horace  C,  our  subject;  Osborn,  of  Waterford  township:  and  Euphemia,  the 
wife  of  W.  R.  Purvis,  of  Waterford  township. 

Horace  Cyrus  Greeley  has  spent  nearly  his  entire  life  on  his  present 
farm,  which  his  father  settled,  and  which  contains  220  acres,  finelj'  improved. 
His  education  was  obtained  in  the  common  schools,  supplemented  by  a  course 
at  Rochester  Academy.  Mr.  Greeley  has  always  followed  agricultural  pur- 
suits. In  his  political  convictions  he  is,  like  his  father,  a  Republican,  and 
served  as  school  clerk  and  school  treasurer  for  a  number  of  years. 

On  Feb.  18,  1885,  Mr.  Greeley  married  Miss  Louisa  Kabeliske,  daugh- 
ter of  August  and  Henrietta  (Vohs)  Kabeliske,  and  three  children  were  born 
to  this  union,  Warren  Cyrus,  Erma  and  Oline  Marie.  Warren  Cyrus  died 
when  nearly  sixteen  years  of  age:  Erma  and  Oline  are  attending  school. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Louisa  Greeley  were  natives  of  Germany.  The 
father,  born  Oct.  24,  1829,  came  to  America  about  1855,  the  mother,  born  in 
1834,  coming  a  short  time  before.  They  settled  in  W^alworth  county,  \\'is. 
Tliey  were  married  in  Milwaukee  and  engaged  in  farming  in  East  Tro\-  tuwn- 
ship,  where  the  father  owned  103  acres  of  land.     He  now  lives  in  Burlington, 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  335 

Wis.,  retired.  He  married  three  times.  His  first  wife,  who  was  the  motlier 
of  Mrs.  Louisa  Greeley,  died  in  1877,  aged  not  quite  forty-three  years,  leav- 
ing seven  children:  Bertha,  the  widow  of  Frank  Rauschenberger,  of  Mil- 
waukee; Louisa,  wife  of  our  subject;  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Josephus  Atkin- 
son, of  East  Troy,  Wis. ;  Eda,  deceased,  the  wife  of  Clarence  Van  Valen ; 
Martha,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Lewis 
Buttles,  of  East  Troy,  Wis. ;  and  William,  of  Waterford  township.  Mr.  Kabel- 
iske's  parents  were  Frederick  Kabeliske,  of  Brunslaf,  Pommern,  bei  Sarbus, 
and  Marie  (Tiem)  Kabeliske,  who  passed  all  their  lives  in  Germany.  Mrs. 
Greeley's  maternal  grandparents,  Ludwig  and  Frederica  (Schultz)  Vohs, 
were  from  Schoensburg,  Germany.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Vohs  his  widow 
married  a  man  named  Hammer,  and  they  came  to  Wisconsin,  settling  in 
East  Troy. 

Horace  Cyrus  Greeley  is  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  Waterford 
township,  is  progressive  and  public-spirited,  and  is  highly  esteemed  as  a 
citizen. 

LEON.\RD  SCHLEGEL  is  well  known  as  a  business  man  in  Racine. 
Wis.,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the  real  estate,  insurance  and  money-loaning 
business.     He  resides  in  a  pleasant  home  at  No.  1502  North  Wisconsin  street. 

Mr.  Schlegel  w-as  born  in  Canton  St.  Gall,  Switzerland.  April  10,  1842. 
a  son  of  Christian  and  Margaret  (Spreiter)  Schlegel.  The  grandfather, 
Ulrich  Schlegel,  was  also  a  native  of  Switzerland,  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion and  died  in  advanced  age.  Both  he  and  his  son  belonged  to  the  Swiss 
militia.  Leonard  Schlegel's  parents  were  both  born  in  Switzerland,  and  the 
father  was  a  farmer.  He  came  to  America  in  1853,  locating  at  Racine,  where 
for  a  time  he  followed  various  pursuits,  working  in  a  stone  cjuarry  and  on 
railroad  construction,  but  later  he  farmed  in  Caledonia  township.  Racine 
county,  and  died  there  in  1868.  aged  sixty-two  years.  His  wife  died  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1896,  aged  seventy-seven  years.  Both  l>elonged  to  the  Reformed 
Church.  Mrs.  Schlegel  was  a  daughter  of  Leonard  Spreiter,  who  was  torn 
in  Switzerland,  and  died  aged  seventy-one  years.  He  was  twice  married, 
the  mother  of  our  subject  being  by  his  first  union,  and  two  daughters  and  a 
son  being  born  to  his  second.  For  thirty-one  years  he  was  a  school  teacher, 
but  he  spent  his  last  years  as  a  farmer. 

The  children  of  Christian  and  Margaret  Schlegel  were  three  sons  and 
three  daughters,  the  survivors  being:  Leonard,  of  Racine;  Henry,  of  Racine; 
and  Tiarbara.  widow  of  Fred  Foetsch,  of  Racine. 

Leonard  Schlegel  was  eleven  years  of  age  when  he  accoiupanied  his 
parents  to  America  and  is  able  to  recall  the  vovage.  He  grew  to  manhood 
in  Racine  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  then  learned  shoemak- 
ing,  which  he  followed  for  twelve  years.  Then  he  embarked  in  an  insurance 
and  real  estate  business,  in  which  he  has  met  with  gratifying  success,  and 
in  1897  he  was  appointed  a  notary  public,  which  office  he  still  holds. 

Mr.  Schlegel  was  married  Sept.  20,  1869.  to  Miss  Alvina  D.  Riebling, 
daughter  of  Heinrich  and  Anna  (Krull)  Riebling,  and  they  have  had  ten 
children,  six  sons  and  four  daughters,  viz.:  John,  who  died  aged  seventeen 
years  and  eight  weeks:  Daniel,  who  died  aged  twenty-five  years  and  eight 
months:  Leonard,  who  died  aged  nine  months:  Alvina.  who  married  Charles 


336  GOMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Heure,  lives  in  Racine,  and  lias  three  children,  Rilindis,  Helena  and  Charles; 
Leonard  (2)  ;  Lydia,  who  married  John  Krueger  of  Racine;  Renata;  Clara; 
Walter,  and  Lawrence.  The  parents  of  this  family  belong  to  the  Lutheran 
Church. 

Politically  Air.  Schlegel  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  man  of  ample  fortune, 
owning  his  tine  home  on  Wisconsin  street  and  other  real  estate  and  business 
property  in  Racine,  and  held  in  very  high  esteem  in  the  business  world  at 
Racine.  He  is  a  steadfast  and  prominent  member  of  St.  John's  Lutheran 
Church,  having  been  continuously  treasurer  of  that  organization  for  the  past 
thirty  years. 

Heinrich  Riebling,  father  of  Mrs.  Schlegel,  was  a  teacher  in  Holstein, 
and  came  to  America  in  1852,  settling  in  Milwaukee,  where  he  taught  a  Ger- 
man school.  There  he  died  in  1871,  aged  seventy-four  years.  He  was  mar- 
ried three  times,  and  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Schlegel  had  passed  away  many 
years  previously.  Mrs.  Schlegel  was  only  four  years  old  when  her  parents 
brought  her  to  America,  having  been  born  in  1847.  ^^  Holstein,  Germany, 
and  she  grew  to  womanhood  and  was  married  at  Milwaukee.  She  was  one 
of  a  family  of  four  sons  and  five  daughters,  the  three  survivors  being:  John, 
of  Pittsburg;  Mrs.  Schlegel,  and  Augusta,  wife  of  Fred  !\lesenbring  of  Bar- 
num,  [Minnesota. 

HENRY  BOYD  NEWELL,  M.  D..  one  of  Racine  county's  leading 
physicians  and  surgeons,  who  has  chosen  for  his  field  of  practice  the  enterpris- 
ing town  of  Waterford,  was  Idohi  there  Feb.  16,  1845,  son  of  Dr,  George 
Fordyce  and  Delia  fSproat)   Newell,  natives  of  Vermont. 

Dr.  Oliver  Newell,  grandfather  of  Dr.  Henry  B.,  was  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont, but  in  middle  life  removed  to  Canada,  locating  near  Nelsonville,  where 
he  practiced  his  profession  for  many  years.  He  died  in  1866,  when  about 
eighty  years  of  age.  Dr.  Oliver  Newell  married  Eliza  Cowie,  and  they  had  a 
family  of  eight  children  :  George  F. ;  Seymour ;  Herbert ;  Charles ;  Levi ; 
W'arren;  Lucy,  who  died  unmarried;  and  Cynthia,  who  was  the  wife  of  Her- 
bert Shufeldt.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  David  C.  Sproat, 
a  native  of  Vermont,  where  he  operated  a  paper-mill.  He  came  West  in  1842 
and  located  in  the  town  of  Waterford,  engaging  in  farming  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  then  located  in  the  village  of  Waterford,  where  he  died  in  1869, 
aged  about  seventy-five  years.  He  married  Sarah  Kittridge,  and  they  had 
eight  children:  Delia,  the  mother  of  our  subject;  Mary  Ann,  who  was  the 
wife  of  William  Powell;  George;  William;  Sarah  Jane,  who  was  the  wife  of 
Augustus  Sicard;  Elizabeth,  living  at  North  Cape,  widow  of  Alonzo  Pierce; 
Edward,  who  died  in  young  manhood ;  and  a  daughter  who  died  in  Vermont 
w'hen  three  years  old. 

Dr.  George  Fordyce  Newell  was  a  school  teacher  in  ynung  manhood, 
later  becoming  a-  physician  and  surgeon.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Castleton 
Medical  College,  of  Castleton,  Vt.,  and  practiced  medicine  for  a  short  time 
in  Vermont  before  coming  to  Wisconsin,  in  1842.  After  living  in  Waterford 
for  two  years  he  went  to  Racine,  where  he  was  located  for  a  short  time,  coming 
back  to  Waterford.  where  he  spent  most  of  his  life.  He  died,  however,  in 
Rochester,  in  March,  1898.  aged  eighty-two  years.     His  wife  died  in  Marcli, 


~M/^.r}G^^^^uj^/ij.^r\ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  T,T,y 

1877,  when  fifty-three  years  old,  in  the  faith  of  the  CongTegational  Church, 
which  he  attended  with  her,  though  he  was  an  Episcopahan.  He  was  assist- 
ant surgeon  of  the  15th  Wisconsin  Regiment  during  the  Civil  war,  under  Col- 
onel Heg.  Active  and  interested  in  public  affairs,  he  served  at  one  time  in  the 
Territorial  Legislature,  and  was  superintendent  of  schools  under  the  old  sys- 
tem. After  the  war  he  continued  the  practice  of  medicine  until  a  few  years 
prior  to  his  death.  Two  of  his  brothers,  Seymour  and  Charles,  were  also 
physicians,  and  studied  under  him.  Dr.  Newell  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of 
five  children,  three  now  living:  Dr.  Henry  Boyd,  our  subject;  Ellen  Blanche, 
wife  nf  Charles  Clench,  of  Burlington;  and  Dr.  George  E.,  of  Burlington. 

Dr.  Henry  Boyd  Newell  grew  to  manhood  in  the  village  of  Waterford, 
and  there  attended  the  public  schools,  the  academy  at  Rochester,  and  the  high 
school  at  Mygat's  Corners.  He  then  took  up  the  study  of  medicine,  and  grad- 
uated from  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  in  1867,  and  has  practiced  contin- 
ually ever  since.  On  Nov.  26,  1867,  the  Doctor  married  Miss  Mary  Jane  Gip- 
son,  daughter  of  James  H.  and  Theodosia  (Little)  Gipson.  and  three  children 
were  born  to  this  union,  Brainard,  Lulu  and  Florence.  Brainard  operates  a 
fruit  farm  at  Fennville,  Allegan  Co.,  Mich. ;  he  married  Lucinda  Foat,  and  has 
one  son,  Fordyce.  Lulu  died  when  thirteen  months  old.  Florence  married 
Charles  Thompson,  a  sawyer  and  lumberman  of  Waterford,  and  they  have 
three  children,  Newell,  Clifford  and  Frank.  Mrs.  New-ell  is  a  member  of  the 
Episcopal  Church. 

Politically  the  Doctor  is  a  good  old-fashioned  .Democrat.  Professionally 
he  is  connected  with  the  Racine  County  Medical  Society,  and  fraternally  he  is 
a  Royal  Arch  Mason. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Newell  was  James  C.  Gipson,  a  native 
of  Vermont,  his  home  being  at  Salisbury ;  he  died  aged  ninety-five  years. 
His  wife,  Abigail  (Gibson)  Gipson,  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-three,  years, 
and  they  had  children  as  follows  :  James  H. ;  Hiram  Ceylon  ;  Abigail ;  Mary,  the 
wife  of  L.  Daniels;  Esther,  who  married  Mosely  Beach;  Sarah,  who  married 
Charles  Walker;  Jonas,  and  Carlos.  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  Newell's  maternal 
grandfather  Little  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He 
died  at  Ripton,  that  State,  in  middle  life.  He  and  his  wife  had  children  as 
follows:  Byron;  Joseph;  Betsy,  who  was  the  first  wife  of  James  H.  Gipson, 
father  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Henry  B.  Newell ;  Sophronia ;  Theodosia,  the  mother  of 
Mrs.  Newell;  Adelaide,  who  was  the  wife  of  Alanson  Moore;  Hiram  and 
Willard. 

James  Herrick  Gipson  and  his  wife,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  New- 
ell, were  natives  of  Vermont,  the  former  born  while  his  father  was  serving  in 
the  war  of  1812.  They  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1838,  locating  on  a  farm  in  the 
town  of  Waterford,  which  was  then  known  as  Rochester.  In  1861  they  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Rochester,  w'here  Mr.  Gipson  kept  a  hotel  and  meat 
market,  and  operated  a  farm  near  the  village.  Mrs.  Gipson  died  in  1876,  aged 
fifty-five  years,  Mr.  Gipson  surviving  until  December,  1897,  when  he  passed 
away  aged  nearly  eighty-three  years.  They  had  eight  children,  five  sons  and 
three  daughters:  James  C,  of  Cakhvell,  Idaho;  Charles  B.,  deceased;  Ade- 
laide, wife  of  WilHam  Carpenter,  of  Waterford;  Mary  Jane,  Mrs.  Newell; 


338  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Oscar,  who  died  in  Andersonville  Prison  during  the  Civil  war;  Albert,  an  at- 
torney, of  Caldwell,  Idaho;  Emma,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Henry 
Cheeseman,  of  Clinton,  Wis. ;  and  Arthur,  who  died  in  Sioux  Falls,  S.  Dak., 
in  1903,  while  serving  as  a  United  States  deputy  marshal.  By  his  first  wife, 
Betsy,  Mr.  Gipson  had  a  son  Theodore.  Three  of  the  sons  of  this  family 
were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war,  James  C.  (who  was  in  the  navy),  Oscar  and 
Theodore,  the  two  last  named  serving  throughout  the  war.  James  C.  was  a 
sailor  on  the  high  seas  when  a  young  man,  and  during  the  Civil  war,  to  keep 
from  l:eing'  forced  into  the  ranks  of  the  Confederate  army,  he  secreted  him- 
self in  a  steamboat  and  came  North,  joining  the  one-hundred-day  men  in 
the  Union  army.  He  was  afterward  given  a  commission  in  the  United  States 
navv,  and  was  captain  of  the  gimboat  "Carondolet,"  one  of  the  boats  to  run 
the  blockade  at  Island  Xo.  10.  He  served  all  through  the  Rebellion  and  was 
honorably  discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  wounded  seventeen 
times.  Another  son,  Albert,  now  a  prominent  attorney  of  Caldwell,  Idaho, 
is  a  graduate  of  the  Wisconsin  State  University  at  Madison.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  Greeley  City,  Colo.  He  is  influential  in  the  affairs  of  the 
community  with  which  he  is  now  identified,  taking  an  active  part  in  all  edu- 
cational matters,  serving  as  president  of  the  State  Horticultural  Society,  and 
acting  as  editor  of  the  Gem  State  Rural,  an  agricultural  paper. 

GEORGE  WILLIAM  PEACOCK,  of  Section  6.  W^aterford  township, 
is  one  of  Racine  county's  representative  farmer  citizens.  He  was  born  on 
the  farm  upon  which  he  now  resides,  Oct.  2.  1853,  son  of  Melvin  and  Sarah 
(Talcott)   Peacock,  the  former  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  the  latter  of  Ohio. 

Benjamin  Peacock,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  also  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont, and  came  to  \Visconsin  in  the  forties,  among  the  pioneers,  purchasing 
188  acres  of  land  in  Waterford  township,  on  which  he  died  when  sixty-seven 
years  old.  His  wife,  Clarissa  (Wilcox)  Peacock,  lived  to  be  eighty-two 
years  old.  She  bore  her  husband  four  children:  Henry;  Mary,  \\-ho  was  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Gault;  Amelia,  w'ho  first  married  William  Cooper  (who  went 
to  California  in  1849  and  died  there),  and  is  now  the  wife  of  Alfred  Talcott; 
and  Melvin,  the  father  of  our  subject.  Benjamin  Peacock  served  as  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812. 

On  the  maternal  side,  Air.  Peacock  is  a  grandson  of  William  Talcott.  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  who  removed  at  an  early  dav  to  Ohio,  came  to  Vienna, 
Wis.,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  at  Oshkosh,  Wis.,  and  then  came  to  Waupun. 
He  worked  at  carpentering,  but  finally  coming  to  Racine  early  in  the  forties 
he  followed  farming  until  his  death,  at  Caldw-ell,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three. 
His  wife,  Rosanna  (Porter)  Talcott.  was  about  fiftv-eight  vears  old  at  the 
time  of  her  death.  She  bore  her  hus]>and  five  children:  Henry,  Russell, 
Sarah,  Alfred  and  William. 

Melvin  Peacock,  father  of  George  W.,  was  an  early  pioneer  settler  of 
Wisconsin,  coming  to  this  section  with  his  father  in  the  forties.  His  father 
made  a  permanent  home  on  the  188  acres  of  land  which  he  purchased,  and 
which  he  later  divided  between  his  two  sons,  Melvin  and  Henrv.  Melvin 
Peacock  left  his  share  to  his  widow,  who  still  controls  it.  although  it  is  now 
in  the  possession  of  her  son,  George  W.,  our  subject.    Melvin  Peacock  died  in 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  339 

1868,  aged  thirty-eight  years,  while  liis  widow  who  still  survi\-es,  is  seventy- 
two  years  of  age.  They  had  a  family  of  iive  children,  but  two  of  whom  sur- 
vive, George  W.  and  Benjamin,  the  latter  a  resident  of  Big  Bend,  .Waukesha 
Co.,  Wis.  Those  deceased  were:  Rosanna,  who  married  Edwin  W^edge; 
Abraham,  who  died  when  four  years, old;  and  Nellie,  who  died  aged  two 
years. 

George  William  Peacock  has  spent  his  entire  life,  with  the  exception  of 
eight  months  when  he  was  in  Montana,  on  the  farm  in  Waterford  township. 
He  attended  the  district  schools,  receiving  a  good  education,  and  in  1895 
purchased  his  brother's  interest  in  the  farm  property,  which  he  is  now  culti- 
vating. Mr.  Peacock  was  married  March  27,  1879,  to  Miss  Jennie  Eliza- 
beth LaBarre,  daughter  of  Darius  William  and  Sarah  Ann  (Stark)  LaBarre. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peacock  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  of  which  he  is  a  trus- 
tee.    Politically  he  is  a  Prohibitionist,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  Good  Templars. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Peacock  were  natives  of  New  York  State,  and  came 
from  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  to  Wisconsin  in  1868,  settling  in  Mukwonago,  where  they 
lived  for  a  number  of  years,  Mr.  LaBarre  still  making  his  home  in  that 
neighborhood.  They  had  a  family  of  five  cliildren :  Jennie  Elizabeth,  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Peacock ;  Emma,  the  wife  of  W.  W'.  Perry,  of  Milwaukee ;  An- 
drew, of  near  Mukwonago ;  Helen,  the  wife  of  W.  Addenbrooke,  of  ]\Iilwau- 
kee;  and  Catherine,  wife  of  E.  J.  Bossingham,  of  Toledo,  Ohio. 

Mrs.  Jennie  E.  Peacock's  paternal  grandfather  was  Ephraim  LaBarre, 
also  a  native  of  New  York  State,  of  French  descent.  He  was  a  farmer  in  his 
latter  years.  He  was  sheriff  of  Ithaca  for  a  few  years.  He  died  just  before  the 
Civil  war,  when  over  sixty  years  of  age,  and  his  wife,  Clarissa  (Ives)  La- 
Barre, a  native  of  Holland,  also  died  when  well  advanced  in  years.  They 
had  twelve  children,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living:  Alma,  the  wife  of  Isaiah 
Brown,  of  Ithaca:  Darius  W. ;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Frank  Mowry,  of  Ithaca; 
Joseph,  of  St.  Joseph,  Mich. ;  Kate,  the  wife  of  Barney  Hagins,  of  near 
Ithaca,  N.  Y. ;  and  Edward  and  Andrew,  of  Alabama. 

George  Stark  was  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Peacock.  He  was 
a  native  of  New  York  and  removed  to  Michigan  at  an  early  day,  settling 
near  Burlington,  that  State,  w^here  he  took  up  land  and  died  at  an  old  age. 
He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife,  Betsy  Brown,  bearing  him  ten  children, 
while  there  were  two  children  born  to  his  union  with  Catherine  Sa\-iskoh!, 
Mrs.  Peacock's  grandmother. 

JOHN  WADSWORTH,  who  is  numbered  amcing  the  early  settlers  of 
Racine  county,  is  now'  living  retired  in  LTnion  Grove,  after  having  for  many 
years  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  whereby  he  earned  the  handsome 
competence  which  now  enables  him  to  lay  aside  all  the  duties  and  cares  of 
business  life. 

A  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  Mr.  Wadsworth  was  born  July  28, 
1826,  in  Bingley  Parish.  His  parents  were  also  natives  of  that  country,  and 
his  wdfe's  uncle,  a  British  soldier,  served  in  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  when 
Napoleon  was  overthrown  by  the  Duke  of  Wellington.  His  father,  Joseph 
Wadsworth,  was  also  born  in  Yorkshire,  and  farming  was  his  chief  occupa- 
tion through  life.     He  married  Miss  Rose  Leach,  a  native  of  the  same  country. 


340  COMAIE^vIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  in  1853  they  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America  in  a  sailing  vessel.  From 
New  York,  where  they  landed,  they  came  tlirect  to  Wisconsin  by  way  of  the 
Erie  canal  and  the  Great  Lakes,  and  while  on  Lake  Michigan  encountered  one 
of  the  worst  storms  that  ever  swept  across  that  sheet  of  water.  Some  of  the 
passengers  left  the  vessel  at  Sheboygan  and  walked  to  Racine.  Air.  Wads- 
worth  and  his  wife  settled  in  Brighton  township,  Kenosha  county,  where  he 
purchased  forty-tliree  acres  of  land,  from  which  he  developed  a  good  farm. 
They  made  their  home  thereon  during  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Four 
sons  and  one  daughter  were  born  unto  them,  of  whom  the  two  oldest,  An- 
drew and  Abraham,  are  now  deceased;  Martha  is  the  wife  of  Ellis  Molding, 
a  farmer  of  Kenosha  county;  and  William,  deceased,  who  married  Miss  Jane 
Stock,  was  an  agriculturist  of  Iowa. 

John  Wadsworth,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  is  a  self-made  man. 
for  at  the  early  age  of  seven  years  he  began  to  earn  his  own  livelihood,  and 
his  own  efforts  have  since  furnished  him  with  the  means  of  support.  At  the 
time  mentioned  he  began  serving  an  apprenticeship  as  a  twister  in  a  woolen 
factory,  and  worked  from  that  time  in  England  until  twenty-two  years  of  age, 
when  he  bade  good-bye  to  his  native  land,  having  determined  to  tr^'  his  for- 
tune in  the  New  World.  He  sailed  from  Liverpool  to  New  York,  and  during 
the  voyage  the  vessel  encountered  many  storms  and  he  suffered  much  from 
seasickness.  On  landing  he  at  once  came  to  Wisconsin,  to  the  home  of  his 
uncles,  William  and  Aaron  Leach,  who  were  residents  of  Kenosha  countv. 
He  had  but  twelve  shillings  in  his  pocket  when  he  reached  Southport.  With 
a  young  man's  bright  hope  of  the  future  and  a  determination  to  succeed  he 
entered  upon  his  career  in  this  country,  and  for  the  four  years  succeeding 
his  emigration  worked  for  his  uncle  for  $100  a  year.  His  first  purchase  of 
land  consisted  of  a  tract  of  120  acres  in  Kenosha  county,  which  was  bought 
for  $1000,  and  which  he  sold  within  three  years  for  $2,300.  He  next  pur- 
chased a  quarter-section  in  the  same  county  and  devoted  his  energies  to  the 
cultivation  and  improvement  of  that  farm  until  1878.  when  he  came  to  Union 
Grove,  where  he  has  since  lived  retired.  A  man  of  good  business  ability, 
sagacious  and  far-sighted,  he  was  quite  successful  in  his  undertakings  and 
won  a  handsome  property. 

On  Dec.  i,  1852,  yir.  Wadsworth  formed  a  matrimonial  alliance  with  Airs. 
Rebecca  Blackie,  who  was  born  Feb.  9.  1820.  one  of  the  five  children  born  to 
Joseph  and  Mary  (Whittaker)  Whitley,  toth  natives  of  Yorkshire,  England. 
Her  father  was  a  butcher  by  trade,  but  became  foreman  and  manager  of  a 
large  woolen  factory.  Their  children,  all  now  deceased,  were  Elizabeth, 
Mrs.  Wadsworth,  Thomas,  Alice  and  Uriah.  In  1843  Mr.  Whitley  canie 
with  his  family  to  America,  crossing  to  New  York  from  Liverpool.  His 
first  location  was  in  Racine  county.  Wis.,  where  he  entered  two  forty-acre 
tracts  of  land  from  the  Government,  upnn  which  he  liuilt  a  board  house  12x18 
feet.  Indian  wigAvams  had  previously  stood  upon  their  claim  and  the  Red 
men  were  still  numerous  in  the  neighborhood.  On  one  occasion  while  Re- 
becca Whitley  was  alone  in  the  cabin  two  Indians,  clothed  in  buckskin,  with 
tomahawks  in  their  belts  and  long  spears  in  their  hands,  came  to  the  house 
and  commenced  talking  Indian  jargon.  Perceiving  that  the  ladv  did  not 
understand  them,  thev  made  signs  demanding  .something  to  eat.     .Ml  of  the 


COMAIE-MORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  341 

food  was  in  the  cellar,  or  an  undergTound  room,  and  she  had  to  lift  a  trap- 
door to  go  down.  She  was  afraid  to  turn  her  back  upon  them  for  fear  they 
would  tomahawk  her,  but  she  finally  descended  into  the  cellar,  returning  with 
a  pan  of  milk  and  a  loaf  of  bread.  She  gave  them  milk  out  of  nice  flowered 
and  embossed  pitchers,  which  she  had  brought  from  England.  The  Indians 
wanted  to  take  them  away,  but  she  shook  her  head,  and  they  finally  left  with- 
out molesting  anything.  Such  scenes  were  not  uncommon  during  the  pioneer 
days,  and  it  required  great  fortitude  on  the  part  of  timid  women  to  meet 
these  experiences  of  the  frontier.  Deer  and  wolves  were  quite  numerous  in 
those  early  days  and  the  land  was  still  wild  and  unimproved.  The  many  and 
wonderful  changes  which  have  taken  place  have  indeed  worked  a  great  trans- 
formation. 

Mrs.  Wadsworth,  as  one  of  the  early  settlers,  witnessed  the  growth  and 
development  of  the  county,  and  with  the  family  shared  in  the  hardships  and 
privations  of  pioneer  life.  On  the  13th  of  July,  1844,  she  married  John 
Blackie,  a  papermaker,  who  was  born  in  Scotland.  His  death  occurred  April 
8,  1849,  ^"*J  lis  ^^'^s  buried  in  Union  Grove  cemetery.  In  political  sentiment 
he  was  an  old-line  Whig,  and  cast  his  first  Presidential  vote  for  Henry  Clay; 
socially  he  was  an  Odd  Fellow,  and  in  religious  belief  he  was  a  Scotch  Pres- 
byterian. The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ^Vadswo^th  took  place  in  1852, 
and  to  them  were  born  three  children :  Joseph  W.,  the  eldest,  after  attend- 
ing the  common  schools,  graduated  from  the  Commercial  College,  of  Mil- 
waukee, and  is  now  teller  and  bookkeeper  in  the  Kossuth  County  Bank,  Iowa ; 
he  married  Miss  Emeline  A.  Watkins,  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  and  two  chil- 
dren grace  their  union,  Alice  Rebecca  and  Harvey  J.  Thomas  H.,  who  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  high  school  at  Rochester,  is  a  farmer 
and  stockraiser  of  Kossuth  county,  Iowa:  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Mether- 
ingham.  Mary  Alice,  who  was  a  student  in  Rochester  Seminary,  is  the  wife 
of  Charles  Meredith,  a  farmer,  and  they  have  five  children.  Mary  Alice.  Her- 
bert Henry,  Ernest  Wadsworth,  Edna  Rebecca  and  Ethel  Ann.  IMrs.  Wads- 
worth  died  in  January,  1899. 

FRANXIS  E.  WORTHINGTON,  a  representative  citizen  an<l  enter- 
prising farmer  of  Racine  county.  Wis.,  makes  his  residence  at  No.  15 16 
Boyd  avenue,  Racine.  He  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Vt.,  Dec.  14. 
1834,  son  of  Rev.  Elijah  and  Emily  E.  (Rand)  Worthington,  natives  of 
Vermont,  and  is  the  only  son  of  his  parents. 

Daniel  Worthington,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  F.  E.,  was  a  resident 
of  \\'ashington  county,  Vt.,  and  came  to  Walworth  county.  \Vis..  in  1837. 
later  going  to  Oconomowoc,  Waukesha  County,  Wis.,  where  he  died,  aged 
ninety-one  years.  His  wife  was  Mary  Fiske,  and  she  also  attained  advanced 
years ;  she  bore  her  husband  eleven  children.  The  maternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  Samuel  Rand,  a  native  of  Vermont,  where  he  died  in  old 
age.  He  married  Miss  Alice  Edmtmds.  who  died  when  a  young  woman,  the 
mother  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife, 
Samuel  Rand  married  again. 

Rev.  Elijah  Worthington,  father  of  Francis  E.,  worked  with  his  father 


342 


comme:\iorative  biographical  record. 


at  lumbering  and  niilling  fur  some  years,  and  came  West  with  him  in  1837, 
locating  at  LaGrange,  Walworth  county.  Elijah  Worthington  purchased 
a  farm  of  200  acres  and  lived  there  until  his  death,  which  occurred  June  4, 
1858,  when  he  was  fifty-five  years  old.  His  wife  survived  him  just  thirty 
years  to  a  day,  being  eighty-one  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Both 
were  Methodists.  For  ten  years  he  was  a  deacon  in  the  church,  and  for 
twenty-five  years  a  minister. 

Francis  E.  Worthington  was  not  quite  four  years  old  when  his  parents 
settled  in  Walworth  county,  and  there  he  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's 
farm,  attending  the  district  schools  and  later  Milton  Academy  and  Apple- 
ton  University.  Being  the  only  child  he  remained  at  home  until  his  father's 
death,  when  he  inherited  the  farm,  upon  which  he  continued  to  reside  until 
1874.  On  Dec.  28,  1863,  he  married  Miss  Eliza  J.  Mclntyre,  daughter  of 
John  and  Hannah  (Edison)  Mclntyre,  and  seven  children  were  born  to  this 
union :  Jay  Cooke  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  months ;  Shirley  Frank,  who 
operates  the  home  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  married  Margaret  Steele, 
and  they  have  two  children,  Helen  Gertrude  and  Francis;  Don  Clair,  a 
machinist  of  Corliss,  married  Miss  Mattie  Clark,  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren. Ruby  Clark  and  Marjorie  Emma;  Otto  Edison,  a  dentist  of  Spokane, 
Wash.,  married  Gertrude  Webster;  Guy,  a  traveling  man,  married  Crissie 
Diedisch,  and  they  live  in  Omaha,  Neb.,  and  have  one  son,  Hallet  Edison; 
Roy  Elijah  is  a  commercial  traveler;  and  Gertrude  died  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Worthington  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
They  moved  into  Racine  from  their  farm  in  Mount  Pleasant  township  in 
1899,  and  purchased  a  comfortable  home,  but  Mr.  Worthington  still  owns 
the  old  farm,  which  consists  of  200  acres.  He  was  drafted  for  the  Civil  war, 
but  had  his  mother  to  care  for,  so  bought  his  release  for  $300.  Politically  he 
is  independent ;  he  served  as  school  clerk  for  some  years. 

John  Mclntyre,  Mrs.  Worthington's  father,  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia, 
and  "his  wife  in  Bayham,  Upper  Canada.  They  had  si.x  children,  four  of 
whom  are  nn\v  living:  Eliza  J-,  the  wife  of  Francis  E.  Worthington;  Susan, 
the  wife  of  G.  T,  Ferris,  of  Whitewater.  Wis.;  Miss  Hannah,  of  the  same 
place;  and  Margaret,  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Sercomb,  of  Chicago.  111.  John  Mc- 
Intvre  was  a  sailor  for  many  years,  and  was  known  as  Captain  John  Mclntvre. 
He' came  to  \Miitewater.  Walworth  county,  in  1845,  and  engaged  in  farming 
until  his  death,  in  1886.  aged  seventy-seven  years.  His  wife  survived  him 
until    1902.  and  was  eighty-five  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Worthington  was  James  ]\lclntvre, 
of  Scotch  stock.  He  emigrated  to  Canada,  received  a  farm  from  the  Crown, 
and  there  died  in  old  age.  His  wife  was  Margaret  (Sturkes)  Mclntyre,  who 
lived  to  old  age.  bearing  her  husband  eleven  children.  Moses  Edison  was  the 
maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Worthington.  He  lived  in  New  Jersey,  dur- 
ing the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  During  the  war  he  had  his  goods 
confiscated  and  he  left  New  Jersey  and  went  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  thence  to 
Upper  Canada.  He  owned  real  estate  in  New  Jersey  where  Elizabethtown 
now  stands.  He  n^arried  Jane  Saxton,  and  both  died  well  advanced  in  years. 
the  parents  of  eleven  children. 


COMAIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  343 

JACOB  PHILIP  SCHAEFFER,  whose  well  cultivated  and  highly 
productive  property  is  situated  in  Section  7,  Somers  township,  is  one  of 
Kenosha  county's  most  enterprising  agriculturists.  Mr.  Schaeffer  was  born 
in  Somers  township,  on  an  adjoining  farm,  June  3,  1861,  son  of  Jacob  and 
Wilhelmina  (Volkman)   Schaeffer,  natives  of  Germany. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Nicholas  Schaeffer,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  His  wife 
also  attained  advanced  age,  and  they  had  a  family  of  seven  children,  five  sons 
and  two  daughters,  two  of  the  sons,  Adam  and  John,  now  living  in  Germany. 
The  maternal  grandfather  of  Jacob  P.  Schaeffer  was  also  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was  taken  prisoner  by  pirates 
off  the  coast  of  Algiers.  The  ship's  crew  was  held  for  a  ransom  of  $JOO,  but 
while  this  was  being  sent  he  died.  He  married  Sophia  Schulz  and  they  had 
two  daughters  and  one  son,  the  latter  still  surviving  and  now  li\'ing  in 
Modoc  county,  California. 

Jacob  Schaeffer,  father  of  our  subject,  followed  farmhig  in  his  native 
country.  On  coming  to  this  country,  some  time  in  the  early  fifties,  he  went 
to  work  in  New  York  State,  remaining  under  the  same  employer  for  four 
years.  He  then  came  to  Wisconsin  and  purchased  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in 
Somers  township,  to  which  he  added  fifty  acres  and  later  added  forty-five  acres 
more.  This  farm  he  improved,  and  upon  it  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
dying  in  1874,  aged  forty-nine  years  and  eleven  months.  His  wife  had  passed 
away  in  1871,  aged  thirty-five  years.  Both  were  Lutherans.  They  had  these 
children:  Jacob  Philip:  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  August  Bohm.  of  Somers 
township:  and  Miss  Katherine,  a  Presbyterian  missionary  in  China. 

Jacob  P.  Schaeffer  w'as  reared  in  Kenosha  county,  and  was  brought  up 
on  the  farm  on  which  he  was  born.  He  attended  the  district  schools,  and 
lived  at  home  until  twelve  years  of  age,  and  then,  his  parents  having  died, 
he  worked  on  neighboring  farms  for  some  time.  He  then  returned  to  his 
father's  farm,  which  he  operated  until  the  heifs  of  the  property  sold  it.  He 
then  purchased  his  present  farm  of  160  acres,  which  he  has  improved  finely. 
He  also  works  fifty  acres  of  land,  which  belongs  to  the  Schaeffer  estate. 

On  Feb.  i.  1900,  Mr.  Schaeffer  married  Miss  Nellie  Hamilton,  daugh- 
ter of  Rol)ert  and  Ida  (Foster)  Hamilton,  and  tw'o  sons  have  been  born  to 
this  union :  Ralph  Eugene  and  Russell  Sage.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schaeffer  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  Mr.  Schaeffer  is  an  elder. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  served  as  town  constable  for  a  number  of 
terms. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Schaeffer  was  Robert  Hamilton,  a 
native  of  Scotland.  He  came  to  America,  settling  near  Lhiion  Grove.  Wis., 
where  he  carried  on  farming.  There  he  died  at  a  very  old  age :  his  wife, 
Sarah,  also  attained  advanced  years.  They  had  a  family  of  six  children: 
Robert ;  John :  William  :  Sarah,  wife  of  John  Baker,  of  Ives  Grove,  Wis. :  Alice, 
widow  of  William  Jamieson.  of  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa ;  and  Mary,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Robertson,  of  Williams.  Iowa.  On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Schaef- 
fer's  grandfather  w^as  Thomas  Foster,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and  a 
farmer.  He  was  an  earlv  settler  near  Franksville.  Wis.,  where  he  died  at 
an  old  age.     He  married  Sarah  Parker,  who  lived  to  be  nearlv  seventv  vears 


344  COMMEAIORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

of  age.     They  had  one  daughter  and  two  sons.     Ida;  'Jlnmias,  uf  Alilwaukee, 
Wis.,  and  Charles,  of  Denver,  Colorado. 

Robert  Hamilton,  father  of  Mrs.  Jacob  P.  Schaeffer,  was  a  native  of 
Scotland,  while  his  wife  was  born  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Hamilton 
came  to  America  settling  near  Union  Grove,  in  Racine  county,  where  he  en- 
gaged extensively  in  agricultural  operations.  He  now  makes  his  home  in 
Mason  City,  Iowa.  Mr.  Hamilton  was  married  in  Franksville,  and  to  him 
and  his  wife  a  family  of  four  children,  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  were 
born,  as  follows:  William,  who  resides  in  Mason  City.  Iowa;  Alice,  the 
widow  of  William  Buttrick,  who  resides  in  Bristol;  Nellie,  the  wife  of  our 
subject;  and  George,  a  mail  carrier  of  Somers,  W'isconsin. 

ZOPHAR  ROGERS,  a  well-to-do  farmer,  owning  300  acres  of  choice 
land  and  an  attractive  and  modern  homestead  in  Section  32,  Caledonia  town- 
ship, has  attained  the  almost  patriarchal  age  of  eighty-nine  years,  and  still 
lives  on  the  farm  which  he  purchased  more  than  half  a  century  ago.  He  was 
torn  in  Saratoga  county,  N.  Y.,  town  of  Clifton  Park,  June  i,  1817,  son  of 
Piatt  and  Harriet  (Hall)  Rogers,  natives  of  Rhode  Island,  who  after  their 
marriage  moved  to  New  York  State  and  settled  in  Saratoga  county.  The 
following  four  sons  and  three  daughters  were  born  to  them,  all  now  deceased 
except  Zophar:  Caroline,  who  married  Davis  Mills;  Philetta.  the  wife  of 
Hiram  ]\Iosher;  Hezekiah ;  Zophar;  Isaac;  Stephen;  and  Jemimah,  who  mar- 
ried James  Ostron. 

Piatt  Rogers,  the  father,  was  a  tailor  before  his  marriage,  but  after  lo- 
cating in  Saratoga  county  he  engaged  in  farming,  and  died  there  when  more 
than  seventy  years  of  age.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  being  at- 
tached to  the  Light  Horse  service.  His  wife  died  in  middle  age,  when  about 
fifty-four  years  old.  Zophar  Rogers,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  Revo- 
lutionary soldier  from  Rhode  Island,  his  native  State.  His  wife's  name  was 
Jemimah,  and  both  lived  and  died  in  Rhode  Island.  The  maternal  grand- 
parents also  lived  and  died  in  Rhode  Island. 

Zophar  Rogers,  of  Caledonia  township,  was  reared  in  Saratoga  county 
as  a  farmer's  lad,  attended  the  district  schools,  and  li\-ed  at  home  until  he 
was  married.  He  then  purchased  a  portion  of  his  father's  farm,  and  con- 
tinued to  engage  in  agriculture  in  York  State  until  1855,  when  he  purchased 
a  tract  of  300  acres  in  Caledonia  township,  comprising  three  partially  im- 
proved farms.  He  is  still  the  owner  of  that  land,  which,  however,  he  has  thor- 
oughly and  scientifically  improved.  He  built  a  large  and  handsome  brick 
house  on  the  place  which  constitutes  his  homestead,  a  fine  residence  on  an- 
other farm,  and  substantial  outbuildings  and  barns  to  correspond,  so  that  in 
his  old  age  he  is  the  possessor  of  some  of  the  most  valuable  agricultural  prop- 
erty in  Caledonia  township. 

On  Nov.  6,  1839,  Zophar  Rogers  was  joined  in  marriage  with  !\Iaria 
Rogers,  of  Dutchess  county.  N.  Y..  daughter  of  Hezekiah  and  Mary  (Skid- 
more)  Rogers.  Thev  had  <>ne  child,  who  died  in  infancy,  and  the  mother 
passed  away  April  26.  1846.  Mr.  Rogers's  second  marriage,  on  Nov.  17, 
1846.  was  to  Frances  Ann  i\TcCourtie,  daughter  of  John  and  Dorcas  (Ar- 
nold)  ^ilcCnurtie,  and  by  her  he  had  two  sons  and  seven  daughters,  namely: 


J-c^4xyruL^    /t<i>-pec^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  345 

Warren  Zophar,  Frances  Maria,  Mary  Amelia.  Harriet  D.,  Charles  R.,  Emma 
A.,  Mary  EL,  Martha  E.  and  Amanda  McCourtie.  Warren  Z.  Rogers  is 
operating  one  of  his  father's  farms:  he  married  Annie  Nelson,  and  they  are 
the  parents  of  a  danghter,  Mabel,  who  is  the  wife  of  William  Greshmer. 
Frances  Maria  is  the  widow  of  Albert  Fancher,  and  is  the  mother  of  Harriet, 
Edward  and  Clarence  Glen.  Mary  Amelia  died  when  three  years  old.  Har- 
riet D.  married  Charles  Scutt.  and  they  have  two  children,  Lora  and  Arthur. 
Charles  R.,  a  Racine  machinist,  married  Eliza  Ehle,  and  has  four  children, 
Charles,  Percy,  Hazel  and  Leon.  Emma  is  her  father's  housekeeper.  Mary, 
who  married  William  Ehle,  lives  with  her  husband  in  Minneapolis,  Minn., 
and  their  son,  Harley,  is  a  mail  clerk  on  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul 
Railway.  IMartha  E.  is  unmarried  and  lives  at  home.  Amanda  is  the  widow 
of  Ellsworth  McCoy,  and  has  one  son,  Irvin.  In  conclusion  it  should  be  added 
that  Zophar  Rogers  is  a  great-grandfather. 

Mrs.  Frances  Ann  Rogers  died  March  29,  1902,  when  more  than  sev- 
enty-nine years  of  age.  She  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
Her  father  was  of  Scotch  parentage,  and  heir  to  a  large  property  in  his  na- 
tive land,  while  her  mother  was  born  in  Rhode  Island. 

Zophar  Rogers  was  formerly  a  Whig,  and  since  the  organization  of  the 
Republican  party  has  been  firmly  associated  with  that  organization.  His  ex- 
tensive agricultural  interests,  with  the  rearing  of  his  large  family,  have,  how- 
ever, occupied  the  active  years  of  his  manhood,  and  with  the  exception  of  a 
term  of  service  as  supervisor,  he  has  participated  neither  in  political  nor  other 
public  affairs. 

ALBERT  PATTERSON,  one  of  Racine  county's  progressive  farmer 
citizens,  located  on  Section  5,  in  Waterford  township,  was  born  in  Milwaukee 
county,  Wis.,  April  16,  1841,  son  of  Daniel  W.  and  Susan  (Burdick)  Pat- 
terson, natives  of  New  York  State. 

Mr.  Patterson's  paternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  on 
coming  to  America  settled  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  followed 
farming.  He  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  John,  Warren, 
Daniel  W..  Cyrus,  Perrins  Pratt,  Columbus,  and  three  daughters. 

Paul  Burdick,  Albert  Patterson's  maternal  grandfather,  was  a  native 
of  New  York  State,  of  Holland-Dutch  descent.  He  came  West  and  settled 
in  Milwaukee,  there  dying  well  advanced  in  years.  He  had  quite  a  large 
family  :  Morgan  L. ;  Hiram  :  William  ;  Samuel ;  Thomas ;  Susan,  Mrs.  Pat- 
terson ;  Martha,  whose  first  husband  was  a  Mr.  Cole,  and  her  second  John 
Doritv,  and  Elizabeth,  who  was  the  wife  of  R.  W.  Pierce,  of  Milwaukee. 

Daniel  W.  Patterson,  father  of  Albert,  was  a  blacksmith  by  occupation. 
He  came  to  [Milwaukee  in  1834,  worked  at  his  trade  for  two  years,  and  then 
purchased  a  tract  of  160  acres  of  government  land  in  Lake  township,  three 
miles  south  of  Walker's  Point  Bridge,  improving  this  farm  to  a  high  degree. 
In  1855  he  sold  this  farm  of  160  acres,  and  removing  to  Walworth  county 
purchased  another,  consisting  of  210  acres,  which  he  also  sold.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Waterford  township.  Racine  county,  living  with  his  son  Albert  for 
.about  five  vears.  and  then  buying  sixteen  acres  near  Milwaukee,  where  he 
died  in  1S96,  aged  eighty-seven  vears,  seven  months.     !Mr.  Patterson  was  verv 


346  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

prominent  in  local  affairs,  and  held  \arious  township  offices.  His  wife  died 
in  1872,  aged  tifty-six  years.  They  had  eight  children:  George;  Ellen,  wife 
of  David  Donnan,  of  Lake  township,  Milwaukee  county;  Albert;  Charles; 
of  East  Troy  township,  Walworth  county ;  Oscar,  of  the  same  township ; 
Erank,  of  Michigan;  lierbert;  and  Ered  \V.,  a  practicing  physician  of  Mil- 
waukee. 

Albert  Patterson  was  reared  in  Milwaukee  county  on  his  father's  farm. 
He  attended  school  in  an  old  log  schoolhouse  that  stood  on  this  farm,  and 
also  in  the  district  schools  of  East  Troy  township,  Walworth  county.  He 
remained  at  home  until  twenty-one  years  old,  and  then,  in  August,  1862, 
enlisted  in  Company  I,  28th  W'is.  V.  I.,  serving  three  years  as  corporal.  He 
was  in  the  battle  of  Helena,  July  4,  1863.  and  at  the  siege  of  Spanish  Fort, 
near  Mobile,  for  thirteen  days,  after  which,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  his  regi- 
ment w'as  sent  to  Texas.  Upon  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  Mr.  Pat- 
terson returned  to  Wisconsin  and  was  married,  after  w^hich  he  worked  on  his 
father-in-law's  farm  for  two  years.  He  then  located  on  his  present  farm  in 
Waterford  township,  which  contains  seventy  acres  finely  improved,  and  here 
with  the  exception  of  five  years  Mr.  Patterson  has  lived  ever  since. 

On  Feb.  13,  1866,  Mr.  Patterson  married  Miss  Emogene  Utter,  daugh- 
ter of  Josiah  and  Rosina  (Foote)  Utter,  and  one  son  was  born  to  this  union, 
Delmont,  who  lives  on  his  father's  farm,  and  is  an  energetic  and  enterprising 
young  farmer;  he  married  Minnie  Stankey.  who  bore  him  one  son,  Marvin. 
Mr.  Patterson  belongs  to  E.  B.  \\'olcott  Post,  No.  i,  G.  A.  R.,  Department 
of  Wisconsin.  He  is  not  only  known  as  a  brave  veteran  of  the  great  Civil 
war,  and  as  a  farmer  of  skill  and  discernment,  but  as  a  good,  all-round,  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen.  His  honesty  and  integrity  have  never  been  questioned, 
his  word  being  as  good  as  his  note,  and  he  is  greatly  esteemed  in  \\'aterford 
township.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  served  about  twenty  years  as 
school  director. 

Mrs.  Patterson's  parents  were  natives  of  New  York  State  and  came  to 
Wisconsin  about  1845,  locating  in  Waterford.  in  wdiat  is  known  as  the  Cald- 
well district.  Her  father,  Josiah  Utter,  located  a  farm  of  eighty  acres, 
which  he  added,  from  time  to  time,  until  he  owned  a  tract  of  160  acres,  there 
continuing  to  live  until  his  death,  in  1871,  when  he  w-as  in  his  fifty-sixth  year. 
His  widow,  who  was  born  in  Chenango  county.  New  York,  Aug.  27.,  1820, 
still  survives.  They  had  four  children :  Edgar,  deceased :  Emogene,  wife  of 
Albert  Patterson;  Delbert,  and  Fremont. 

Daniel  Utter,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  'Sirs.  Alliert  Patterson,  was  a 
native  of  New  York  State,  and  a  resident  of  Albany  county,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming.  He  married  Effie  Page,  who  died  of  fever  when  quite  a 
young  woman,  while  Mr.  Utter  attained  advanced  years.  They  were  the 
parents  of  five  children,  as  follows :  Welcome.  Stephen  Spencer,  Josiah, 
Beni,  and  Lovina. 

Mrs.  Patterson's  maternal  grandfather,  Austin  Foote.  was  born  in  one 
of  the  Southern  States,  and  removed  to  New  York  State,  settling  in  Chenan- 
go county,  where  he  was  married.  Mr.  Foote  w-as  a  carpenter  by  occupation. 
He  died  in  New  York  in  1822.  in  middle  life.  His  wife  w^as  Irene  (Weeks) 
Foote,  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Amy  (Ouimby)  Weeks,  natives  of  England 
and  farming  people  of  New  York.     IMr.  and  Mrs.  Austin  Foote  were  the 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  347 

parents  of  four  children,  namely :     Ira ;  Amy,  who  married  Henry  Conch- 
man,  and  later  Beni  Utter;  Rosina,  the  wife  ol  Joseph  Utter,  and  Stephen. 

ADAM  H.  HARCUS,  a  prominent  contractor  in  Racine,  a  man  of  wide 
experience  and  possessed  of  much  financial  ability,  is  a  Scotchman  born  in  the 
Orkney  Islands,  Jan.  23,  1852,  son  of  John  and  Christina  (Mainland) 
Harcus. 

John  Harcus  was  a  farmer  in  Scotland,  and  also  held  the  position  of 
overseer  of  the  estates  of  Lord  Hebden  for  many  years.  He  never  left  his 
native  land  dying  there  in  1871,  but  his  wife,  who  survived  him,  came  to 
America  in  1880,  and  stayed  here  until  her  death  in  1887,  when  she  was  aged 
fifty-seven.  Both  were  Presbyterians  in  their  religious  belief.  They  had  nine 
children  as  follows:  Adam  H.;  John,  of  Kenosha;  Ann,  Mrs.  Thomas 
Rouisey,  of  Scotland;  William,  of  Omaha,  Neb.;  Jane,  wife  of  Ellsworth 
Gardiner,  of  Kenosha  county;  Marion,  deceased;  Thomas,  of  South  Alil- 
waukee;  Samuel,  of  Racine,  and  Christina,  Mrs.  Thomas  Kent,  of  Scotland. 
John  Harcus  was  the  son  of  William  and  Robena  (Brabiner)  Harcus, 
both  of  Scotch  parentage.  The  former  was  for  a  long  time  overseer  for 
Lord  Trail,  and  later  in  life  was  a  farmer  on  his  own  account.  He  and  his 
wife  reared  a  large  family,  and  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  The  maternal  grand- 
parents were  John  and  Christina  (Sinclair)  ^lainland,  of  Scotland.  John 
Mainland  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  lived  to  be  over  eighty  years  of  age. 
His  wife  died  when  eighty-five  years  old,  the  mother  of  many  children. 

Adam  H.  Harcus  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Scotland,  and 
remained  in  that  country  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  In  1870  he  came 
to  America  and  has  made  Racine  his  place  of  residence  ever  since.  Before 
entering  upon  his  present  occupation  of  contracting,  he  engaged  at  dift'erent 
times  in  various  pursuits,  and  accfuired  considerable  experience  of  men  and 
affairs.  From  his  first  employment  as  a  machinist  in  a  sash  and  door  fac- 
tory, he  turned  to  sailing  on  the  lakes,  and  was  on  a  vessel  running  between 
Chicago  and  Buffalo.  Another  period  as  a  machinist  followed  and  then  Mr. 
Harcus  did  carpentering  for  a  while.  He  was  next  employed  by  the  J.  I.  Case 
Threshing  Machine  Company,  and  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Works,  and  was  with 
them  for  seventeen  years,  after  which  he  began  contracting  and  superintend- 
ing work  for  Armour  &  Co.,  of  Chicago.  From  this  he  turned  his  attention 
to  contracting,  and  has  since  been  engaged  exclusively  in  that  line,  in  which 
he  has  an  extensive  patronage  and  has  done  much  very  good  work,  reaping 
substantial  returns  therefrom.  He  is  one  of  the  prominent  contractors  of 
Racine,  and  is  esteemed  no  less  highly  as  a  citizen  than  as  a  business  man,  for 
he  possesses  many  admirable  c[ualities  of  head  and  heart.  Socially  he  belongs 
to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  to  Orient  Chapter,  No.  12.  R.  A.  :\I. ; 
anrl  to  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7.  K.  T.    Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

On  Oct.  25,  1883.  Adam  H.  Harcus  and  JMatilda  Byer  were  joined  in 
matrimony.  They  are  the  parents  of  three  children,  Grace  A.,  Harold  and 
John.  The  family  reside  at  No.  822  Fourteenth  street,  where  JMr.  Harcus 
built  a  comfortable  home  just  before  his  marriage.  Mrs.  Harcus  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  She  was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Emma  (Ober- 
ly)  Byer.  natives  of  Germany.  Mr.  Bver  was  a  carriage  and  was'on  maker  by 
trade.     On  coming  to  America  thev  lived  first  at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  but  later 


348  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

moved  to  Peru,  111.,  where  Mr.  Byer  died  in  1871,  survived  by  his  wife  until 
1889.  Of  their  eleven  children  all  but  one  are  living:  Theresa,  widow  of 
Michael  Simeter;  John;  Mrs.  Martin  Frey;  Elizabeth,  widow  of  John  Lutz; 
Hannah,  wife  of  Reinholdt  Peltz;  Frederick;  Charles;  George;  Emma,  wife 
of  George  Miller;  Matilda,  :\Irs.  Harcus;  and  Henry. 

JULIAN  ALBERT  FOSTER,  Sr.,  one  of  the  most  progressive  and 
enterprising  business  men  of  Salem,  president  of  the  Foster  Mercantile  Com- 
pany, was  born  in  that  township  Sept.  3,  1852,  son  of  Andrew  William  and 
Prudence  (Cornwell)  Foster,  natives  of  New  York  State.  His  grandfather, 
William  Foster,  was  a  farmer  and  a  native  of  New  York  State,  where  he  was 
killed  in  young  manhood  by  the  fall  of  a  tree.  His  wife,  Olive  (Bettis)  Fos- 
ter (whose  mother  was  Rebecca  Farmer),  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-three 
years,  and  after  her  first  husband's  death  married  a  Mr.  Turpeny.  Of  Wil- 
liam Foster's  children,  Andrew  William  Foster,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
came  from  Oswego  county,  N.  Y.,  to  Wisconsin  in  1841,  and,  settling  in 
Salem  township,  Kenosha  county,  purchased  sixty  acres,  to  which  he  later 
added  until  he  owned  eighty  acres,  located  in  Section  9.  He  died  in  Salem 
Jan.  4,  1892,  aged  eighty-five  years.  His  widow  survived  until  Dec.  6, 
1896.  being  eighty-six  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Formerly  Metho- 
dists. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foster  became  Spiritualists.  He  held  various  township 
offices  and  was  justice  of  the  peace  for  fourteen  years.  Politically  he  was  a 
Republican.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foster  had  six  children :  Adeline,  widow  of 
Volney  Bassett ;  Andrew  W.,  who  is  deceased;  Betsey,  the  widow  of  Fred 
Plank:  Leander,  who  died  aged  eighteen  years;  Orlando,  of  Fond  du  Lac. 
Wis. :    and  Julian  Albert. 

Julian  Albert  Foster  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  attended  the 
district  schools  of  Salem  township.  He  lived  at  home  with  his  parents,  car- 
ing for  them  in  their  declining  years.  After  his  marriage  his  father  gave  him 
a  deed  to  the  farm,  and  there  he  lived  for  some  years,  adding  to  it  from  time 
to  time  until  he  owned  a  tract  of  220  acres,  which  he  has  since  sold.  For  the 
past  twelve  years,  ofif  and  on,  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  general  merchandise 
business,  and  he  and  his  son,  Julian  Albert.  Jr.,  organized  the  Foster  Mercan- 
tile Company,  which  is  now  incorporated  with  a  capital  stock  of  $20,000. 

On  Aug.  23,  1877,  Mr.  Foster  married  Miss  Huldah  Elizabeth  Parker, 
daughter  of  Edwin  B.  and  Adelaide  S.  (Jones)  Parker,  and  four  children 
were  born  to  this  union:  Julian  Albert,  Jr..  married  Alice  M.  Bacon,  May  i, 
IQ06:  Andrew  W.  is  aIs(T  in  business  with  his  father:  [Mabel  Lou  married 
Dr.  George  H.  Smith  June  30,  1903,  and  lives  at  Galesburg,  111.;  Bessie  was 
married  on  April  10,  iqo6,  to  Charles  L.  Bonson,  wlio  manages  a  branch  store 
of  the  Foster  Mercantile  Company  at  Bristol,  Wis.  Mr.  Foster  is  a  Re- 
publican in  political  sentiment. 

Parker  F.\mily.  From  an  old  letter  written  by  I,orenzo  Dow  (whose 
mother  was  Tabitha  Parker)  it  was  learned  that  the  Parkers  who  first  came 
here  were  descendants  of  Lord  Parker,  of  Macclesfield,  England;  that  the 
first  family  were  located  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  and  were  massacred  by  the  In- 
dians, two  boys  and  a  girl  escaping;  and  that  one  of  the  bovs  afterward  moved 
to  Coventry,  Conn.,  where  he  built  the  first  house  and  barn,  of  logs,  witli 


\zn>,  ^ca^^^^^ 


COMMEMORATIX'K    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  349 

port-lioles  for  defence.  He  became  the  first  to  officiate  as  deacon  of  the  First 
Congregational  Church  in  that  place,  being  elected  to  that  office  in  171 2  or 
1 713.  His  wife's  name  was  ]\iary.  He  died  Oct.  30,  1775,  in  his  ninety- 
fourth  year.  The  children  of  Deacon  Samuel  and  jNlary  Parker  were :  Sam- 
uel J.;  James  John,  born  July  21,  1714,  who  died  in  September.  1798:  Es- 
ther, born  May  28,  1716,  who  married  Timothy  Ladd.  June  17,  1734; 
Phineas,  born  Feb.  12,  1719;  and  Joseph,  born  Nov.  2,  1723.  Of  these. 
Phineas  Barker  married  Martha  Meraw  on  Sept.  14,  1741.  and  died 
Jan.  15.  1797.  She  was  born  June  25,  1722.  and  died  July  18,  1823.  in  her 
i02d  year.  Their  children,  all  born  at  Coventry.  Conn.,  were:  Dennis,  born 
Jan.  12,  1743;  Phineas.  born  Jan.  8.  1744;  Phoebe,  born  April  12,  1746  (mar- 
ried Ebenezer  Bacon  in  1767)  ;  Rachel,  born  Jan.  10,  1747-48;  Samuel,  born 
Feb.  14.  1749-50;  Timothy,  born  Feb.  17,  1752-53  (died  in  1849);  Martha, 
born  Aug.  3.  1755;  Asa,  born  Oct.  7,  1757  (married  first  a  Woodworth,  and 
second  Hannah  Judd,  and  died  March  28,  1841);  Esther,  born  March  29, 
1760  (married  Tubal  Case,  Jan.  5,   1786)  ;  and  JMary,  born  Sept.  20,  1762. 

Asa  Parker  and  his  first  wife,  whose  name  was  Woodworth,  had  chil- 
dren as  follows ;  Asa,  Jr.,  Cvril,  Esther,  Electa,  Henry,  Charles.  Xancv  and 
Sally. 

Asa  Parker.  Jr..  married  Hannah  Sprague,  grandmother  of  ]\Irs.  Hul- 
dah  Elizabeth  Foster,  and  their  children  were:  Sherman  J.,  born  Xov.  9. 
1807,  married  Fannie  T.  Dow  Aug.  23,  1832.  and  died  March  15,  1877; 
Philo  Fuller,  born  Nov.  26.  1809.  married  Huldah  Frost,  and  died  Feb.  22. 
1888;  Marinda,  born  July  28,  181 1.  married  Sanford  Yeomans  March  26. 
1836.  and  died  April  23.  1837;  Lucia,  of  Andover.  Conn.,  born  June  16, 
181 3,  married  George  Hibbard  White  Oct,  28,  1840;  Elisha  Sprague,  born 
June  29,  181 5,  married  Melissa  B.  Hutchinson  March  4,  1838,  and  died  Feb. 
27,  1857;  Martha,  born  June  11,  1817,  married  Alfred  H.  Fitch  April  2"], 
1842,  and  died  June  17,  1904;  Mary,  born  Feb.  9.  1819,  married  John  A. 
Loomis  April  13,  1840,  and  died  Feb.  5.  1888;  Nancy  born  Feb.  14.  1821. 
married  Andrew  J.  Hutchinson  April  28.  1844.  and  died  Dec.  29.  1883; 
Edwin  Burgess,  born  Oct,  31,  1822,  married  Adelaide  Sylvenia  Jones,  and 
died  Oct.  4.  1868;  and  Sarah  E..  born  Dec.  9.  1825.  died  Nov.  23.  1828. 

Edwin  Burgess  Parker,  born  Oct.  31,  1822,  married  Adelaide  Sylvenia 
Jones  and  they  had  children  as  follows:  Florence  A.,  Mrs.  John  H.  Bus- 
well,  of  Jefferson,  Iowa;  Adelbert  E..  of  Chicago,  111.;  Frank  J.,  of  Bristol, 
Wis. ;  Asa,  of  Racine,  Wis. ;  Huldah  E.,  wife  of  Julian  A.  Foster,  Sr. ;  Lucia 
M.,  of  Libertyville,  111.,  married  to  L.  O.  Turner;  Adeline  M.,  of  Bristol,  Wis., 
who  is  unmarried;  and  Edwin  B.,  Jr.,  deceased  at  the  age  of  two  years. 

The  Revolutionary  records  in  the  town  clerk's  office  at  Andover,  Conn., 
state  that  in  1840  Asa  Parker.  Sr..  was  a  Revolutionary  pensioner  and  one 
or  more  of  his  brothers  were  also  in  the  service. 

Sprague  Family.  The  children  of  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Woodwortli) 
Sprague  were:  John,  born  in  1709:  Eliachim.  born  in  1710  or  171 1  (died 
Dec.  10,  1786)  ;  Mary,  born  in  1713;  William,  born  in  1715:  Phineas,  born  in 
1717:  Jonathan,  born  in  1720;  and  Benjamin,  born  Jan.  5.  1725  (married 
Sybil  Buell.  and  died  in  1814). 

Eliachim  Sprague  and  his  wife  Hannah  had  children  as  follows:     Sam- 


350  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

uel.  (lied  r^Iarch  18,  1806,  aged  seventy  years;  Elisha,  born  July  15,  1751, 
married  Sybil  Jones  Marcb  31,  1774,  and  died  Jan.  7,  1824;  Jeruslia  married 
Steven  Bingham,  and  died  Jan.  28,  1835,  aged  eighty-one  years;  Mary  mar- 
ried a  Bidwell,  and  died  July  15,  1793,  aged  thirty-six  years. 

Elisha  and  Sybil  Sprague  had  the  following  children :  Elisha,  Jr.,  b<jrn 
Feb.  18,  1775,  married  Lydia  Young  Woodward  Nov.  12,  1803,  and  died 
April  14.  1841 ;  Bela,  born  Feb.  23,  1778,  married  Esther  Parker  May  7, 
1800,  died  May  21,  1858;  Lydia  married  Israel  Loomis,  Jr.,  April  2,  1806; 
Asenath  married  Deacon  Macon  Lyman  May  31,  1810,  and  died  Sept.  19, 
1842;  Hannah,  grandmother  of  Mrs.  Huldah  Elizabeth  Foster,  married  Asa 
Parker,  Jr.,  Dec.  23,  1806,  and  died  Dec.  i,  1877. 

Jones  Family.  From  the  "History  of  Tolland  County,  Conn."  :  Ben- 
jamin Jones,  son  of  Elder  William  Jones,  was  born  Sept.  30,  1672,  was  mar- 
ried in  1695,  and  settled  at  Pasconiac  about  1700,  with  his  brother  Samuel. 
On  May  13,  1704,  they  were  attacked  by  the  Indians,  and  he  was  taken  cap- 
tive, but  made  his  escape  to  Northampton.  His  wife,  Hannah,  was  taken 
captive,  tomahawked,  and  left  for  dead,  and  her  four  children  were  slain. 
Three  other  persons  were  knocked  on  the  head,  and  one  of  them  was  scalped, 
but  all  of  them  recovered  and  two  of  them  afterward  settled  in  Coventry. 
Hannah,  wife  of  Benjamin,  was  found  on  the  side  of  Pomeroy  Mountain,  in 
Northampton,  when  returning  to  consciousness,  and  was  taken  to  the  village 
on  a  litter,  and  by  much  care  and  attention  was  revived  so  that  she  could  have 
hope  of  final  recovery,  and  subsequently  rose  from  a  long  convalescence  and 
through  much  suffering  to  the  comforts  of  life.  About  1712  or  1713  the 
family  removed  from  Wethersfield  to  Coventry.  The  Coventry  records 
give  one  child  of  Benjamin  and  Hannah  Jones,  Seth,  born  Aug.  31,  171 5, 
and  the  children  of  Benjamin  and  Patience  Jones  were:  Ebenezer,  born 
April  8,  1718;  Esther,  born  May  i,  1720:  Jonathan,  born  June  21,  1722; 
Noah.  1)orn  May  15,  1724:  Benjamin,  born  Sept.  15,  1726;  Huldah,  born  June 

25,  1729;  Asael,  born  July  7.  1731  (died  Aug.  7,  1740);  Sybil,  born  April 
22,  1735  (died  Aug.  29,  1740);  Dinah,  born  March  29.  1739  (died  Sept. 
8.  1740).  Patience,  wife  of  Benjamin  Jones,  died  April  24,  1770,  in  her 
seventy-fifth  year. 

Jonathan  Jones  married  Abizah  Strong  March  12,  1747.     She  died  Feb. 

26,  1816,  and  he  died  Jime  7.  1801.  Their  children  were:  Sybil,  born  Dec. 
10,  1747,  married  Elisha  Sprague,  March  31,  1774.  and  died  July  16,  1827; 
Levi,  born  Sept.  26,  1749.  died  in  1807;  Simon,  born  Nov.  14,  1751,  died  in 
1 781  ;  Jonathan.  Jr.,  died  Feb.  21,  1794;  Samuel  was  tern  in  November,  1759; 
Amos,  born  Aug.  31,  1762,  died  Feb.  21,  18^6;  Esther;  Enoch  died  in  Twne, 
1805. 

Amos  Jones  married  Elizabeth  Avery,  born  July  i,  1766,  who  died  Feb. 
17.  1827.  Their  children,  from  the  Hebron  (Conn.)  records,  were  as  follows: 
Amos  Buell.  born  Nov.  12.  1790:  Eber,  born  April  24,  1792;  Elizal>eth, 
born  Aug.  31.  1793:  George,  born  Nov.  27,  1795;  Lydia,  born  May  31,  1798; 
Laura,  born  Jan.  4,  1800;  John  Flavel,  born  Oct.  18,  1801 :  Albert  Avery, 
born  Aug.  30,  1803;  Horace  Jefiferson.  born  Nov.  20,  iSo.:;  (married  Huldah 
Tichenor.    and   they   were   the   grandparents   of   Huldah   Elizabeth   Foster)  ; 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  351 

Sterling  Madison,  born  Xov.  30,  1808;  Louisa,  Ijorn  Alay  6,  181 1 ;  and  Louis 
Monroe,  born  July  13,  1818. 

Tbe  children  of  Horace  J.  and  Huldah  (Tichenor)  Jones  were:  Ade- 
laide S.,  who  married  Edwin  Burgess  Parker;  and  Huldah  Elizabeth,  who 
married  Alfred  Bishop. 

PETER  OZAXXE  (deceased)  was  born  on  the  island  of  Guernsey,  in 
the  English  Channel,  March  27,  1827,  and  died  March  6,  1905,  lacking  but 
twenty-one  days  of  being  seventy-eight  years  old.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
in  this  section  of  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  and  for  many  years  was  a  very  prom- 
inent and  influential  man  in  Somers  township. 

James  and  Rachel  (Thoume)  Ozanne,  the  parents  of  Peter  Ozanne,  were 
natives  of  Guernsey.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  children,  three  sons  and 
one  daughter,  namely :  James.  Peter,  John  and  Rachel  of  whom  John  died 
at  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  and  Rachel  died  in  childhood.  James  married  and 
reared  a  family;  he  became  a  physician.  James  Ozanne  and  his  family  came 
to  America,  landing  at  Racine,  Wis.,  June  18,  1842.  On  July  4th  .following 
he  bought  326  acres  of  land,  located  in  Somers  township,  Kenosha  county, 
later  dividing  a  portion  of  this  land  between  his  sons,  James  and  Peter,  and 
passed  the  balance  of  his  life  here,  dying  aged  seventy-two  years.  He  was 
twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  the  mother  of  our  subject.  After  her  death 
he  went  back  to  Guernsey  where  he  married  Mary  Carre,  who  still  lives  in 
Somers  township ;  she  has  been  blind  for  some  years.  Four  children  were  born 
to  this  union :  Alfred  C,  of  Tempe,  Ariz. ;  Helena,  widow  of  H.  A.  Hitler, 
of  Somers  township;  Miss  Emma,  of  Somers  township;  and  Edward  G.,  also 
of  Somers  township. 

On  INIarch  2S.  1849,  Peter  Ozanne  was  married  to  Miss  Marv  Ann  Le 
Messurier,  who  was  born  April  17,  1832,  in  Guernsey,  and  six  children  were 
born  to  them,  as  follows:  Alary  Ann,  Pierre  T.,  Lawrence  E..  Clarence  F., 
Rosa  A.  and  Charles  H.  Mary  Ann  died  aged  five  months.  Pierre  T.  is 
single,  and  lives  on  the  old  homestead  with  his  brother  Lawrence  E.  Clarence 
F.  twin  brother  of  Lawrence  E.  died  in  1884,  aged  twenty  years  and  three 
days.  Charles  H.  died  in  1877,  aged  nine  years,  eleven  months  and  twenty- 
four  days.  Rosa  A.  married  Fred  L.  Holmes,  lives  at  South  Haven,  Mich., 
and  has  five  living  children  :  Bertrand  M.,  Harry  R..  Fred  B..  Beatrice  R.  and 
Mary  L. 

For  a  period  of  nineteen  years  Peter  Ozanne  was  town  clerk  continuously ; 
for  a  number  of  years  he  was  town  treasurer;  was  clerk  of  School  District  No. 
7 :  and  for  a  few  years  was  secretary  of  tlie  Somers  Mutual  Fire  Insurance 
Company. 

The  farm  which  Mr.  Ozanne  originally  owned  in  Somers  township,  a 
gift  from  his  father,  contained  eis;hty-seven  acres,  two  acres  having  since  been 
sold.  To  have  lived  in  one  locality  for  sixty-three  years  and  to  have,  during 
that  time,  gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  one's  fellow  citizens  and  pre- 
served it  to  the  end.  is  a  pretty  fair  test  of  a  man's  qualitv.  and  such  was  the 
case  with  Peter  Ozanne.  His  remains  rest  in  Oakwood  cemeter\-.  He  was  a 
consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

Mrs.  Ozanne.  who  still  survives,  is  miich  esteemed  in  Somers  township. 


35-^  CO^OIEIMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

where  she  is  well  known  for  her  many  admirable  qualities  of  mind  and  heart. 
Her  parents  were  Abraham  and  Mary  (^Le  Prevostj  Le  jMessurier,  and  her 
maternal  grandparents  were  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (La  Huray)  Le  Prevost, 
the  family  evidently  being  of  French  descent.  The  three  daughters  of  Abra- 
ham and  May  Le  Messurier  were:  Mary  Ann,  Mrs.  Ozanne;  Margaret, 
deceased,  formerly  the  wife  of  Thomas  Le  Poidevin;  and  Matilda,  widow  of 
Fred  Graham,  now  residing  in  Racine. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Ozanne  died  in  Guernsey  (where  he  was  born)  aged 
thirty-nine  years.  He  was  by  trade  a  boot  and  shoe  manufacturer,  but  gave 
up  much  of  his  time  to  music,  for  which  he  had  considerable  talent,  being  a 
fine  performer  on  the  cornet  and  the  clarionet ;  his  services  were  frequently  in 
demand  in  musical  organizations.  After  his  death  his  widow  came  to  Amer- 
ica, in  1847,  settling  at  Racine,  Wis.,  where  she  died  in  1886,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five  years.  She  married  (second)  William  Graham,  w'ho  had  been  a 
soldier  in  the  Mexican  war.  He  was  a  ship  carpenter  by  trade  and  lived  at 
Racine  for  many  years,  dying  aged  about  seventy-nine.  The  two  sons  01 
Peter  Ozanne  carry  on  the  farm,  both  Ijeing  capable  agriculturists  and  good 
citizens. 

CHARLES  X.  FROST,  president  of  the  Frost  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, of  Kenosha,  and  one  of  that  city's  representative  residents,  is  a  member 
of  a  family  that  has  been  identified  with  Connecticut  since  the  early  days  of 
the  Colony,  and  whose  branches  have  spread  all  over  the  LTnited  States. 
From  the  arrival  of  the  first  of  the  Frost  family  in  America  there  have  been 
seven  generations,  and  the  direct  line  of  Mr.   Charles  N.  Frost  follows : 

( I )  John  Frost  was  banished  from  Englanil  during  the  reign  of  Charles 
II  and  came  to  the  New  Haven  Colony. 

(II)  Ebenezer  Frost  married  Mary  L.  Tuttle. 

(III)  Ebenezer   Frost    (2)    married   Mary  Blakeslee. 

(IV)  Titus  Frost  married  Mabel  Stiles,  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Esther 
■  (Hooker)  Stiles,  and  granddaughter  of  Rev.  Thomas  Hooker,  \vho  founded 
the  first  Congregational  Church  in  the  United  States.  Of  the  family  liorn  to 
Titus  three  sons,  Willard,  Leverett  and  John,  remained  at  the  old  home  in 
Connecticut,  but  the  others  scattered  through  the  Southern  and  Western 
States,  particularly  the  former,  where  they  have  spread  and  multiplied. 

(V)  Willard  Frost  was  born  in  the  town  of  North  Haven,  Conn.,  and 
spent  the  entire  seventy-six  years  of  his  life  there.  He  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace  and  known  by  the  title  of  Esquire  Frost.  His  occupation  during  the 
summer  seasons  was  marble  cutting,  while  during  the  winter  he  engaged  in 
the  making  of  chairs.  By  his  wife,  Mary  Miriam,  he  had  five  sons  and  one 
daughter. 

(VI)  Jared  Frost  was  born  in  1820.  As  a  young  man  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  woolen  mill,  but  afterward  went  into  a  brass  foundry  and  became 
superintendent  of  the  tubing  department  in  the  Benedict  &  Burnham  Works 
at  Waterbury,  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  the  LTnited  States.  He  died  in  1872, 
his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Susan  E.  Lambert,  surviving-  him  some 
years  and  reaching  the  age  of  sixtv.  Both  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  Only  two  children  were  born  to  them,  Charles  N.  and  Isabella  A., 
the  latter  the  wife  of  Luther  Cummings,  of  ^^^aterbnry. 


j^J^.7f.^^^^ 


'  comme:morative  biographical  record.         353 

^Irs.  Susan  E.  Frost  was  the  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Susan  (Juddj  Lam- 
bert, and  a  descendant  on  both  sides  of  Revokitionary  soldiers.  Her  great- 
grandfather on  the  maternal  side,  Stephen  Judd,  was  in  that  w-ar  and  his  name 
is  now  inscribed  on  a  memorial  tablet  in  the  Bronson  library  at  W'aterbury. 
His  son,  Thomas  Judd,  father  of  Susan  (Judd)  Lambert,  fought  in  the  war 
of  1812,  as  did  also  his  son-in-law,  Jesse  Lambert.  Mr.  Lambert,  a  nati\-e  of 
Connecticut,  lived  in  W'aterbury,  where  he  worked  as  a  chemist,  for  which 
profession  he  had  educated  himself  in  Europe.  He  died  in  the  South,  while 
on  a  trip  to  inspect  some  land  which  he  had  taken  up  from  the  Government. 
His  widow,  who  lived  to  be  seventy-four,  married  again,  and  by  her  second 
husband,  Luther  Higgins,  had  six  children.  Two  of  these,  Henry  C.  and 
Hannah  C,  are  still  living. 

(VII)  Charles  N.  Frost  was  born  in  Waterbury,  July  14,  1843,  ^""^^ 
w-as  reared  in  that  city,  where  he  attended  the  public  schools  first  and  later  a 
boarding  school  at  Charlotteville,  N.  Y.  At  thirteen  years  of  age  he  went 
to  work  in  a  brass  mill,  and  with  the  exception  of  one  year  spent  at  school 
has  ever  since  1jeen  engaged  in  that  business.  He  succeeded,  however,  in  se- 
curing a  good  education,  as  he  attended  night  schools  for  a  considerable  period. 
He  remained  in  the  W'aterbury  brass  works  till  1886  and  became  foreman 
there,  but  in  that  year  he  accepted  a  position  as  superintendent  of  the  Chicago 
Brass  Company,  in  Kenosha,  and  was  employed  in  that  capacity  for  fifteen 
years.  JNIeantime  he  had  organized  the  Badger  Brass  Company,  of  which 
he  was  president  up  to  1902,  when  it  was  reorganized  and  became  the  Frost 
Manufacturing  Company.  Mr.  Frost  has  continued  to  hold  the  office  of  pres- 
ident up  till  the  present  time,  while  his  son  Walter  J.  is  secretary  and  treas- 
urer. The  firm  employs  over  one  hundred  people  and  manufactures  brass 
goods  of  all  kinds,  both  sheet  and  castings.  The  plant  is  located  at  the  corner 
of  Elizabeth  and  Pleasant  streets,  and  has  a  constantly  increasing  output,  for 
the  goods  are  sold  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other. 

On  April  13,  1865,  Charles  N.  Frost  married  Susan  Coe,  daughter  of 
Norris  and  Chloe  (Hubbel)  Coe,  natives  of  Connecticut  and  farming  people. 
Both  parents  reached  old  age,  the  father  dying  when  seventy-four  years  old, 
and  the  mother  surviving  him  for  several  years.  Mrs.  Frost  was  the  only 
one  of  their  children  to  reach  maturity.  She  had  but  one  child.  Walter  J. 
Frost.  He  married  Amy  Louise  Bailey,  and  is  the  father  of  four  children, 
Aimee  Susan.  Miriam,  Donald  W.  and  Morton  Charles. 

Fraternally  Charles  N.  Frost  is  a  member  of  the  Masons,  and  has  taken 
the  thirty-second  degree.  He  has  served  as  alderman  of  the  city  of  Kenosha 
for  two  years.  A  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  he  has  been  a  trustee  of 
same  for  the  past  fifteen  years,  and  was  chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees 
when  they  built  their  new  church  in  igo2,  at  an  expense  of  $20,000. 

THEODORE  HARDEN,  a  greatly  esteemed  resident  of  \Vaterford 
township,  has  spent  over  sixty  years  on  his  present  farm. .  He  was  born  in 
Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  11.  1834,  son  of  Amasa  K.  and  Waty  (Hulbert) 
Harden,  natives  of  New  York  State  and  Massachusetts,  respectively. 

Ezekiel  Harden,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Theodore,  was  also  a  na- 
tive of  New  York,  and  owned  a  farm  in  Oneida  countv.     There  he  died  at  an 


354  CO^IMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

old  aoe,  leaving  a  large  family.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Theodore  was 
James  Hulbert,  who  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and  died  in  Wisconsin  at  up- 
wards of  eighty  years  of  age.  He  came  West  with  his  son,  Levi,  and  settled 
in  Waterford  township. 

Amasa  K.  Harden  was  a  carpenter  by  occupation.  He  came  to  Racine 
county  in  1846  and  settled  in  Waterford  township  where  he  followed  his  trade 
and  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty-eight  and  a  half  acres,  one  and  one-quarter 
miles  from  Waterford  village.  He  also  purchased  a  farm  nearer  the  village, 
and  one  known  as  the  George  Hoyt  fami,  upon  which  he  lived  for  some  time. 
He  then  sold  out  and  removed  to  the  village  of  Waterford,  later  removing  to 
the  home  of  his  son,  Alfred,  in  Mukwonago,  where  he  died  Aug.  4,  1887, 
aged  eighty-one  years.  His  widow  survived  him  for  some  time  and  was 
eightv-three  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death,  which  occurred  Dec.  29,  1891. 
Both  were  Baptists  in  religion.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Amasa  K.  Harden  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  si.x  of  whom  are  now  living:  Amasa,  of  Racine; 
Theodore,  our  subject;  Orlin,  of  Clinton  Junction,  Wis.;  Alfred,  of  Wauwa- 
tosa.  Wis.;  Albina,  widow  of  Edward  Anderson,  of  \\'alworth  county:  and 
-Caroline,  wife  of  John  Woolridge,  of  Libertyville,  Illinois. 

Theodore  Harden  was  but  twelve  years  of  age  when  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  Racine  county,  and  he  has  lived  in  Waterford  township  for  a  period 
of  sixty  years.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm,  attending  the  district  schools 
and  working  with  his  father,  at  whose  death  he  inherited  a  share  of  the 
estate.  !Mr.  Harden  bought  out  the  other  heirs,  and  the  farm  now  consists 
of  eighty-nine  acres,  and  has  been  deeded  to  his  son,  Delbert. 

On  Dec.  31,  1856  Mr.  Harden  married  Miss  Ellen  Matilda  Hutchins, 
daughter  of  Osmer  and  Caroline  (  Powell )  Hutchins,  and  two  children  have 
been  born  to  this  union :  Fidelia  and  Delbert.  Fidelia  married  C.  L.  Pierce, 
of  Waterford  township,  and  they  have  two  sons,  Harry  and  George.  Mrs. 
Eilen  ]\Iatilda  Harden  died  Aug.  28,  1900,  aged  sixty-one  years.  Her  par- 
ents were  natives  of  New  York,  and  came  to  Racine  county  in  1845,  locating 
in  W^aterford  township,  where  they  engaged  in  farming.  INIr.  Hutchins,  lo- 
cated near  Owosso,  Mich.,  where  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land,  and  there 
died,  when  past  middle  life.  His  widow  still  survives  him,  and  is  ninety-two 
years  old.  They  had  two  children :  Fidelia,  who  married  Thomas  Hall,  and 
lives  near  Woodland,  Cal. ;  and  Ellen  Matilda. 

Theodore  Harden  is  politically  a  Republican.  He  has  taken  a  great  in- 
terest in  educational  matters  in  his  township,  and  was  school  treastu"er  for  a 
term  of  twenty  years.  He  is  greatlv  esteemed  in  Waterford  for  his  many 
sterling  traits  of  character,  and  is  considered  one  of  Racine  county's  good  cit- 
izens and  representative  men. 

Delbert  Harden,  who  owns  the  old  homestead,  has  shown  those  same 
qualities  that  made  his  father  successful,  and  he  is  an  enterprising  and  ener- 
getic young  farmer.  He  married  Matilda  Frederickson,  and  they  have  one 
■child,  Ellen.  i\Irs.  Matilda  (Frederickson)  Harden  was  born  in  Raymond 
township.  Racine  county,  July  2,  1872,  daughter  of  James  and  Carrie  (Lar- 
son) Frederickson,  natives  of  Denmark,  who  came  to  America  in  1866,,  land- 
ing in  Racine,  July  5th  of  that  year.  They  rented  a  farm  in  Raymond  town- 
ship, and  later  removed  to  W'aterford,  Wis.,  where  they  purchased  a  home,  in 


COMAIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  355 

which  they  still  reside.  They  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  seven  of  whom 
are  still  living:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Robert  Johnson,  of  Racine;  Peter,  a  car- 
penter of  Rochester  village;  Carl,  a  farmer  of  Rochester  township;  I-'rank,  a 
carpenter  of  Rochester;  John,  unmarried;  Samuel,  a  farmer  in  Rochester; 
Matilda,  wife  of  Mr.  Harden;  and  Carrie,  who  died  in  infancy. 

DR.  GEORGE  WASHINGTON  STONE,  Jr.,  a  leading  veterinary 
surgeon  of  Burlington,  Wis.,  is  well  known  to  the  citizens  of  that  city  as  a 
man  of  business  ability  and  professional  skill.  He  was  born  June  7,  1S55, 
at  East  Troy,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis.,  son  of  George  W.  and  Mary  L.  (Fland- 
ers)  Stone. 

Dr.  Stone  went  from  his  native  place,  with  his  parents,  to  Hilburn,  Wis., 
which  place  was  known  in  early  history  as  Jennings'  Mill,  later  to  Waterford, 
and  thence  to  Burlington,  where  he  arrived  in  1871.  He  attended  the  academy 
at  Rochester  and  the  High  school  at  Burlington,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
years,  began  learning  the  blacksmith's  trade,  also  reading-  veterinary  science. 
After  completing  his  trade,  he  traveled  about,  and  worked  for  the  Ottawa 
Iron  Company,  at  Ferrysburg,  Mich.,  for  about  a  year.  From  there  he  went 
to  Sparta,  working  at  his  trade  for  a  time,  and  then  removed  to  Big  Bend, 
Waukesha  Co.,  Wis.  Mr.  Stone's  next  location  was  Prospect  Hill,  and  while 
there  he  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  veterinary  medicine.  He  accepted 
a  position  with  the  Northwestern  Sleigh  Company,  manufacturers  of  sleighs 
and  carriages,  and  was  with  this  firm  about  four  years,  after  which  he  en- 
gaged in  introducing  the  spiral  spring  buggy  through  the  Northwest  for  the 
Spiral  Spring  Buggv'  Company,  of  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.  Dr.  Stone  then  re- 
turned to  \Vaukesha,  and  embarked  in  the  practice  of  veterinary  medicine. 
From  there  he  went  to  Park  Ridge,  Cook  Co.,  111.,  to  accept  a  position  as 
veterinary  on  the  stock  farm  of  James  A.  Murphy,  of  Chicago.  This  posi- 
tion he  held  one  year,  and  then  resigned  to  open  an  office  at  Des  Plaines,  Ills., 
where  he  practiced  successfully  for  seven  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
removed  to  Mukwonago,  Wis.,  and  there  practiced  his  profession  and  en- 
gaged in  the  retail  drug  business.  He  left  there  in  1902  to  come  to  Burling- 
ton, where  he  has  since  resided,  and  practiced  his  profession  very  successfully. 

On  Feb.  22,  1877,  Dr.  Stone  married  Miss  Margaret  Catherine  Mc- 
Kenzie,  daughter  of  John  D.  and  Eliza  (Vass)  McKenzie,  and  to  this  union 
have  been  born  two  children,  Charles  McKenzie  and  Grace  Lestina.  The 
Doctor  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Fraternally 
he  is  connected  with  Spring  City  Lodge,  No.  46.  Knights  of  Pythias,  of 
Waukesha,  Wis.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Modern  W^oodmen  of  Amer- 
ica. Mukwonago  Camp.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  served  as  a  dele- 
gate to  the  State  Convention  of  -1904,  which  nominated  Robert  M.  LaFollette 
for  governor.  Mr.  Stone  has  never  desired  political  office.  He  resides  on 
Amanda  street,  where  he  has  a  fine  residence. 

JAMES  E.  SPENCER,  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  Kenosha  coun- 
ty. Wis.,  residing  on  his  farm  in  Section  8.  was  born  in  that  county  in  what 
was  then  known  as  Pike  township,  now  Somers  township.  Dec.  9,  1846,  a 
sen  of  Ambrose  and  ^lartha   (Evans),  Spencer. 


356  COMMEMORATl\E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

The  first  uf  the  Spencer  lamilv  u>  locate  in  America  was  William  Spencer, 
who  came  irum  England  in  1(^31  and  settled  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  although 
he  evidently  returned  to  England  to  marry  his  wife,  Alice,  m  1633.  He  was 
counted  a  prominent  man  at  Cambridge  in  1634-35  and  afterward  was  one 
of  the  fn-st  settlers  in  Hartford,  Conn.  He  had  two  brothers,  Jared  and  1  hom- 
as   who  came  to  America  some  years  later  than  William,  the  first  settler. 

it  only  requires  tracing  to  our  subject's  paternal  great-grandfather  to 
lind  a  Revolutionary  patriot  in  the  person  of  Asa  Spencer,  who  was  m  the  fifth 
o-eneration  from  the  first  William.  It  is  proved  by  records  that  Asa  Spencer 
served  faithfully,  and  was  a  personal  friend  of  Washington  and  also  of  Thomas 
Jefferson,  and  as  he  was  a  man  of  prominence  we  can  easily  believe  that  on 
many  occasions  he  exchanged  views  on  i.ublic  questions  with  these  great 
statesmen  of  our  country's  early  days. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Spencer  was  the  well  known  Judge 
James  B.  Spencer,  who  was  born  in  Salisbury,  Conn.,  and  moved  in  an  early 
day  to  Fort  Covington,  Franklin  Co.,  N.  Y.  He  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
there,  and  for  years  a  prominent  man  and  political  leader  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  State,  holding  many  important  offices,  at  one  time  being  in  the  Cus- 
tom House,  as  collector.  He  was  a  representative  in  the  State  and  National 
Legislatures  and  was  an  eminent  member  of  Bar  and  B.ench.  He  served  with 
distinction  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  was  staunch  Democrat.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  1848,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  He  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Spencer  left  a  large  family,  eight  sons 
and  two  daughters.  He  resided  in  Mississippi  at  the  time  of  the  birtip  of  his 
daughter,  Martha,  the  mother  of  Mr.   Spencer. 

Ambrose  Spencer  was  born  in  New  York  and  was  an  early  settler  in 
Kenosha  county,  coming  here  in  1842,  and  buying  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Sec- 
tion 8,  Somers  township,  where  he  reared  his  family.  He  died  on  this  farm 
in  1886,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  In 
his  young  manhood  he  was  on  a  Government  vessel,  a  man-of-war,  in  which 
he  crossed  the  ocean  a  number  of  times.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  in 
1850,  he  married  (second)  ArVilla  Woodward,  a  native  of  Vermont,  who 
died  in  1893.     In  religious  belief  she  was  a  Methodist. 

Two  children  were  born  to  Ambrose  and  Martha  Spencer :  James 
E.,  of  this  sketch;  and  William  H.,  of  Seattle,  Wash.  The  children  of  the 
second  marriage  were,  Walter  A.,  of  Kenosha ;  Clark  W.,  of  Appleton,  Wis. ; 
Florence,  wife  of  Lafayette  Owen,  of  Burlington,  Wis. ;  and  Watson  B..  of 
Racine. 

James  E.  Spencer  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Somers  township, 
and  obtained  his  early  education  in  the  district  schools,  later  attending  a  semi- 
nary at  Richmond,  Mich.,  and  a  commercial  college  at  Racine.  He  lived  at 
home  until  he  reached  his  majority  and  then  bought  his  present  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  which  he  has  continued  to  improve  until  the  present  day. 

Mr.  Spencer  was  married  Sept.  24,  1872.  to  Miss  Helen  A.  demons, 
daughter  of  Hosea  demons,  and  they  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter :  James 
C,  Estella,  Ambrose  and  Edgar.  James  C.  who  is  a  carpenter  in  Kenosha, 
married  .-Kmelia  Longmore ;  Estella  died  aged  seventeen  years,  and  Ambrose 
(lied  aged  two  and  a  half  years;  Edgar  lives  at  home.     Mrs.  Spencer  died  in 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  357 

1S95,  aged  forty-twt)  years.     She  was  a  much  beloved  wcunan  in  her  neigh- 
borhood and  was  a  consistent  memljer  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

On  Oct.  27,  1898,  Mr.  Spencer  was  married  (second)  to  Miss  Mary  L. 
Rhodes,  daughter  of  Jonas  W.  and  Carohne  (Rutan)  Rhodes,  natives  of  Sus- 
sex county,  N.  J.  The  father  came  West  in  1842  and  the  mother  in  1843, 
in  which  year  they  were  married  at  Vernon,  N.  J.  They  settled  in  what  was 
then  known  as  Pike  township,  now  Somers  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  and 
the  father  followed  farming  and  was  also  well  known  as  a  stock  and  wool 
buyer.  He  died  in  1891,  aged  seventy  years.  His  widow  who  still  survives, 
is  now  eighty-five  years  of  age.  Of  their  eight  children  the  survivors  are: 
Anna,  wife  of  Dr.  F.  H.  Longley,  of  North  Platte,  Neb. ;  Mary  L.,  wife  of 
James  E.  Spencer;  and  Kitty  Clyde,  wife  of  Charles  Mitchell,  of  Milwaukee. 

William  Jonas  Rhodes,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Spencer,  was 
a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  was  a  farmer  and  surveyor.  His  first  wife  was 
named  Catherine  Roe.  Mrs.  Spencer's  maternal  grandfather,  Abraham  Rutan, 
was  born  in  New  Jersey,  and  in  early  life  was  a  blacksmith,  later  a  farmer. 
He  died  in  New  Jersey  when  over  seventy  years  of  age.  He  married  Anna 
Courter,  and  they  had  eleven  children,  the  survivors  being:  Caroline,  mother 
of  Mrs.  Spencer;  Abraham,  of  Sussex  county,  N.  J.;  Elizabeth,  widow  of 
William  Faber,  of  Unionville,  N.  Y. ;  Julia,  Mrs.  Ferguson,  a  widow,  of  Pater- 
son.  N.  J. ;  Catherine,  widow  of  Nicholas  Faber,  of  Sussex  county,  N.  J. ;  and 
Charlotte  widow  of  John  Moore,  of  Canandaigua,  Mich.  The  maternal  great- 
grandfather, Abraham  Rutan,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He 
married  Rebecca  Rutan.  They  were  of  Dutch  extraction,  their  ancestors  com- 
ing to  America  from  Holland. 

James  E.  Spencer  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  has  served  as  town  clerk  for 
the  past  nine  years.  He  is  president  of  the  Farmers'  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Company,  having  been  a  director  for  a  long  period.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  He  belongs  to  the  fraternal  order  of  Wood- 
men. 

GEORGE  MEADOWS,  who  is  well  known  among  the  citizens  of  Bur- 
lington township.  Racine  county,  has  for  a  number  of  years  lived  retired  in  the 
city  of  Burlington.  He  was  born  in  Lancashire.  England.  June  19.  1841.  son 
of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Greenwood)  Meadows,  both  of  whom  were  born 
in  England.  The  paternal  grandfather,  also  named  George,  was  a  manufac- 
turer.    He  attained  old  age,  as  did  also  his  wife. 

George  Meadows,  our  subject's  father,  was  a  manufacturer  in  England, 
and  was  superintendent  of  a  large  cotton  factory.  He  came  to  America  in 
1841,  and  locating  in  Hartford,  N.  Y.,  near  Utica,  carried  on  manufacturing. 
There  he  remained  six  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  removed  to  Rome. 
N.  Y..  renting  a  cotton  factory  with  his  brother.  William.  They  continued 
to  operate  until  their  factory  was  destroyed  by  fire,  when  Mr.  Meadows  came 
to  Wisconsin — some  time  in  the  fifties.  Settling  on  a  farm  on  the  Kenosha 
road,  three-quarters  of  a  mile  south  of  Burlington,  in  Racine  county,  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  127  acres.  When  he  located  there  the  railroad  had  not  vet 
been  built,  and  when  it  was  put  through  Mr.  Meadows  sold  out  to  the  rail- 
road company  and  removed  to  Lyons  township,  Walworth  county,  purchas- 
ing a  farm  of  285  acres,  upon  which  he  lived  until  the  spring  of  1870.  when 


358  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

he  came  to  Burlington.  Here  he  died  in  1885,  aged  eighty  one  years.  His 
wife  survived  him  until  1887,  and  was  eighty-three  years  and  live  months  old 
at  the  time  of  her  death.  Both  were  Methodists.  They  had  a  family  of  ten 
children  of  whom  the  eldest,  Sarah,  married  Thomas  Basto,  and  died  m 
Holyoke,  Mass. ;  'Ms.vy  married  Eranklin  Xims,  and  died  in  Burlington,  Wis. ; 
two  children  died  in  infancy,  Martha  and  John  Thomas,  in  New  York  State; 
six  are  still  living,  as  follows :  Ellen,  the  widow  of  [Matthew  Winpenny,  of 
Burlington;  Ann,  the  wife  of  Charles  R.  Norton,  of  Albert  Lea,  Minn.; 
William,  of  Burlington;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  H.  I.  Hawkes,  of  Burlington; 
John,  of  Lyons  township,  Walworth  county;  and  George. 

George  ^Meadows  was  an  infant  in  arms  when  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  and  he  passed  his  early  years  in  New  York,  when  eight  years  old  com- 
ing thence  to  Racine  county.  Here  he  lived  until  fourteen  years  of  age,  when 
he  went  with  his  parents  to  Walworth  county,  where  he  grew  to  manhood, 
being  reared  on  his  father's  farm.  He  attended  the  district  schools  and  lived 
at  home  until  grown,  and  then  hired  out  to  his  father  at  $150  per  year  and 
hoard.  He  and  his  brother  John  later  rented  their  father's  farm,  which  they 
carried  on  for  three  years.  At  this  time  John  Meadows  married,  and  George 
rented  the  farm  alone,  in  1870  purchasing  the  place,  which  he  still  owns.  He 
himself  cultivated  the  farm  until  1902,  in  which  year  he  moved  to  Burlington, 
where  he  purchased  the  beautiful  home  where  he  has  since  resided,  retired 
from  active  labor. 

On  March  16,  1870,  George  Aleadows  married  Miss  Emma  Hand, 
daughter  of  Nathan  B.  and  Marcia  K.  (Cowles)  Hand,  and  one  daughter 
has  been  born  of  this  union,  Nellie  Marcia,  w-ho  married  Melvin  S.  Bresee,  lives 
in  the  village  of  Lyons,  and  has  two  children.  Pearl  Marguerite  and  Frank 
Melvin.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meadows  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  of 
which  he  is  steward  and  trustee.  Mr.  Meadows  is  strictly  a  temperance  man, 
and  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  Good  Templars  Society  of  Lyons.  In 
political  matters  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  served  for  twelve  years  as  school 
trustee. 

Jesse  Hand.  Airs.  [Meadow's  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  son  of  Abraham 
Hand  and  a  native  of  New  York.  He  was  a  cabinetmaker  by  trade,  and  owned 
a  sawmill,  having  timber  of  his  own  to  make  up.  He  married  Lucy  Cowles, 
wdio  became  the  mother  of  twelve  children.  They  came  from  New  Lebanon 
to  Walworth  county.  W'is..  in  the  early  days  of  this  section.  He  died  at  the 
age  of  sixty-two,  his  wife  living  to  be  eighty-two  years  old.  Nine  of  their 
large  family  were  living  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Jesse  Hand  was  drafted  in 
the  war  of  1812,  but  at  the  examination  he  was  released  and  went  back  home. 
At  that  time  his  family  consisted  of  three  children. 

Nathan  B.  Hand,  Mrs.  Meadow's  father,  was  a  native  of  New  York.  He 
was  tlie  seventh  child  and  sixth  son  in  his  ]3arents  family,  and  was  born  T"ne 
i."^.  1818.  in  New  Lebanon.  Columbia  county.  Coming  to  Walworth  county. 
Wis.,  in  1840.  with  a  capital  of  $100  in  gold,  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land 
from  the  government,  which  after  improving  he  sold  to  purchase  a  160-acre 
tract,  where  he  resided  most  of  bis  time  till  bis  death.  At  the  age  of  fourteen 
he  liecame  a  Christian,  his  church  home  being  the  [Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
In  September.  1842.  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Marcia  K.  Cowles.  like 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  359 

himself  a  native  of  New  York,  whence  she  came  to  Wisconsin.  In  1848  Mrs. 
Marci.'i  K.  (Cowles)  Hand  died,  leaving  two  children:  Ellen  M.,  wife  of 
John  Meadows,  and  Emma,  wife  of  our  subject,  the  two  sisters  marrying 
brothers.  The  year  following  Mrs.  Hand's  death  Mr.  Hand  went  to  California. 
He  returned  to  Wisconsin  in  1851,  and  on  Sept.  25,  1851,  he  was  married  to 
Caroline  Hand,  of  Saratoga  Springs.  X.  Y.  By  this  marriage  six  children 
were  born,  five  sons  and  one  daughter :  Charles,  Frank,  Edwy,  Rupert,  Joe  and 
Harriet.  His  second  wife  died  Nov.  2^,  1878,  and  in  December.  1879,  he 
married  Mary  A.  Hand,  of  Elkhorn,  Wis.     He  died  April  2^.  1888. 

Moses  Cowles,  the  maternal  great-grandfather  of  Mrs.  Meadows,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  in  which  he  served  for  seven  years.  Dur- 
ing tiiat  time  he  received  a  permit  from  Gen.  Washington  to  return  home  on 
account  of  a  great  calamity,  his  home  having  been  destroyed  by  fire.  He  had 
left  his  wife  and  three  children  behind.  She  went  to  a  spring  to  get  some 
water,  and  when  she  returned  found  her  home  in  flames,  the  fire  destroying 
her  and  the  three  children.  Mr.  Cowles  was  married  after  his  discharge  to 
Phoebe  Alexander,  and  they  had  four  children,  of  which  Moses,  Jr..  was  the 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  George  Meadows.  Moses  Cowles,  Jr.,  was  married  three 
times,  first  to  Pamela  Fellows,  by  whom  he  had  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 
The  mother  of  Mrs.  George  Meadows  was  one  of  the  children  of  this  marriage. 

CHARLES  H.  WILLERTOX,  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  and  old 
settlers  of  Kenosha  county,  Wis.,  residing  in  Section  27,  Pleasant  Prairie 
township,  was  born  May  25.  1821,  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  a  son  of  Will- 
iam and  Ann   (  Nidd )   Willerton. 

Both  parents  of  Mr.  Willerton  were  born  in  England.  They  had  a  family 
of  sixteen  children,  of  whom  six  died  in  infancy,  Charles  H.  being  the  fifteenth 
in  order  of  birth  and  the  only  survivor.  The  father  was  a  farmer  in  Lin- 
colnshire. England,  where  his  father  died,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  died  there 
too,  the  former  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years  and  the  latter  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three.     Both  were  members  of  the  Church  of  England. 

Charles  H.  \\'illerton  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  England  and  received  his 
education  in  his  native  locality.  He  then  became  a  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store- 
and  in  a  few  years  engaged  in  a  mercantile  business  of  his  own  at  Ramsey, 
Huntingdonshire,  continuing  same  for  two  years,  when  he  sold  out,  in  1853 
coming  to  America.  For  two  years  he  lived  in  Madison  county,  N.  Y.,  but 
in  1855  he  came  to  Wisconsin,  first  buying  four  and  one-half  acres  of  land  in 
Pleasant  Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  which  he  later  sold  to  Walter 
Dexter.  He  lived  on  that  tract  for  ten  years  and  then  l»ught  his  present  place 
of  eighty  acres,  which  he  cleared  and  improved,  and  which  is  now  one  of  the 
fine  farms  of  the  township. 

Mr.  Willerton  was  married  Aug.  26.  1851.  in  London,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Ellen  Willerton.  daughter  of  John  and  Martha  Willerton.  They  had  four- 
sons  and  one  daughter  born  to  them,  viz. :  \\'illiam  Henry,  John  Charles. 
Alfred,  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  William  Henry  owns  a  farm  in  South 
Dakota,  not  far  from  Hawarden,  Iowa;  he  married  (first)  ]\Iiss  r^Iary  Martin, 
who  died  and  left  one  son,  Arthur,  and  (second)  Elizabeth  Simmons.  John 
Charles,  who  lives  at  Waukegan,  111.,  married  Tane  Baird.  and  thev  have  two- 


300  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

children,  Charles  Henry  and  Earl.  Alfred  farms  the  home  place;  he  married 
Sarah  liaird,  and  they  have  two  daughters,  Ruth  Eleanor  and  Jane  Louise. 
Mrs.  Charles  Willerton  died  in  1867.  Mr.  Willerton  was  married  (second) 
in  1869  to  Miss  Mary  Sanders,  who  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  died  in  1891. 
Mr.  Willerton  is  a  leading  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican.  For  the  past  fifty  years  he  has  been  one  of  the  prominent 
men  of  his  township,  and  has  seen  it  developed  from  a  wilderness  into  a  fine 
farming  country. 

HENRY  E.  ZIMMER]MAXX,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Standard 
Democrat  and  Dcr  Standard  Deinokrat,  of  Burlington,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of 
Wisconsin,  born  in  Oconomowoc  Oct.  27,  1865,  son  of  Henry  and  Ernstina 
(Wolfgram)   Zimmermann,  of  Stettin,  Province  of  Pomerania,  Germany. 

Henry  Zimmermann  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and,  coming  to  America  in 
1856,  followed  his  trade  in  Oconomowoc,  Wis.,  where  he  died  June  15,  1898, 
aged  seventy-five  years.  His  wife,  Ernstina  Zimmermann,  died  Sept.  5, 
1905.  They  were  Lutherans  in  religious  faith.  Of  their  family  of  seven 
children,  four  still  survive:  Mathilda,  wife  of  Edward  Goetsch,  of  Algona, 
Iowa;  Martha,  wife  of  Charles  A.  Backstrom,  of  Milwaukee,  Wis.;  Henry  E. 
of  Burlington;  and  Laura,  wife  of  Charles  F.  Hintz,  of  Oconomowoc. 

Henry  E.  Zimmermann  was  reared  in  Oconomowoc,  where  he  attended 
the  public  and  parochial  schools.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  commenced 
to  learn  the  printer's  trade,  which  he  has  followed  ever  since.  He  l>egan  on 
the  Wisconsin  Free  Press,  published  at  Oconomowoc,  going  thence  to  Juneau, 
Wis.,  with  the  Juneau  Telephone,  after  which  he  worked  in  various  newspa- 
per and  job  offices  in  Milwaukee.  He  then  made  a  trip  West,  and  in  1887 
returned  to  Wisconsin,  and  worked  in  Waukesha  for  a  year  and  a  half,  being 
foreman  on  the  Waukesha  Journal.  In  Decemljer.  1888,  he  purchased  the 
Standard  Democrat,  of  Burlington,  and  in  1896  started  Der  Standard  Demo- 
krat,  a  German  weekly,  both  of  which  papers  he  still  continues  to  publish. 
Mr.  Zimmermann  also  engages  in  job  printing. 

On  March  28,  1888,  Mr.  Zimmermann  married  Miss  Hattie  A.  Warner, 
daughter  of  William  D.  and  Julia  E.  (Brown)  W^irner,  and  six  children  were 
born  to  this  union:  Louis  H. ;  Lorena,  who  died  in  infancy;  Ermina  E. ; 
Warner  A. ;  Gladys,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three  years ;  and  Ethel.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Zimmermann  also  have  an  adopted  daughter,  Lillie,  a  daughter  of  Mrs. 
Zimmermann's  sister,  Mrs.  Lillie  Edwards. 

Mr.  Zimmermann  is  a  member  of  St.  John's  Lutheran  Church,  of  which 
he  is  president,  and  was  trustee  of  same  for  some  years.  His  wife  attends  tlie 
Plymouth  Congregational.  He  belongs  to  the  Teutonic  Society,  which  owns 
the  Opera  House  in  Burlington,  and  for  eight  years  served  as  president  of  the 
Teutonic  Society,  and  manager  of  the  Opera  House.  He  was  village  clerk 
for  two  years,  was  then  elected  supervisor  of  the  village  for  five  consecutive 
years,  was  chairman  of  the  town  of  Burlington  for  two  years,  and  was  again 
elected  citv  supervisor  in  1902.  an  office  which  he  held  until  he  resigned,  Jan. 
I.  1906.  He  was  chairman  of  the  Racine  county  board  of  supervisors  in  1905. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  building  committee  of  the  new  County  Asylum,  com- 
pleted in   1905.  '      .      -     -      -j 


CO^niElNIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  361 

JOSHUA  H.  WHITE,  a  retired  carpenter  of  Kenosha,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  that  place  for  the  past  sixty  years,  and  since  1892  has  occu|3ied  his 
present  comfortable  home  at  No.  370  Dayton  street.  Like  many  of  the  early 
residents  of  this  section,  he  migrated  from  New  York  State,  where  his  ances- 
tors were  pioneers. 

Daniel  White,  his  father,  was  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and  there 
passed  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He  ran  a  distillery  in  Oneida  county  until 
it  burned  down,  and  afterward  followed  various  pursuits.  In  iS^i  he  came  to 
Wisconsin,  settling  in  Kenosha,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  davs,  dy- 
ing there  Sept.  4,  1863,  aged  seventy-three  years,  ten  months,  thirteen  days.  He 
was  a  young  man  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  181 2  and  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in  that  conflict.  He  married  Polly  Jones,  also  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  born  May  10,  1794,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  thirteen  children, 
seven  sons  and  six  daughters,  iive  of  whom  still  survive,  viz. :  Frank,  of 
Kenosha;  Joshua  H. ;  Jane,  wife  of  Burton  Saun,ders,  of  New  Brunswick.  N. 
J.:  Eliza,  widow  of  James  Pell,  a  resident  of  Kentucky;  and  James,  of  Trin- 
idad. Colo.  The  mother  remarried  after  the  father's  death,  becoming  the  wife 
of  Thomas  Fulger,  and  she  passed  awav  Jan.  7,  1874.  Like  Mr.  White  she 
was  not  identified  with  any  particular  religious  denomination,  but  thev  were 
people  who  earnestly  believed  in  and  endeavored  to  do  right,  and  they  reared 
their  children  to  observe  the  same  principles. 

Joshua  H.  White  was  born  Feb.  10,  1830.  in  Rome.  Oneida  Co..  N.  Y., 
and  passed  his  early  years  in  that  neighborhood,  living  in  West  Rome  until 
he  was  fifteen  years  old.  He  attended  school  during  the  winter  season  when 
school  was  held,  and  during  the  summer  worked  around  at  whatever  employ- 
ment was  suitable  for  his  age.  However,  he  assumed  sole  responsibility  for 
his  support  at  an  early  period  in  life,  being  only  fifteen  when,  in  184s,  he  came 
out  to  Wisconsin.  He  settled  at  Kenosha,  where  he  has  made  his  home  con- 
tinuously to  the  present  time,  a  period  of  sixty  years,  and  where  he  is  now 
regarded  as  a  deservedly  respected  citizen.  He  worked  out  for  two  vears.  and 
then  began  to  do  carpentering,  following  that  business  until  the  year  1903, 
since  when  he  has  lived  retired.  In  1892  be  Ixiilt  his  present  home  at  No. 
370  Dayton  street,  which  he  owns.  Mr.  White  has  given  all  his  time  to  busi- 
ness affairs,  taking  no  part  in  public  life  or  politics,  th.ough  he  is  a  staunch  Re- 
publican. 

On  April  28.  1854.  Mr.  \Vhite  married  Miss  Margaret  Worth,  and  they 
have  had  two  children,  Caroline  Melissa  and  Lester  Hanson.  The  daughter 
married  Joseph  Holderness,  and  they  live  in  Kenosha ;  they  have  two  sons.  Les- 
ter and  George,  the  latter  of  whom  is  married  and  had  a  daughter — the  great- 
granddaughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joshua  H.  White — who  died  aged  five  years. 
Lester  H.  WHiite  is  a  resident  of  Cogswell.  N.  Dak.,  and  owns  the  great  En- 
villa  Stock  Farm  of  500  acres  two  miles  from  that  village,  raising  all  kinds  of 
fancy  thoroughbred  stock.  He  married  Miss  Anna  Swenick,  and  thev  have 
three  children,  Joshua  J..  Marjorie  and  George.  Mrs.  Joshua  H.  WHiite  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 

Jacob  Worth,  grandfather  of  ^Irs.  White,  was  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  where  the  family  has  been  located  for  a  number  of  generations.  Thev 
are  of  German  origin.     Jacob  W^i^rtli  ser\-ed  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revulutiomry 


362  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

war.  His  wife  was  a  Hess,  and  they  had  a  large  family.  Of  these,  Jacob 
Worth,  Mrs,  While's  father,  was  born  in  Schoharie  county,  N,  Y.,  and  he 
married  Nancy  Myers,  also  a  native  of  that  county,  whose  father  was  a  native 
of  New  York  State,  but  as  he  and  his  wife  died  when  Mrs.  White  was  only 
a  small  child  she  has  no  knowledge  of  them.  Jacob  and  Nancy  (Myers)  Worth 
were  the  parents  of  four  children,  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  of  whom  Mrs. 
White  is  now  the  only  survivor.  Her  brother  Henry,  who  died  in  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  in  March,  1904,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  war,  serving  three  years.  Mrs.  Nancy  (Myers)  Worth  died  when  her 
daughter  Margaret  (Mrs.  White)  was  very  young,  and  Mr.  Worth  subse- 
quently married  Catherine  Burst,  by  whom  he  had  three  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, four  of  whom  are  still  living,  all  being  residents  of  Baraboo,  Wis. ; 
Martha,  John,  Lansing  and  Daniel.  The  last  named  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  war. 

GEORGE  LIGHTER,  one  of  the  representative  men  and  excellent  farm- 
ers of  Kenosha  county,  Wis.,  resides  on  his  well  improved  farm  in  Section  21. 
Somers  township.  He  was  born  Feb.  20,  1859,  in  Racine,  Wis.,  son  of  Peter 
and  Barbara  (Lntz,  formerly  Lurtz)  Lichter.  Both  parents  were  natives 
of  Germany. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  George  Lichter,  John  Lichter,  died  in  Ger- 
many in  early  manhood.  He  was  a  mason  by  trade.  He  married  Margaret 
Bongard  who  lived  to  be  eighty  years  old.  They  had  these  children :  Cath- 
erine, deceased;  Catherine  (2),  wife  of  John  Schopp,  of  Chicago:  Anna,  wife 
of  Ferdinand  Schmitz,  of  Chicago ;  and  Peter,  of  Kenosha. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Air.  Lichter  was  Philip  Lurtz,  a  native  of 
Germany,  who  emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  Milwaukee,  where  he 
opened  up  one  of  the  early  brewing  plants.  He  married  Catherine  Schwert, 
and  they  both  died  in  Wayne  county,  Mich.,  aged  eighty  years.  They  had  two 
children  :  George,  decea,sed;  and  Barbara,  mother  of  our  subject.  By  a  former 
marriage,  to  a  Mr.  Meisner,  Mrs.  Catherine  Lurtz  had  six  children. 

Peter  Lichter  came  to  America  when  nineteen  years  of  age  and  went  to 
Wisconsin,  working  in  a  lumber  yard  at  Racine  for  several  years.  Two  years 
after  his  marriage  he  moved  into  Somers  township  in  what  is  known  as  Pike 
Woods,  where  he  made  a  first  purchase  of  eleven  acres  of  land.  To  this  he 
kept  adding  until  he  had  some  100  acres  which  he  later  sold  advantageously 
and  moved  into  Kenosha,  where  he  lived  for  the  last  six  vears  before  his  death. 
March  10,  1906.  He  was  a  worthy  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  as  is  his 
wife.  Peter  Lichter  married  Barbara  Lotz,  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
twelve  children,  eight  sons  and  four  daughters,  namely:  George,  of  Somers 
township:  Nicholas;  John;  Peter;  Frank;  Annie,  wife  of  Gust  Martins,  of 
Racine;  Mary,  wife  of  Henry  Roll,  of  Ellsworth,  Alinn. ;  the  others  died  in  in- 
fancy.    The  five  surviving  sons  all  live  in  Somers  township. 

George  Lichter  was  reared  up  to  strong  young  manhood  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Somers  township.  In  1881  he  made  a  trip  to  California  and  remained 
on  the  Pacific  coast  for  two  years,  working  with  the  civil  engineers  in  laying 
out  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.  After  his  return  to  Kenosha  countv  he 
married  and  remo\-ed  to  Noble  countv,  Minn.,  where  he  carried  on  farming  for 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  363 

sixteen  years,  but  then  came  back  to  Somers  township  and  bought  his  present 
farm  of  157  acres  on  which  he  has  resided  ever  since,  engaged  in  general  farm- 
ing and  stockraising. 

Mr.  Lichter  was  married  Feb.  25,  18S6  to  ]^Iiss  Mary  Soens,  of  Somers 
township,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary  Jane  (Leuker)  Soens.  Six  children 
have  been  born  to  this  union,  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely :  Frank, 
Magdalene,  Rosa,  Barbara,  Nicholas  and  Leo.  Barbara  died  aged  nine 
months.  The  others  are  all  under  the  parental  roof,  a  happy  family,  and  all 
belong  to  the  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Lichter  is  a  member  of  the  C.  O.  F.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Republican  and  while  in  ]\Iinnesota  he  was  a  member  of  the 
board  of  supervisors,  was  assessor  and  town  treasurer,  and  held  all  the  offices 
for  several  years,  faithfully  fulfilling  the  duties  of  each. 

The  parents  of. Mrs.  Lichter  were  natives  of  Germany  and  were  among 
the  very  earliest  settlers  of  Racine  county.  Wis.  They  were  married  at  Bur- 
lington, Wis.,  and  reared  a  family  of  eleven  children,  seven  sons  and  four 
daughters,  as  follows :  Catherine,  deceased,  wife  of  Frank  De  Grave ;  Will- 
iam, who  died  aged  eighteen  months;  Mathew,  who  died  at  Greenville,  Miss.; 
Michael,  of  Kenosha;  Margaret,  wife  of  ^Michael  Wiertz,  of  Racine;  John,  Jf 
Durango,  Colo;  Mary,  w'ife  of  George  Lichter;  Louis,  of  Mancos,  Colo; 
Henry,  of  Somers  township;  William,  of  Adrian,  Minn:;  Josephine,  wife  of 
C.  M.  Thoma,  of  Chicago.  Peter  Soens  owned  one  of  the  first  shoe  stores 
and  one  of  the  first  brick' houses  on  Main  street,  Racine.  He  died  in  18S4, 
aged  sixty-one  years,  and  his  wife  in  1895,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  The  pa- 
ternal grandfather  of  Mrs.  Lichter  was  William  Soens,  a  native  of  Germany 
who  came  to  Racine  county  when  it  was  only  an  Indian  frontier.  He  died 
at  Racine  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years.  In  his  own  land  he  was  a  farmer. 
He  married  Catherine  Dieterich.  On  the  maternal  side,  the  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Lichter  was  Bernard  Leuker,  also  an  early  settler  in  Racine  county,  who 
died  at  Burlington,  Wis.  and  his  wife,  five  daughters  and  one  son  are  all  de- 
ceased. 

JAMES  BOLTON,  of  the  firm  of  Bolton  &  Hanson,  proprietors  of  a 
meat  market  at  No.  417  Sixth  street,  Racine,  \\'is..  was  born  in  Westchester 
county.  N.  Y.,  Nov.  7,  1836,  son  of  James,  Sr.,  and  Jane  (Entelson)  Bolton, 
natives  of  Manchester,  England. 

James  Bolton,  Sr.,  was  a  finisher  in  a  bleaching  and  dyeing  establishment 
in  Bronxdale.  N.  Y.,  in  which  city  he  died  in  1857,  aged  fifty-six  years,  his 
wife  having  passed  away  in  1843.  Both  were  Episcopalians.  Of  their  familv 
of  fourteen  children  but  three  are  now  living,  namely:  John  E.,  of  Paterson, 
N.  J. ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  William  Wherry,  of  Allegany  county,  N.  Y.,  and 
James  of  Racine. 

James  Bolton,  son  of  James,  Sr.,  was  reared  in  New  York  State  and  there 
attended  the  public  schools.  When  fifteen  years  of  age  he  began  to  learn  the 
butcher  business,  which  he  has  followed  successfully  ever  since.  On  coming 
to  Wisconsin,  in  1856,  he  located  in  Racine,  working  at  the  butcher  business 
for  five  or  six  years  for  Osborn  &  Osgood.  In  1861  he  enlisted  in  Company 
K,  1st  Iowa  Cavalry,  and  served  three  years  and  four  months  as  a  private. 
Among  the  battles  in  which  he  participated  may  be  mentioned  the  following : 


364  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Prairie  GroNC,  Little  Rock  and  Saline  Ri\er.  After  the  war  he  returned  lo 
Racine,  and  here  he  has  lived  ever  since.  On  June  5,  1863,  Mr.  Bulton  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  Ann  McCourt,  and  seven  children  were  born  to  this  union : 
one  that  died  in  infancy;  Linda,  who  died  aged  six  years;  Frank,  who  died 
aged  three  years ;  Ered ;  George,  cashier  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Company, 
who  lives  at  home;  William,  wdio  taught  school  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
is  now  working  on  a  farm ;  and  Mary,  deceased  wife  of  a  Mr.  Kauffmaii.  Mrs. 
Mary  Ann  Bolton  died  in  the  faith  of  the  Baptist  Church.  Her  parents  were 
early  settlers  of  Racine,  were  Catholics  by  religion,  and  both  died  in  Racine 
county. 

Mr.  Bolton  married  (second)  Miss  Mary  Stewart  Beanston.  who  was 
the  daughter  of  Peter  Beanston,  and  to  this  union  has  been  born  one  ilaugh- 
ter,  Louise  Elizabeth,  a  teacher  in  the  Racine  public  schools.  Mr.  Bol- 
ton is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  belongs  to  Belle  City  Lodge, 
No.  92,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  to  Orient  Chapter  No.  12,  R.  A.  M.  Politically  he 
is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  as  school  commissioner  and  alderman.  He  is 
a  member  of  Governor  Harvey  Post.  G.  A.  R.  Mr.  Bolton  has  a  beautiful 
home,  built  by  him  in  1880,  at  No.  1800  Washington  avenue. 

RUFUS  SMITH,  whose  sterling  traits  of  character  were  such  as  to  win 
high  regard,  and  whose  death  was  deeply  lamented  throughout  Salem  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Fairfield  county.  Conn.,  April  26,  1819.  Mr.  Smith  came 
to  Wisconsin  in  1846,  and  located  in  the  town  of  Salem,  Kenosha  county, 
where  he  purchased  sixty  acres  of  land,  to  which  he  added  from  time  to  time 
until  he  owned  360  acres.  In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Smith  was  a  Repub- 
lican, and  though  he  was  never  an  active  politician  he  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace  of  his  township,  as  school  superintendent  under  the  township  system, 
and  was  also  at  one  time  supervisor.  His  public  and  official  duties  were  ever 
promptly  and  faithfully  discharged,  and  he  was  alike  true  to  every  private 
trust.  He  died  on  the  old  home  place  Aug.  12,  1886,  and  his  widow,  who 
still  survives,  makes  her  home  on  the  old  farm. 

Rufus  Smith  married  Julia  A.  Jessup,  who  was  born  in  Greenwich, 
Fairfield  Co.,  Conn.,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  seven 
of  whom  are  now  living :  ( i )  Nelson  served  in  the  Civil  war,  as  a  ninety- 
day  man,  a  member  of  Company  C,  33d  Wis.  V.  I.,  and  died  in  the  Army 
Hospital  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  (2)  Emma  is  the  widow  of  A.  W. 
Foster,  of  Salem,  Wis.  (3)  Seymour,  a  farmer  and  ranchman  of  Inez,  Neb., 
married  Hattie  Hartnell,  and  they  had  seven  children,  Howard,  Ada,  Julia, 
Charles,  Estelle,  Ruth  and  Nina.  (4)  Ann  married  Thomas  Bisho]).  a  re- 
tired farmer  and  president  of  the  l)ank  at  Pleasant  Dale,  Neb.,  and  is  the 
mother  of  nine  children,  Carlton,  Clarence,  Nelson  Edward,  Julia,  Emery, 
Florence,  Rufus,  ?klau(l  and  Ralph.  (5)  Jane  married  Monroe  Wicks,  a 
farmer  of  Salem  township,  and  has  two  children,  Verna  and  Vera.  (6) 
Adaline  married  Robert  Patterson,  a  real  estate  agent  of  Burnett,  Cal..  and 
they  have  five  children,  Mabel  I.,  Robert  E.,  Ella,  Leland  and  Marian.  (7) 
George,  a  real  estate  dealer  of  Burlington,  ^\'is..  married  Amelia  Runkel, 
and  has  two  children,  Fred  and  Llovd.      (8)   Frank  F.  is  mentioned  below. 


^^Cct^^  ei^W^^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  365 

(9)  Harvey  died  in  infancy.  (10)  Harvey  G.  died  unmarried  at  the  age  of 
twenty-nine.      ( 1 1 J    Mora  JLlell  died  aged  three  years. 

Joel  Smith,  father  of  Rufus,  was  also  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  died  in  Norwalk,  Fairfield  Co.,  Conn.,  aged 
about  sixty-three  years,  while  his  wife,  Nancy  (St.  John)  Smith,  lived  to 
be  about  seventy  years  of  age.  They  had  two  daughters  and  one  son,  all  now 
deceased,  viz.:  Julia,  who  married  William  Weeks;  Phebe,  who  married 
James  Weeks ;  and  Rufus.     The  Smiths  were  of  English  stock. 

Mrs.  Rufus  Smith  was  a  daughter  of  Jonathan  Jessup  and  a  granddaugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Jessup,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  a  boat  captain,  who  was 
drowned  when  in  middle  life.  Samuel  Jessup  married  Catherine  Ferris,  and 
they  had  a  large  family  of  children.  After  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Jessup 
married  (second)  Paris  Robbins.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Rufus 
Smith  was  John  Weed,  a  native  of  Connecticut.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  lived 
to  the  remarkable  age  of  103  years,  while  his  wife,  Jane,  died  at  the  age  of 
sixty.  They  had  quite  a  large  family.  Jonathan  Jessup,  Mrs.  Smith's  father, 
also  a  native  of  Connecticut,  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade.  He  died  in  his 
native  place,  Greenwich,  Conn.,  aged  sixty-five  years,  his  wife  following  him 
to  the  grave  four  or  five  years  later,  aged  about  sixty  years.  They  had  four 
children,  all  of  whom  are  still  living:  Julia  A.,  who  married  Rufus  Smith; 
Louisa,  the  wife  of  Samuel  Hopkins,  of  Connecticut;  Paris,  of  Connecticut; 
and  Mary,  the  widow  of  Major  Wescomb,  of  the  same  State. 

Frank  F.  Smith  is  one  of  the  leading  farmers  and  influential  citizens 
of  Kenosha  county.  He  resides  upon  a  finely  cultivated  tract  of  land  in 
Section  5,  upon  which  farm  he  was  born  Aug.  22.  1858,  son  of  Rufus  and 
Julia  A.  (Jessup)  Smith.  Mr  Smith  was  reared  on  the  farm  which  his 
father  settled  in  Salem  township,  and  his  education  was  obtained  in  the 
district  schools,  which  he  taught  for  some  time.  His  farm,  which  is  finely 
cultivated,  consists  of  370  acres,  and  includes  the  Alexander  Bailey  farm  of  130 
acres,  which  adjoins  the  village  of  Salem.  The  village  of  Salem  is  built  on 
part  of  the  original  Alexander  Bailey  farm.  His  farm  compares  favorably 
with  any  other  in  the  township,  being  well  supplied  with  the  latest  machinery 
and  with  good,  substantial  farm  buildings. 

On  Nov.  20,  1887,  Mr.  Smith  married  Miss  Grace  S.  Curtiss,  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  and  Mary  (Orvis)  Curtiss,  and  two  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union,  Elvira  and  Rachel.  Politically  Mr.  Smith  is  independent,  and 
he  has  never  sought  ofiice,  caring  nothing  for  public  life.  He  is  one  of  the 
popular  citizens  of  Salem  township,  being  a  progressive  and  public-spirited 
man,  and  a  worthy  descendant  of  ancestors  who  braved  the  rigors  of  pioneer 
life  in  Wisconsin,  and  with  courage,  judgment  and  brawny  muscle  converted 
the  virgin  soil  of  Salem  township  into  one  of  the  most  fertile  sections  of  the 
county. 

Charles  Curtiss,  father  of  Mrs.  Grace  Smith,  was  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  and  her  mother  was  born  in  Vermont.  They  came  West  when  young 
people,  and  were  married  June  17,  1847,  in  Salem  township.  There  Mr. 
Curtiss  engaged  in  agricultural  operations,  living  on  a  large  farm  of  over 
four  hundred  acres,  until  his  death,  which  nccurretl  March  31,  1872,  at  the  age 
of  fifty-two.      Mrs.   Curtiss   surviverl  her  husliand   until  Jan.    24,    1902,   and 


366  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

was  almost  eightv-nne  at  the  lime  of  her  death.  They  had  a  family  of 
four  children,  all  of  whom  are  still  living,  as  follows:  Anna  L.  married  John 
\V.  Sheen,  and  is  the  mother  of  six  children,  Clarence  J.,  Mary  A.,  J.  Wray, 
Grace  B..  Leora  M.  and  Willis,  who  live  at  Trevor,  in  Salem  township;  Hon. 
Walker  M.  Curtiss,  of  Salem  township,  is  mentioned  elsewhere;  B.  May,  the 
wife  of  lohn  E.  Turnock.  has  two  sons,  Charles  E.  and  Reuben  A.,  also  of 
Trevor,  Salem  township;  and  Grace  S.  is  the  wife  of  Frank  B.  Smith.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Curtiss  were  good  Christian  people,  but  members  of  no  church.  Po- 
litically Mr.  Curtiss  w-as  a  Republican. 

Nehemiah  Curtiss,  grandfather  of  I\Irs.  Smith,  was  born  in  17S2  in 
New  York,  of  English  descent,  and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  mar- 
ried Lucina  Hubbell.  who  was  born  in  1784,  and  whose  ancestors  came  from 
England  on  the  "Mayflower."  Both  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  he  dying  July 
24.  1845,  sntl  she  in  1873.  They  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  two  sons  and 
six  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  now  deceased. 

The  Orvis  family  came  originally  from  England,  and  Waitstill  Orvis, 
the  great-grandfather  of  IMrs.  Smith  on  the  maternal  side,  was  a  native  of 
Massachusetts,  born  in  1755.  He  died  Oct.  11,  1823.  He  was  married  Dec. 
17,  1777,  at  Brattleboro,  Vt.  (then  in  the  State  of  New  York),  to  Elizabeth 
Church,  who  was  born  in  1757  in  Westtield,  Mass.,  and  died  Sept.  12.  1832. 
Their  son,  John  Mills  Orvis,  Airs.  Smith's  grandfather,  was  born  Dec.  18, 
1790,  in  Hinsdale,  Vt.,  and  came  West  to  Wisconsin  with  his  wife  and  family 
at  an  early  day.  settling  in  Salem  township,  Kenosha  county,  where  he  spent 
the  rest  of  his  life.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  On  Aug.  19,  181 1,  he 
married  Anna  Larabee,  of  Guilford,  Vt.  who  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of 
ninety-three  years,  dying  June  12,  1888,  at  Salem,  Wis.  They  had  three 
daughters  and  one  son  who  grew  to  maturity :  Jane  married  John  Osgood,  a 
farmer,  wdiile  living  in  Salem  township ;  in  later  years  they  moved  to  Delmar, 
Iowa,  in  which  State  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  years,  living  to  an  ad- 
vanced age.  Eliza  married  Capt.  John  Tuttle,  who  was  in  service  on  the  lakes 
for  about  sixteen  years,  being  mate  on  the  schooner  "Edward  Sackett",  which 
took  the  first  cargo  of  grain  down  Lake  Michigan ;  later  he  came  to  Salem,  Wis., 
and  located  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  H.  McVeigh,  where  he  ran  a  sum- 
mer resort;  Capt.  and  Mrs.  Tuttle  both  reached  advanced  age.  Mary  mar- 
ried Charles  Curtiss  and  became  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Smith.  Charles,  a 
farmer,  married  Bethia  Selleck,  and  died  some  years  ago;  his  wife  is  still 
li\-ing  on  their  home  farm  in  Salem  township. 

DANIEL  WILLIAMS,  a  pioneer  of  Kenosha  county,  has  been  a  wit- 
ness to  its  wonderful  transformation  from  the  log  cabin  days,  when  the  coun- 
try was  sparsely  settled,  to  the  present  with  its  numerous  towns,  fine  country 
houses,  schools  and  churches  and  highly  cultivated  farms.  He  was  torn  in 
Llandinham,  Montgomeryshire,  Wales,  Feb.  14.  T824.  son  of  Lewis  and 
Sarah   (Jones)  Williams,  also  natives  of  Wales. 

The  only  facts  known  about  the  paternal  grandparents  of  Daniel  Williams 
are  that  they  were  natives  of  Wales  and  carried  on  farming  in  Radnorshire. 
On  the  maternal  side,  his  grandfather  was  Daniel  Jones,  a  farmer,  who  car- 
ried on  his  occupation  in  Wales.     The  name  of  his  wife,  who  survived  him 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  367 

seme  years,  is  lost,     They  had  four  sons  and  three  daughters.     Richard,  Ed- 
ward, Daniel,  Thomas,  Sarah,  Elizabeth  and  Mary. 

Lewis  Williams,  father  of  Daniel,  came  to  America  in  1842  with  his  wife 
and  six  children,  leaving  Newtown  May  10th  and  going  by  canal  to  Liver- 
pool. They  sailed  from  that  port  in  the  good  ship  "Cornelius,"  on  the  i^th 
of  May,  and  were  six  weeks  and  six  days  making  the  trip.  There  were  about 
sixty  persons  on  the  passenger  list,  some  of  whom  went  to  Canada,  while 
thirty-five  or  forty  came  on  West  to  what  was  then  called  Racine  county, 
landing  at  Southport  (now  Kenosha),  which  is  now  in  the  county  of  Keno- 
sha. Mr.  Williams  located  with  his  family  in  Paris  township,  where  he  took 
up  160  acres  of  Government  land,  later  adding  forty  acres  to  the  original 
tract.  He  kept  adding  to  his  farm  from  time  to  time,  and  finally  owned  300 
acres  of  finely  improved  land.  He  lived  for  many  years  on  Section  28,  and 
later  made  his  home  with  his  son  Daniel  for  fourteen  or  fifteen  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  returned  to  the  old  home,  where  he  died  Aug.  29,  1873, 
aged  about  eighty-two  years.  His  wife  died  Dec.  18,  1850,  aged  fifty-five 
years.  They  were  not  identified  with  any  particular  church,  but  were  reared 
in  a  Close  Communion  Baptist  community  in  the  old  country.  Mr.  Williams 
was  enlisted  for  the  Battle  of  Waterloo,  but  his  company  did  not  get  to  take 
part  in  that  great  battle.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  had  six  children,  namely: 
William;  Lewis;  Daniel;  Elizabeth,  who  was  the  wife  of  Richard  Davis; 
Thomas ;  and  Sarah,  who  died  unmarried.  All  of  these  children  are  now  de- 
ceased, with  the  exception  of  Daniel  our  subject. 

Daniel  Williams  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  to 
America.  His  education  was  obtained  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
country,  and  he  worked  on  a  farm  there,  and  since  coming  to  America  has  al- 
ways followed  farming.  Until  of  age  he  lived  at  home  with  his  parents,  and 
then  continued  to  work  on  his  father's  farm  until  about  twenty-nine  or  thirty 
years  of  age.  In  1853  he  purchased  the  farm  upon  which  he  now  resides, 
then  a  tract  of  160  acres,  and  he  has  lived  on  this  place  over  fifty-two  years, 
during  which  time  he  has  added  to  it  materially.  He  owned  at  one  time  as 
much  as  500  acres  of  land,  of  which  he  still  owns  350  acers. 

On  Oct.  16,  1857,  Mr.  Williams  was  married,  in  the  house  where  he  now 
li\-es,  to  Miss  Jane  Edmands,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Evans)  Ed- 
mands,  natives  of  Wales  who  came  to  the  United  States,  settling  in  the  town 
of  Paris  in  1852.  There  they  lived  a  number  of  years,  and  then  removed  to 
Gage  county.  Neb.,  where  they  took  up  Government  land  and  where  l^oth 
passed  away.  Two  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams,  Sarah 
Jane  and  Anna,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  when  six  weeks  old. 
Anna  became  the  wife  of  Edward  George,  by  whom  she  had  one  son.  Alfred 
Daniel,  who  died  March  25.  1904,  after  a  few  hours  illness,  while  attending 
college ;  he  was  a  bright  boy,  and  his  sudden  death  was  a  blow  to  his  mother 
and  a  great  shock  to  his  many  friends. 

Politically  Mr.  Williams  is  a  Democrat,  but  he  is  not  a  politician  in  any 
sense  of  the  word,  although  he  has  served  as  supervisor  and  held  numerous 
other  township  offices.  He  is  now  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  Kenosha 
county,  and  the  only  person  living  in  Paris  township  who  was  here  in  1842. 
The  trip  as  made  by  ^Ir.  \\^illiams  with  his  parents  from  New  York  was  via 


368        co:miMeaiorative  biographical  record. 

the  IJudson  river  to  Troy,  N.  Y..  and  thence  by  canal-boat  on  the  Erie  canal 
to  Llica,  where  they  lantied  on  the  4th  of  July.  The  boat  stopped  there  for  a 
short  while,  during  which  occurred  an  incident  which  Mr.  Williams  is  fond  of 
relating  to  this  day.  Some  young  men  were  firing  a  cannon  to  celebrate  the 
■"Glorious  Fourth"  and,  in  fun,  fired  a  paper  wad  at  the  boat.  The  paper  ball 
passed  between  Mr.  Williams  and  a  gentleman  w'ith  whom  he  was  conversing 
on  the  upper  deck,  and  struck  a  young  woman  in  the  breast,  knocking  her 
senseless.  She  was  not  injured,  however,  and  regained  consciousness  quickly. 
The  rest  of  the  trip  was  made  by  way  of  the  Great  Lakes.  At  Mackinaw  the 
boat  took  fire,  but  by  hard  work  the  flames  were  extinguished  without  dam- 
age worth  mentioning,  the  event  occasioning  considerable  excitement,  how- 
ever. The  boat  finally  reached  Southport  safely,  making  dock  some  time  in 
the  latter  part  of  July,  1842. 

Although  past  his  eighty-first  year  Daniel  \\'illiams  is  quite  strong  and 
rugged  and  is  in  full  possession  of  all  of  his  faculties.  He  is  a  good  conver- 
sationalist and  entertainer,  but  besides  this  has  many  other  admirable  quali- 
ties, being  above  all  a  man  of  honor  and  integrity,  highly  esteemed  by  his 
neighbors  and  acquaintances.  He  is  as  well  posted  on  early  events  as  on  cur- 
rent happenings,  and  being  one  of  the  pioneers  who  have  helped  to  develop  the 
country  his  history  shotild  be  imperishably  preserved  for  the  benefit  of  the 
coming  generations.  He  is  one  of  that  class  of  sturdy  Welsh  stock  with  which 
one  cannot  help  but  be  impressed  favorably,  on  account  of  their  individuality 
and  independence  of  character.  Of  such  material  are  pioneers  made.  Mr. 
Williams  may  well  be  termed  a  self-made  man.  as  he  has,  through  his  own 
industry  and  good  management,  succeeded  in  the  afifairs  of  life  and  accumu- 
lated a  competency  for  old  age.  He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  intelligent 
and  practical  farmers  of  Kenosha  county,  and  would  be  a  credit  to  any  com- 
munity in  which  his  lot  might  be  cast.  His  wife  has  been  his  faithful  help- 
mate during  all  his  struggles,  and  justly  deserves  to  share  the  respect  and 
esteem  accorded  her  husband,  with  whom  she  has  trod  the  path  of  life  for 
forty-eight  happy  years. 

FRANK  G.  HARTXELL,  of  Brighton  township,  Kenosha  county,  was 
born  June  17,  1855.  on  the  same  farm  where  he  now  lives,  son  of  John  and 
Eliza  (Kerley)  Hartnell,  natives  of  Dorsetshire.  England,  and  is  one  of  the 
representative  farmers  of  his  county. 

John  Hartnell  was  the  only  child  of  his  parents.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  John 
Hartnell,  who  were  also  of  English  birth.  They  accompanied  their  son  when 
he  came  to  America  in  1843,  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  Brighton  township,  where 
both  died,  the  father  reaching  the  age  of  more  than  eighty  years.  After  com- 
ing to  Wisconsin  John  Hartnell,  the  son,  bought  160  acres  of  land  to  which  he 
added  later  until  he  had  a  farm  of  360  acres,  all  well-improved.  He  came  to  be 
one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  township,  and  organized  the  Brighton  Farmers 
Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company,  of  which  he  was  made  president.  Before 
leaving  England  he  had  married  Eliza  Kerley,  one  of  the  three  children  born 
to  her  parents :  her  father  died  in  England  in  middle  life.  John  and  Eliza 
Hartnell  had  eight  children:  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  William  Stevens,  of  Bristol 
township;  Thomas  ]..   deceased:  Harriet,   :\Irs.   S.   S.   Smith,  of  Nebraska; 


^i(yL4J  Jf:A^yvO  JO^ 


CO-M.MEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  369 

Richard  K.,  of  Clackamas,  Ore.;  Mary,  deceased  wife  of  George  Jordan,  of 
Somers  township;  Erank  G. ;  Frances,  late  wife  of  Samuel  Alunsen;  and  Clar- 
ence, of  Oregon.  The  family  attended  the  Alethodist  Episcopal  Church.  John 
Hartnell  died  April  14,  1888,  aged  sixty-nine  years,  and  his  wife  Dec.  5,  1893. 

Erank  G.  Hartnell  has  spent  his  whole  lite  on  the  family  homestead.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  then  gave  his  entire  attention 
to  the  work  of  farming.  He  has  added  to  his  father's  farm  until  he  now  owns 
400  acres  in  Section  34.  He  had  eighty  acres  more,  but  sold  that  tract  in 
1904.  Success  has  crowned  all  his  elTorts,  and  he  ranks  high  in  the  com- 
munity. Mr.  Hartnell,  wdio  is  a  Republican,  has  always  been  interested  in 
public  affairs,  and  he  served  one  term  as  chairman  of  the  Brighton  town  board. 

Mr.  Hartnell  was  married,  March  29,  1883,  to  Clara  A.,  daughter  of 
N.  M.  and  Elizabeth  (Castle)  Burgess.  They  are  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren, all  at  home :  Lora  Belle,  Olive  Elizabeth,  Hazel  H.,  Nettie,  Miner, 
Alta  and  Floyd. 

Mrs.  Hartnell's  family  came  from  the  State  of  New  York.  Her  grand- 
father, Daniel  C.  Burgess,  who  was  born  there,  was  a  farmer  and  merchant. 
He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Salem  township,  but  died  in  Michigan  advanced 
in  years.  By  his  wife,  Sylvia  (Maynard)  Burgess,  he  had  three  children,  who 
went  West  with  him.  One  son,  N.  M.  Burgess,  is  still  living  in  Salem  town- 
ship ;  he  married  Elizabeth  Castle,  daughter  of  Hastings  Castle,  a  pioneer,  of 
the  village  of  Bristol,  and  to  their  union  came  two  daughters,  Mrs.  Hartnell 
and  Mary  Belle,  wife  of  Ollie  Castle,  of  California. 

JOHN  McBETH  (deceased),  a  native  of  New  York  State,  came  West 
with  his  father  when  a  boy,  and  settled  in  Yorkville  township,  Racine  county, 
at  an  early  date.  His  parents  were  Alexander  and  Elizabeth  (Morris)  Mc- 
Beth,  the  former  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  the  latter  of  the  North  of  Ireland. 
They  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Genesee  county,  N.  Y.,  where  their  chil- 
dren were  born.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McBeth  came  to  Racine  county  among  the 
pioneers,  settling  in  Yorkville  township,  on  120  acres  of  land.  Alexander 
McBeth  died  on  this  place  when  seventy-seven  years  of  age,  his  wife  surviv- 
ing him  several  years,  and  being,  eighty  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death. 
Of  their  family  of  seven  children  but  two  survive,  Daniel  and  Susan. 

John  McBeth  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Yorkville  township,  and 
there  attended  the  district  schools.  He  lived  at  home  until  grown,  and  after 
his  marriage  kept  the  county  farm  for  some  time,  later  becoming  town  clerk, 
a  position  he  ably  filled  for  a  period  of  sixteen  years.  He  then  became  route 
agent  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  Company  for  nine  years,  at 
which  time  he  made  his  home  in  Milwaukee.  Returning  to  Yorkville  town- 
ship, he  operated  a  farm  of  forty  acres  until  his  death,  Jan.  17,  1895,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-two  years. 

On  Feb.  28,  i860,  Mr.  McBeth  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Ann  Dore,  daugh- 
ter of  David  and  Elizabeth  (Graddige)  Dore.  Mrs.  John  McBeth  was  born 
in  Hartford,  Conn.,  Jan.  14.  1838;  her  father  was  a  native  of  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  a  railroad  engineer,  and  her  mother  a  native  of  Manchester,  Eng- 
land.    Of  their  five  children,  three  are  now  living:    Emma,  the  wife  nf  James 


370  COM^IEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Stone,  of  Oregon,  Dane  Co..  Wis.;  Mrs.  McBeth ;  and  Fannie,  the  wife  of 
George  McFarland,  of  Union  Grove. 

BENJAMIN  WEST  lives  upon  a  well  improved  farm  in  Raymond  town- 
ship. Racine  county,  which  was  the  homestead  of  his  father,  who  came  to  this 
locality  among  the  early  settlers.  The  family  has  been  settled  in  New  Eng- 
land for  several  generations  past,  Mr.  West's  great-grandfather,  who  was  the 
founder  of  this  branch  of  the  family  in  America,  having  come  hither  as  a 
missionary  from  his  native  country,  England. 

Thomas  West,  grandfather  of  Benjamin  West,  was  born  in  Massachus- 
etts. For  some  time  he  lived  not  far  from  Montpelier,  Vt..  and  was  in  the 
dairy  and  milk  business  there,  but  he  afterward  went  to  Canada  and  thence  to 
Wisconsin,  spending  the  latter  part  of  his  life  in  Franklin  township,  Milwau- 
kee county.  However,  he  was  buried  in  Raymond  township,  Racine  county. 
He  married  Mary  Davis,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  ten  children,  viz. : 
Julian,  Deborah,  Thomas,  Benjamin,  Eliza,  George,  Quincy,  .\lfred,  Derrick 
and  David. 

Thomas  West,  son  of  Thomas,  was  born  in  ^Massachusetts,  and  was  al- 
ways a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  was  cjuite  a  young  man  when  he  went  to 
Canada,  whence  he  migrated  to  Wisconsin,  landing  at  Milwaukee  Oct.  25, 
1848.  From  there  he  proceeded  at  once  to  Raymond  townshi]),  Racine  coun- 
ty, where  he  purchased  740  acres  of  land,  to  which  he  subsecjuently  added, 
and  there  he  reared  his  family.  He  devoted  all  his  time  to  the  improvement 
of  his  property,  and  was  not  only  a  successful  farmer  but  one  of  the  prominent 
citizens  of  his  locality  in  the  early  days,  serving  as  a  member  of  the  State  Leg- 
islature, as  well  as  in  local  office.  He  married  Hannah  R.  Phillips,  who  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  daughter  of  W'illiam  Phillips,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania 
and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  and  his  wife  died  in  Canada.  Thev  were 
the  parents  of  the  following  named  children :  Owen,  I\Iary,  Gideon,  and 
Hannah  R.  (Mrs.  Thomas  West).  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  West  were  liorn 
eleven  children,  namely :  Thomas,  of  Raymond  township ;  William  and  Tim- 
othy, deceased ;  George,  of  Raymond  Center.  Wis. ;  Gideon  and  David,  de- 
ceased ;  Owen,  of  Raymond  township ;  Derrick,  deceased ;  Stephen  and  Ben- 
jamin, both  residents  of  Raymond  township;  and  Rebecca  H.,  who  died  when 
twenty  years  old.  The  mother  of  this  family  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-fi\-e  years, 
in  February,  1876,  and  the  father,  who  survived  her.  lived  to  be  almost  eighty, 
dying  in  Iowa.  True  to  her  ancestry,  she  was  a  F^riend  in  religious  belief, 
and  ]\[r.  West  was  a  Free-W^ill  Baptist. 

Benjamin  West  was  born  Oct.  11,  1847,  in  Canada,  and  was  tlierefore 
only  a  little  over  a  year  old  when  his  parents  landed  at  Milwaukee.  His  home 
has  ever  since  been  in  Raymond  township,  and  there  he  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools.  Aiter  he  had  grown  up  he  left  home  to  go  to 
Iowa,  where  he  remained  sixteen  months,  but  he  returned  to  his  old  home  and 
has  settled  there  permanently  on  his  father's  old  homestead  to  whicli  he  fell 
heir  on  the  death  of  his  brother  Derrick,  who  willed  it  to  him.  It  consists 
of  160  acres  in  Section  15,  Raymond  township,  and  is  valuable  land,  judi- 
ciously improved  by  the  most  practicable  modern  methods.  Mr.  West  is  a 
useful    member  of  his  community  and  has  taken  his  part  in  the  discharge  of 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  371 

pulilic  duties,  having  served  eigliteen  years  as  town  clerk.  He  has  taken  an 
active  part  in  church  work,  he  and  his  wife  belonging-  to  the  Congregational 
Church,  in  which  he  has  served  as  Sunday-school  superintendent.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  identified  with  the  Republican  party. 

On  Thanksgiving  Day,  1871,  Mr.  West  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Esther  Law,  and  they  have  had  three  children,  Robert  B.,  Mary  Rebecca 
and  Derrick  W.  Robert  B.  West,  who  married  Miss  Emma  Halter,  is  a 
farmer  near  Franksville,  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  county.  Mary 
Rebecca  West  died  when  nine  years  old.     Derrick  W.  is  still  with  his  parents. 

Samuel  Law,  Mrs.  West's  grandfather,  w-as  born  in  England,  and  died 
there  when  nearly  ninety  years  old.  His  wife,  Mary  also  lived  to  advanced 
age  and  they  had  a  large  family.    He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation. 

George  Law,  son  of  Samuel,  was  born  in  England,  and  li\-ed  in  Ecton, 
Northamptonshire.  On  May  16,  1840,  he  was  marrietl  at  Lambert,  in  Sur- 
rey, to  Rebecca  Mansfield,  who  formerly  lived  at  Black  Heath,  a  suburl)  of 
London,  and  whose  parents,  Hugh  Mansfield  and  wife,  i^assed  all  their  lives 
in  England.  They  had  at  least  six  children.  Mr.  Mansfield  was  a  gardener 
by  calling.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Law  came  to  America  the  vear  of  their  marriage, 
and  for  the  first  few  years  after  their  arrival  lived  in  New  York  State,  in 
Delaware  county,  coming  West  to  Waukesha  county.  Wis.,  in  1848.  There 
Mr.  Law  carried  on  farming  for  many  years.  He  died  in  1899,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-five,  and  Mrs.  Law  passed  away  in  1894,  aged  seventy- 
four  years,  nine  months.  They  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  viz. : 
Charles,  now  a  resident  of  Milwaukee ;  Robert,  of  Neenah,  Wis. ;  Mary  Ann, 
widow  of  Anson  E.  Walker,  of  Kenosha:  and  Esther,  Mrs.  West.  Of  this 
family  Charles  and  Roliert  Law  and  Anson  E.  Walker  served  in  the  Union 
army  during  the  Civil  war. 

JOHN  EVANS,  a  member  of  the  firm  of  C.  B.  Gaines  Sons  Com])anv, 
of  Salem,  Wis.,  dealers  in  lumber,  hard  and  soft  coal,  lime,  doors,  windows, 
mill  feed,  hay  and  grains,  etc.,  is  one  of  the  progressive  and  public-spirited 
citizens  of  that  village.  He  was  born  in  Shropshire,  England,  Dec.  15,  1873, 
son  of  Edward  and  Hannah  Maria  (Rowland)  Evans,  also  natives  of  Eng- 
land. The  paternal  grandfather,  Edward  Evans,  was  also  a  native  of  Shrop- 
shire, England,  wdiere  he  farmed  all  of  his  life,  dying  there  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years.  Llis  wife  also  attained  old  a,ge.  Edward,  the  father  of 
John  Evans,  was  the  only  child  born  to  their  union.  On  the  maternal  side, 
John  Rowland  was  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Evans.  He  was  also  a  native  of 
Shropshire,  wdiere  he  ran  a  foundry. 

Edward  Evans  followed  farming  all  his  life.  In  1885  he  came  to  Ameri- 
ca, locating  in  Trevor,  Wis.,  where  he  engaged  in  that  occupation.  He  died 
in  1893,  ^?ed  sixty-fi\-e  years,  while  his  widow  still  survives,  and  hves  with 
her  son  John,  in  Salem.  Nine  children  were  born  to  them :  William,  of 
Trevor,  Wis.;  Mary,  wife  of  E.  D.  Shotlifif,  of  Bristol;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  O. 
Boughton,  of  Cromwell,  Ind. ;  Thomas,  of  England;  Sarah  Jane,  wife  of  Ed. 
Kirk,  of  Jackson,  Mont. ;  Annie  wife  of  Arthur  Barter,  of  Pleasant  Prairie, 
Wis.;  Edith,  a  teacher  of  Chicago;  John;  and  Catherine,  a  stenographer,  of 
Chicago. 


372  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

John  l'^\ans  li\-ed  in  liis  nati\-e  countr)-  until  eleven  years  old,  and  re- 
ceived his  tirst  schooling  there.  He  came  to  America  in  1884,  with  his  sis- 
ters Mary  and  Sarah,  growing  to  manhood  in  Trevor,  Wis.,  where  he  attend- 
ed llie  public  schools  and  he  was  sent  to  a  private  school  at  Rockefeller,  lii. 
Ele  worked  at  home  until  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  then  worked  out  on 
farms  and  in  a  canning  factory  until  1900,  when  he  became  a  partner  in  the 
firm  of  C.  B.  Gaines  Sons  Lumber  Company,  managing  the  branch  at  Salem. 
Here  he  has  since  continued,  and  it  is  largely  through  his  tireless  efforts  that 
the  firm  possesses  its  present  sound  financial  basis. 

On  Sept.  9,  1901,  Mr.  Evans  married  Miss  Emma  Gaines,  daughter  of 
C.  B.  and  Mary  (Ranyor)  Gaines,  and  one  daughter  has  been  born  to  this 
union.  Doris  Marie.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans  are  members  of  the  Salem  Metho- 
dist Church,  in  which  he  is  steward  and  trustee.  Lie  belongs  to  Washburn 
Lodge,  Xii.  143,  E.  &  A.  ]\1.,  of  Bristol,  and  to  Salem  Camp,  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America.     In  political  matters  he  is  a  Republican. 

EUGENE  R.  HEAD,  of  the  firm  of  Head  &  Simmons,  publishers  of  the 
Kenosha  Evening  Neii's  and  Telegraph  Courier,  of  Kenosha,  Wis.,  who  is 
also  dealing  extensively  in  Kenosha  real  estate,  was  born  in  that  city  Nov. 
16,  1866,  son  of  George  D.  and  Mary  Eliza  (Sexton)  Head,  the  former  of 
New  York  State,  and  the  latter  of  Brooklyn,  Ohio. 

Ralph  Head,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Eugene  R.  Head,  was  the  eld- 
est of  eleven  sons,  and  was  born  near  L^tica.  N.  Y.  He  engaged  in  wagon 
manufacturing,  and  died  in  New  York  State  in  1848,  aged  forty-eight  years. 
His  wife.  Eliza  Doolittle,  came  to  Kenosha  immediately  after  her  husband's 
death,  and  here  made  her  home  for  the  rest  of  her  life,  although  she  died  in 
New  York  State  while  on  a  yisit,  Nov.  5,  1866,  aged  over  sixty  years. 

The  Doolittle  family  dates  its  history  back  to  about  1640,  when  Abra- 
ham Doolittle  settled  in  Connecticut,  near  Waterbury.  The  old  spring  on  his 
old  homestead  is  still  in  existence,  and  it  was  there  that  King  Philip  and  his 
warriors  came  for  water,  but  were  withstood  by  those  in  the  stockade. 

Capt.  Uri  Doolittle,  great-grandfather  of  Eugene  R.  Head,  was  one  of 
the  youngest  soldiers  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  was  born  in  Watertown, 
Conn.,  Sept.  13.  1762,  and  he  enlisted  at  Waterbury,  Conn.,  serving  six 
months  and  six  days  actual  service  under  Col.  Baldwin  and  Cajit.  Richmond, 
and  was  honorably  discharged  on  account  of  wounds,  afterward  receiving  a 
])ension  from  the  Government.  He  was  presented  a  silver-handled  sword  bv 
his  friends,  the  handle  later  being  melted  and  made  into  teaspoons  for  his 
descendants  (our  subject  owning  one).  He  died  at  the  house  of  his  daugh- 
ter, Eliza  (Doolittle)  Head,  at  Paris  Hill.  N.  Y..  Sept.  10,  1848. 

On  the  maternal  side,  Mr.  Head's  grandfatlier  was  Aaron  Sexton,  who 
died  in  Brooklyn,  Ohio,  in  1839,  aged  twenty-five  years.  His  wife  was 
IMaria  Runals,  and  to  them  was  born  one  daughter,  Mary  Eliza.  After  her 
luLsband's  death  Mrs.  Sexton  married  again,  her  second  husband  beinsr  Sam- 
uel F.  Comstock,  by  whom  she  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  Two  nf  the 
sons  are  still  living.  Henry  and  Fred  S.,  both  of  Chicago. 

George  D.  Head,  the  father  of  our  subject,  came  to  Southport,  Wis., 
in  1846.  and  there  settled,  but  operated  a  store  at  Antioch,  111.,  for  one  year. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  373 

He  then  opened  a  grocery  store  in  Kenosha,  which  he  conducted  for  some 
years,  afterward  going  into  the  wagon  manufacturing  business  with  R.  E. 
Sutherland,  tlie  firm  being  known  as  Head  &  Sutherland.  This  business  was 
conducted  for  about  ten  years,  when  Mr.  Head  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness, which  he  continued  until  his  death,  doing  business  under  the  name  of 
the  Kenosha  Lumber  Company.  He  passed  away  May  19,  1906.  Mr.  Head 
served  as  alderman,  city  treasurer,  school  commissioner  and  county  super- 
visor. He  and  his  wife  had-  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living',  as 
follows :  Kittie,  the  wife  of  E.  S.  Wilson,  of  Oshkosh,  Wis. ;  Eugene  K., 
of  Kenosha;  Ida  Belle,  the  wife  of  Frank  Pearson,  of  Chicago,  111.;  Daniel 
O.,  of  Kenosha;  and  Frederick  S.,  of  Winters,  Cal.  Those  deceased  were: 
Frances  M.,  who  died  in  infancy;  Bertha  E.,  who  died  aged  twenty  years; 
and  Henry,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Eugene  R.  Head  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Kenosha.  He  attended  the 
public  and  high  schools  and  then  went  into  the  lumber  office  of  his  fatner, 
as  bookkeeper,  studying  under  the  instruction  of  Mr.  Sutherland.  He  con- 
tinued there  for  thirteen  years,  and  then  purchased  the  Telegraph  Courier 
and  the  Kenosha  Evening  Nczt's,  which  he  conducted  alone  for  one  year,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  he  associated  with  him  Mr.  G.  P.  Hewitt,  with 
whom  he  remained  in  partnership  four  years.  At  the  end  of  this  time,  Mr. 
Samuel  S.  Simmons  purchased  Mr.  Hewitt's  interest  in  the  business,  and  the 
firm  has  since  remained  Head  &  Simmons.  Mr.  Simmons  is  the  editor,  Mr. 
Head  the  manager,  and  Mr.  Walter  T.  Marlatt  the  local  editor.  The  Tele- 
grapli  is  the  oldest  paper  in  the  Northwest,  having  been  established  in  Green 
Bay  in  1837  and  published  in  Kenosha  since  1839.  Mr.  Plead  is  also  in- 
terested in  a  real  estate  business,  and  in  the  past  three  vears  has  sold  some 
five  hundred  lots. 

On  June  26,  1889,  Mr.  Head  married  Miss  Mildred  R.  Lewis,  daughter 
of  L'rban  J.  and  Lucy  (Head)  Lewis,  and  three  children  have  been  born  to 
this  union:  Clarence  E.,  Bertha  Belle  and  Robert  Ledru.  Mr.  Head  is  a 
member  of  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  of  Red  Cross  Lodge,  No. 
85,  K.  P.;  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America;  and  of  the  Wisconsin 
Chapter,  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution.  In  1894  he  was  elected  an  alder- 
man, and  served  two  years,  and  he  was  afterward  water  commissioner  for 
fi\-e  years. 

CHARLES  MITCHELL  FINDLAY,  a  highly  esteemed  resident  and 
progressive  farmer  of  Salem  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  who  is  operating 
extensively  on  Section  15.  was  born  in  Forfarshire,  Scotland,  Nov.  21.  1869, 
son  of  William  and  Annie  (Mitchell)  Findlay.  natives  of  that  country.  His 
paternal  grandfather  died  in  Scotland,  in  middle  life,  while  the  maternal 
grandfather,  Charles  Mitchell,  a  butcher  of  Scotland,  died  tliere  at  an  ad- 
\'anced  age. 

William  Findlay,  father  of  Charles  M.,  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  Pie 
came  to  America  in  1869,  locating  in  Chicago,  where  he  died  in  1871.  aged 
about  thirty-two  years.  His  widow  went  back  to  the  old  home  in  Scotland, 
at  Forfar,  where  she  still  resides.  They  had  three  children :  Jessie,  of  For- 
far. Scotland;  Charles  M..  and  \\'illiam,  of  London,  England. 


374  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Charles  Mitchell  l''iiullay  was  reared  in  the  place  of  his  nativity  an.I 
there  obtained  his  education  in  the  common  schools.  The  year  of  his  birth 
he  came  to  America  with  his  parents,  returning  to  Scotland  in  1871  with  his 
mother.  In  1888  he  again  came  to  America,  and  settled  in  Champaign 
county,  111.,  living  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Clark,  some  Scotch  friends,  for 
five  years.  In  1S93  he  visited  in  Scotland  for  three  months,  but  then  came 
back  to  this  country  and  rented  a  farm  in  Salem  township,  Kenosha  county, 
Wis.,  for  two  or  three  years,  after  which  he  bought  his  present  excellent  farm 
of  eighty  acres. 

On  April  2,  1897,  ^Ir.  Findlay  was  married  to  Anna  Harding  Hart- 
nell,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Harding)  Hartnell,  and  they  have 
three  children:  Lucile,  Archie  and  Gladys.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Findlay  are 
members  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  in  which  he  is  steward.  Politically  he  is  a 
Republican,  and  he  is  serving  his  second  year  as  school  trustee. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Findlay  were  born  in  Dorsetshire,  England,  and 
came  to  America  in  1873,  settling  first  in  Kenosha.  About  six  months  later 
they  settled  in  Salem  township  and  now  live  in  the  village  of  Salem.  For 
many  years  Mr.  Hartnell  followed  the  carpenter's  trade,  but  he  is  now  re- 
tired from  activity.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartnell  reared  a  family  of  five  sons 
and  three  daughters,  viz.:  William  F.,  of  Stacyville,  Iowa;  Mary,  wife  of 
Charles  Haigh,  of  Cumberland,  Wis. ;  James,  deceased ;  Thomas,  of  Stacy- 
ville;,Bessie,  wife  of  William  Wood,  of  Withee.  Wis. ;  John,  of  Canton,  Ohio; 
Arthur,  of  Salem  township;  and  Anna  H.,  Mrs.  Findlay. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  P'indlay,  Abraham  Hartnell,  spent 
his  life  in  England.  He  was  a  carpenter.  On  the  maternal  side  the  grand- 
parents were  natives  of  Dorsetshire,  where  they  lived  and  died. 

NICHOLAS  DANIELS,  one  of  the  large  land  holders  of  Kenosha 
county,  owning  277I/2  acres  of  land  in  Brighton  township,  is  a  lifelong 
resident  of  the  vicinity,  born  in  that  township  Jan.  5,  1855,  a  son  of  Matthias 
and  Catherine  (Frey)  Daniels. 

Peter  Maximilian  and  Helena  Daniels,  grandparents  of  Nicholas,  were 
born  in  Germany  and  died  there ;  both  died  very  young.  They  had  four 
S(;ns  and  one  daughter. 

IMatthias  Daniels  was  born  in  Freilingen,  Rhein  Preussen,  Germany,  in 
1824.  He  came  to  America  in  1844  and  his  first  w'ork  was  on  a  canal  near 
Chicago.  I~rf)ni  there  he  came  to  Kenosha  and  took  up  eighty  acres  of  gov- 
ernment land  in  Brighton  township.  Later  he  bought  eighty  acres  more  and 
made  a  finely-improved  farm,  located  in  Section  11.  He  died  at  his  home 
Oct.  8,  1897,  and  his  wife  survived  him  until  .\pril  28,  1905.  She  was  a 
native  of  Weiskirchen,  Trier,  Germany,  and  was  born  March  25,  1830. 
Her  father.  Anthony  Frey.  a  miner  and  farmer,  died  in  Germany,  and  his 
wife  afterward  came  to  this  country ;  she  was  living  in  Franklin,  Milwaukee 
county,  Wis.,  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Mrs.  Daniels  was  one  of  a  large 
family.  The  children  born  to  Matthias  and  Catherine  Daniels  numbered 
thirteen,  viz. :  Helena,  wife  of  Hilliard  Karpen,  of  Hastings,  Minn. ;  Nich- 
olas: .Anthony  and  Jacob,  hnth  of  Brighton  township:  John,  of  Tomah,  Wis.; 
Matthew,  deceased;  Maximilian,  of    Silver    Lake,    Wis.;    Martin,    of    New 


co:\ime:morative  biographical  record.        375 

Colen,  Wis. ;  Eronica,  jNIrs.  Andrew  Weyer,  residing  near  Milwaukee ;  Bar- 
bara, who  died  when  twenty-three  years  old ;  Mary,  Mrs.  Martin  Schroeder, 
of  Chicago ;  and  two  that  died  when  young.  The  parents  of  this  family  were 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Politically  Matthias  Daniels  was  a  Demo- 
crat, and  for  many  years  he  served  as  town  supervisor. 

Nicholas  Daniels  was  sent  to  the  public  and  the  parochial  schools  and 
remained  at  home  the  first  sixteen  years  of  his  life.  He  then  began  to  work 
out  for  the  neighboring  farmers,  later  rented  a  farm,  and  finally,  in  i8g8, 
bought  160  acres  of  good  farming  land.  Some  years  later  he  inherited  117^^ 
acres  more,  adjoining,  from  his  uncle  Jacob  Daniels,  so  that  he  now  has  a 
large  farm,  all  well  under  cultivation,  and  has  become  one  of  the  substantial 
men  of  the  township. 

Mr.  Daniels  was  married  May  7,  1878,  to  Barbara,  daughter  of  Nicholas 
and  Susan  (Cass)  Kemp  and  four  children  have  been  born  to  them,  Alvena, 
Mary,  Louisa  and  Emil.  but  the  two  oldest  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Daniels 
and  his  wife  are  Catholics.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  views  and  a 
good  citizen,  doing  his  part  in  the  administration  of  local  affairs,  for  he  has 
l)een  road  overseer  about  twelve  years.  He  is  much  esteemed  by  his  neigh- 
bors and  is  one  of  the  worthy  citizens  of  Brighton  township. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Daniels  were  both  natives  of  Luxemburg,  came 
early  in  life  to  Wisconsin,  and  were  early  settlers  in  Kenosha.  They  mar- 
ried there,  and  Mr.  Kemp  was  a  general  merchant  in  the  town  for  some  years, 
but  later  went  to  Iowa,  where  he  carried  on  a  farm  near  Dubuque.  Return- 
ing to  Wisconsin,  he  continued  working  at  farming  and  was  located  near 
Kenosha.  From  there  he  moved  to  Port  Washington,  where  he  was  suc- 
cessively engaged  in  a  mercantile  business,  a  brewery  and  a  malt  house. 
He  died  there  July  28,  1888,  and  his  wife,  Susan  (Cass)  Kemp,  died  in 
1893,  aged  sixty-six.  They  had  four  sons  and  seven  daughters,  as  follows: 
Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Nicholas  Poull,  of  Lake  Linden,  Mich. ;  Barbara,  Mrs.  Dan- 
iels :  Catherine.  Mrs.  Joseph  Bosch,  of  Lake  Linden,  Mich. ;  Mary,  Mrs. 
Joseph  Gehlen,  of  Le  Mars,  Iowa;  John,  who  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen; 
Melchor,  of  Lake  Linden,  Mich.;  Michael,  of  Calumet,  Mich;  and  four  who 
died  in  infancy. 

The  paternal  grantlparents  of  Mrs.  Daniels  were  German  on  both  sides, 
and  died  in  Germany  when  advanced  in  years,  the  parents  of  eleven  chil- 
dren. Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (^Vagner)  Cass,  her  grandparents  on  the  ma- 
ternal sifle,  were  among  the  early  settlers  in  Kenosha,  where  the  former 
worked  as  a  blacksmith.  His  last  years  were  spent  in  retirement  in  Bri_gh- 
tnn  township,  and  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty.  His  wife  had  preceded 
him  long  before,  when  only  forty  years  of  age ;  she  was  the  mother  of  eleven 
children. 

FREDERICK  C.  FELDSHAU,  president  of  the  Kenosha  Pure  Ice  Com- 
pany, a  wealthy  and  influential  citizen  of  Kenosha,  Wis.,  was  born  in  Elens- 
1>urg,  Schleswig-Holstein,  Germany,  Jan.  15,  1866,  son  of  John  and  Mary 
(  Klink)  I'eldshau,  natives  of  Germany.  Mr.  Feldshau  is  originallv  of  Danish 
descent,  his  grandfather  Jacob  having  been  born  in  Denmark.  He  died  in 
Flensburg  at  an  old  age.     The  maternal  grandfather,  .August  Klink.  was  born 


3/6  COMMEJ^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

in  Flensburg,  near  the  city  of  Flensburg,  where  he  was  a  brass-smith.  He  died 
aged  about  ninety-tliree  years,  and  his  wife,  ]Mary,  passed  away  within  a  w  eel< 
of  liis  demise. 

John  Feldshau,  tlie  father  of  Frederick  C,  was  a  gardener  in  his  nntive 
country,  and  there  died  in  1880,  aged  sixty-one  years.  His  widow,  who  came 
to  America  in  1891,  still  survives  him,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years,  and  lives 
with  her  son  Frederick  in  Kenosha.  Both  the  parents  were  Luth- 
erans. John  Feldshau  was.  a  soldier  in  the  Danish  army  at  one  time.  He  and 
liis  wife  had  sixteen  children,  of  whom  thirteen  are  now  living,  and  we  have 
record  of  :  Carl,  of  Denmark ;  John,  deceased ;  Adolph,  who  died  in  Los  An- 
geles, Cal.,  in  1904;  Jacob,  who  died  when  seven  or  eight  years  old;  Ida.  the 
wife  of  George  Bauch.  of  Hamburg.  Germany ;  Lena,  the  wife  of  George 
Mecklenburg  of  Hamburg:  Andreas,  of  Flensburg,  Germany;  Henry,  of  Ken- 
osha. Wis. :  Frederick  C. ;  Eliza,  the  wife  of  Henry  Junke.  of  Kiel.  Germany ; 
Christian,  of  Flensburg,  Germany;  Frieda,  the  wife  of  Hans  Johnson,  of  Ken- 
osha county.  Wis. ;  Julia,  the  wife  of  Gust  Reidenback ;  and  Fritz  and  Hans,  of 
Kenosha. 

Frederick  C.  Feldshau  was  reared  in  Germany,  and  there  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  in  1883,  he  came  to  America, 
landing  at  Castle  Garden,  and  after  his  arrival  worked  at  boilermaking  in 
Hoboken,  Halifax,  New  York,  and  other  cities.  In  1886  he  returned  to  his 
native  country,  and  remained  until  1892,  having  been  impressed  into  the  Ger- 
man navy,  in  which  he  served  three  years.  In  1892  he  returned  to  America 
and  located  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  followed  faring, 
engineering  and  various  occupations  until  1896,  when  he  embarked  in  the  ice 
business,  in  which  he  has  continued  ever  since. 

On  Oct.  7,  1890.  Mv.  Feldshau  married  ]\Iiss  Anna  Hammer,  and  fi\-e 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union.  John.  Anna.  Julia,  Amanda  and  Ar- 
thur. ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Feldshau  are  members  of  the  English  Lutheran  Church. 
He  is  connected  with  the  Danish  Brothers  and  several  club  fraternities.  'Sir. 
Feldshau  and  his  family  make  their  home  at  No.  628  Pearl  street. 

ARTHUR  HENRY  PEACOCK,  a  much  esteemed  retired  farmer,  liv- 
ing in  Caldwell  village,  Waterford  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  was  born  in 
A^ernon  township,  Waukesha  county,  just  across  the  Racine  county  line,  Feb. 
8.  1846.  son  of  Henry  B.  and  ]\Iary  L.  (Cooper)  Peacock,  natives  of  Addison 
county,  Vermont. 

Benjamin  Peacock,  his  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  \'ermont  of  Scotch 
descent,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  a  patriotic  soldier  in  the  war  of  181 2. 
He  married  Clarissa  Wilcox,  who  died  in  1879,  aged  about  eighty  years,  he 
passing  away  in  1864,  when  sixty-five  years  old.  They  had  four  children: 
Henry  B..  deceased;  Mary,  who  married  Thomas  Gault,  and  settled  early 
in  Racine  county;  Melvin,  deceased;  and  Amelia,  who  married  ffarst")  David 
Cooper,  who  died  in  California,  and  (second)  Alfred  Talcott,  and  they  now- 
live  in  Waterford  township. 

-Asa  Cooper,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Air.  Peacock,  was  also  a  natfve 
of  A'ermont,  and  was  a  sailing  vessel  captain  on  Lake  Champlain  for  a  number 
of  years,  also  owning  a  farm  in  Addison  county.     He  was  a  captain  in  the 


c:^yz^u^  ^{y^a-accA 


COMMEINIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  ij-j 

State  militia.  Asa  Cooper  married  Lydia  O'Hearn,  who  died  aged  fifty  years, 
he  dying  at  the  close  of  the  Civil  war,  when  sixty-five  years  of  age.  Three 
of  their  sons  took  part  in  the  Civil  war,  William  S.  being  first  lieutenant  of 
Company  H,  in  a  Wisconsin  volunteer  infantry  regiment ;  Elwin  H.  a  private 
in  the  same  company ;  and  Charles,  an  orderly  sergeant  in  a  regiment  of  Iowa 
cavalry;  the  last  named  was  clerk  of  the  court  of  Waverly,  Iowa,  for  twelve 
years,  after  the  war. 

Henry  B.  Peacock  came  to  W'isconsin  when  about  twenty  years  of  age, 
and  spent  the  first  two  years  in  V^ernon  township.  His  father  then  purchased 
1 88  acres  in  W'aterford  township,  Racine  county,  and  divided  it  between  his 
two  sons,  Melvin  and  Henry,  and  there  Mr.  Peacock  continued  to  reside  until 
his  death  in  1897,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  His  wife  died  in  1885, 
aged  sixty-two  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Baptist  Church ;  she  was  formerly, 
however,  a  Congregationalist.  They  had  two  children :  Arthur  Henry  and 
Jennie,  the  latter  the  wife  of  Dalbert  Utter,  who  died  in  1905. 

Arthur  Henry  Peacock  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Waterford  township, 
and  attended  the  district  schools,  also  spending  one  term  at  Rochester 
Academy  and  one  year  at  Beloit  College.  He  taught  school  for  seven  winters 
in  the  district  schools,  farming  during  the  summer  months,  and  then  com- 
menced working  for  his  father,  later  doing  work  on  the  farm  on  shares. 
Upon  his  father's  death  he  inherited  the  farm,  afterward  adding  fifty  acres 
thereto,  and  now  owns  150  acres,  all  well  improved.  In  1902  he  rented  his 
farm,  and  since  that  time  has  lived  retired  in  his  fine  home  in  the  village  of 
Caldwell. 

On  Sept.  II,  1877,  Mr.  Peacock  married  Miss  Clara  Dewey,  daughter  of 
Homer  and  Eliza  (Woodcock)  Dewey,  and  one  daughter  has  been  born  to 
this  union,  Vinnie  B. ;  she  married  Robert  Fisher,  who  is  now  deceased,  and  by 
him  had  one  daughter,  Cathryn  Eliza.  Mrs.  Peacock  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  as  is  also  her  daughter.  Politically  Mr.  Peacock  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  he  was  school  director  and  school  clerk  for  a  numl:)er  of  years, 
and  is  supervisor  of  the  town  of  W'aterford  at  the  present  time. 

Homer  and  Eliza  (Woodcock)  Dewey,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Peacock, 
were  natives  of  Vermont,  and  still  live  in  Middlebury,  that  State.  He  is  a 
painter  by  trade.  They  had  two  children,  Clara  and  Ernest,. the  latter  of  East 
Middlebury.  Addison  Co.,  Vt.  Mr.  Dewey's  father,  Truman  Dewey,  was  a 
Vermont  farmer  of  Scotch  descent,  and  his  wife  was  Elizbeth  (Pratt) 
Dewey.  Both  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  They  had  a  family  of  seven  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  are  now  living:  Homer:  Ellen,  the  wife  of  Harvey  Mar- 
tm,  of  North  Orange,  Mass. :  and  Henry  S.,  of  the  Soldiers"  Home  at  Casper, 
Wyoming. 

Mrs.  Peacock's  maternal  grandfather  was  Almon  Woodcock,  also  a  na- 
tive of  Vermont  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  married  Susan  Arnold,  and 
died  when  he  was  fifty  years  old,  his  wife,  who  survived  him  a  number  of 
years,  being  seventy-five  years  old  when  she  passed  away.  They  had  a  family 
of  three  children,  two  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  Eliza  and  Almont. 

Mr.  Peacock  has  one  of  the  handsomest  homes  in  the  village  of  Caldwell, 
and  there  his  many  friends  will  always  find  a  hospitable  greeting.  He  is 
honest  and  upright,  and  for  his  many  sterling  traits  of  character  is  very  highly 


378  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

esteemed  throughout  the  village,  as  is  also  his  estimable  wife.     He  is  a  rep- 
resentative citizen  of  Racine  county. 

SALMON  E.  CPSON,  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  influential 
farmers  of  Bristol  township,  Kenosha  county,  who  is  cultivating  his  fine 
tract  on  Section  i,  was  born  in  Bristol  township,  on  the  farm  on  which  he 
now  resides,  July  31,  1842.  His  parents,  Salmon  and  Maria  M.  (Jackson) 
Upson  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  and  lived  at  Southington. 

jMr.  Upson  is  a  direct  descendant  of  Thomas  Upson,  the  founder  of 
the  family  in  tliis  country,  who  died  July  19,  1655.  He  and  his  wife,  Eliza- 
beth (Fuller),  were  of  Hartford  Colony  in  1635.  From  there  the  line  to 
Salmon  E.  Upson  is  traced  through  Stephen,  Thomas,  Timothy,  Ashbil  and 
Salmon. 

Ashbil  Upson,  grandfather  of  Salmon  E.,  was  Ijorn  at  Southington,  Hart- 
ford Co.,  Conn.,  May  18,  1763,  and  his  wife,  Mehitable  Castle,  at  \Vaterbury, 
New  Haven  Co.,  Conn..  Jan.  24,  1768.  They  were  married  Dec.  20.  1787;  he 
died  Dec.  10,  1834,  aged  seventy-one  years,  while  she  passed  away  at  Liberty, 
Susquehanna  Co.,  Pa..  Oct.  11,  i860,  aged  ninety-two  years.  I'hey  had  chil- 
dren as  follows,  all  born  at  Wolcott.  New  Haven  Co..  Conn.;  Allen,  born 
Sunday,  No\-.  30.  1788.  died  at  Springard,  Pa.,  Aug.  7,  1876  aged  nearly 
eighty-eight  years:  Freelove,  born  Monday,  h'eb.  7,  1791,  died  at  Wolcott, 
New  Haven  Co.,  Conn..  Feb.  28,  1842,  aged  fifty-one  years:  Julia,  born  at 
Wolcott.  Saturday,  Dec.  21,  1794,  died  at  Wolcott  Nov.  21  1813.  aged  eigh- 
teen years  eleven  months;  Lucy,  born  at  Wolcott.  Tuesday,  July  5,  1796,  mar- 
ried S.  W.  Truesdell,  of  Lawsville.  Susquehanna  Co.,  Pa.;  Ashbil  (2),  born 
Thursday,  Sept.  5,  1798,  married  Harriet  Hartson,  removed  to  Trumbull 
county,  Ohio,  and  died  March  13.  1831,  aged  thirty-two  years,  si.x  months; 
Selah,  born  Thursday,  Nov.  27,  1800,  married  Sally  Pardee,  of  East  Haven. 
Conn.,  removed  to  Oswego  county,  N.  Y.,  and  died  Dec.  29,  1839 ;  Salmon, born 
at  Wolcott.  Sept.  8,  1803,  married  Maria  M.  Jackson,  Nov.  26,  1835.  removed 
to  Bristol  township,  Kenosha  Co,  Wis.  in  June,  1840,  and  died  at  Streator.  111., 
March  30,  1882,  aged  seventy-eight  years,  six  months,  twenty-two  days;  Lo- 
mon,  born  Friday,  May  9,  1806,  married  Lucy  Carter,  of  Southington;  Clar- 
issa Emeline,  born  Friday.  May  9,  1809.  died  at  Wolcott,  Jan.  2-/.  1830.  aged 
twenty  years,  four  months. 

Salmon  Upson,  father  of  Salmon  E.,  was  reared  at  \\'olcott.  Conn.,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming,  and  when  a  young  man,  in  1832-33,  peddled  clocks  for 
Seth  Thomas  over  the  mountains  of  Pennsylvania,  accumulating  thereby  about 
three  thousand  dollars.  In  1837  he  came  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  gave  a  man 
$175  for  his  chances  on  his  claim,  which  Mr.  Upson  afterward  proved  up.  It 
then  contained  four  "eighties,"  or  320  acres.  He  returned  to  Connecticut,  and 
in  1838  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Legislature  of  that  State.  In  June,  1840. 
he  returned  to  Bristol  township  and  settled  on  his  claim,  moving  into  a  log 
house  built  by  Mr.  Mussey.  of  Indiana,  the  former  owner  of  the  land.  In  1841 
Mr.  Upson  built  a  large  frame  house  and  barn,  and  continued  to  make  improve- 
ments on  his  land  from  time  to  time.  In  addition  to  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising,  he  made  a  specialty  of  dealing  in  sheep  for  their  wool.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Wisconsin  Legislature  in  1860.  was  assessor  of  Bristol  for  one  venr. 


COAniEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  379 

was  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors  for  one  year,  side  supervisor  three 
years,  and  director  of  his  school  district  for  several  terms.  He  reared  his 
family  on  his  farm,  and  there  continued  to  live  until  his  death,  which  occurred, 
however,  in  Streator,  111.,  March  30,  1882,  while  he  was  on  a  visit;  he  was  in 
his  seventy-ninth  year.  His  wife  survived  him  until  Dec.  10,  1893,  when  she 
passed  away  aged  eighty-three  years.  They  were  members  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church.  While  in  Connecticut  Mr.  Upson  did  general  training  in  the 
State  militia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Upson  had  one  son  and  six  daughters,  as  follows : 
Julia,  the  wife  of  John  C.  Newbury,  now  living  at  Red  Cloud.  Nebr. ;  Alary,  the 
wife  of  Rempson  R.  Marsh,  of  Lisbon,  N.  Dak. :  Salmon  E. ;  Lucy,  the  widow 
of  A.  G.  Stonebreaker,  of  Red  Cloud,  Nebr. ;  Amelia,  the  wife  of  Charles  Cot- 
ting,  of  Red  Cloud,  Nebr. ;  Ellen,  who  died  aged  nineteen  years,  and  one  child 
who  died  young. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Salmon  E.  Upson  was  Orrin  Jackson,  a  na- 
tive of  Connecticut,  and  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  He  lived  at  Wolcott,  where 
he  died  in  middle  life.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Hannah  Frisbie, 
came  West  after  her  husband's  death  and  settled  in  Bristol  township,  with  six 
children,  all  now  deceased ;  she  was  buried  in  the  Bristol  cemetery. 

Salmon  E.  Upson  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Bristol  township, 
which  he  now  owns,  living  in  the  same  house  in  which  he  was  born.  He  at- 
tended the  district  schools,  and  lived  at  home,  working  for  his  father  until  the 
latter's  death,  when  he  took  the  management  of  the  farm,  inheriting  his  share, 
and  buying  out  the  interests  of  the  other  heirs  in  the  homestead.  The  farm 
now  contains  200  acres  of  finely  improved  land.  Mr.  Upson  was  married 
March  25,  1880,  to  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Butrick.  widow  of  Charles  Butrick,  and 
daughter  of  Charles  and  Ann  (Searls)  Bowen,  and  two  children  were  barn  to 
this  union :  Frank,  who  now  operates  the  home  farm,  married  Nellie  Alder- 
son;  Ellen  Elizabeth,  a  teacher,  lives  at  home.  Mrs.  Upson  had  one  son  by 
her  former  marriage,  William  Butrick.  who  died  aged  thirty  years,  leaving  a 
widow.  Alice  Hamilton,  and  three  children.  Nellie.  Clara  and  Charles.  Mrs. 
Upson  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Upson  is 
a  Republican,  and  he  served  as  school  director  for  two  or  three  years. 

Mrs.  L^pson's  parents  were  natives  of  New  York  State,  and  lived  in  Fort 
Ann  town,  Washington  county.  They  had  four  children :  Martha  Ann,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Boardman,  of  near  Topeka,  Kans. ;  Cornelia,  deceased ;  Sarah 
Eliza,  Mrs.  Upson;  and  Fannie,  the  wife  of  James  Crawford,  of  Rosecrans, 
111.  Charles  Bowen,  the  father,  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  He  and  his  wife 
and  three  children  came  West  to  Illinois  al:out  1863,  living  a  few  years  at 
Waukegan,  whence  they  removed  to  Kenosha,  Wis.,  where  they  spent  two  or 
three  years.  They  then  located  in  Rosecrans,  111.,  spending  about  four  years 
there,  and  thence  going  to  Diamond  Lake,  where  two  years  were  spent.  Airs. 
Bowen  made  her  home  in  Waukegan  and  Chicago  until  her  death,  which  occur- 
red Sept.  5,  1905,  while  she  was  on  a  visit  to  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Crawford,  in 
Rosecrans,  III.  Her  father  was  Abraham  Searls,  a  native  of  New  York,  a 
leather  and  shoe  manufacturer,  and  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  in  which  vear 
Mrs.  Bowen  was  born.  Mr.  and  Airs.  Searls  liad  two  children.  Airs.  Bowen 
and  Airs.  Catherine  Cah-in. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of' Airs.  Upson  was  Silas  Bowen,  a  shoe  manu- 


38o  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

factiirer  of  one  of  the  Eastern  States,  who  afterward  became  a  farmer.  He  was 
twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Sarah  Ann  Linn,  by  whom  he  had  nine  chil- 
dren, and  liis  second  Hannah  \^augiian,  who  bore  him  fourteen  children. 

CHARLES  CHOAK.  For  the  farmer  who  pursues  his  calling  scien- 
tifically and  with  due  regard  to  the  special  conditions  of  his  own  place,  there 
are  rich  returns  as  the  reward  of  his  industry.  One  of  those  who  has  thus 
laid  solid  and  enduring  foundations  on  which  he  has  reared  a  structure  of 
marked  success  is  Charles  Choak,  a  well-to-do  and  popular  farmer  of  Brighton 
township.  Kenosha  county.  He  is  of  Cornish  ancestry,  and  was  himself  born 
in  Cornwall,  England,  July  9,  1841.  a  son  of  William  and  Patience  (Harry) 
Choak. 

^^'i]liam  Choak  was  born  in  Cornwall  in  1819.  and  was  one  of  a  large 
family.  He  was  a  cabinetmaker  by  trade.  He  came  to  America  in  1855,  and 
making  his  way  West  settled  in  Wisconsin,  where  he  bought  160  acres  of 
farming  land  in  Brighton  township  and  remained  there  while  rearing  his  fam- 
ily. His  death  occurred  in  Yorkville  township,  Racine  county,  in  1903.  His 
wife  was  Patience  Harry,  born  in  Cornwall  in  181 1 ;  her  father,  John  Harry, 
a  merchant,  lived  and  died  in  his  native  England,  reaching  a  good  old  age. 
Mrs.  Patience  H.  Choak  was  one  of  a  small  family,  but  she  and  her  husband 
became  the  parents  of  many  children,  the  surviving  six  being  as  follows : 
Charles :  Lavinia.  widow  of  W.  G.  Hawker ;  William,  of  Burlington,  Wis. ; 
Louiesa.  Mrs.  T.  O.  Pratt,  of  Bloomington.  111. ;  Eugenia,  Mrs.  John  Welch, 
of  Yorkville.  Wis. ;  and  Laura,  wife  of  James  Dale,  living  east  of  Union  Grove. 
Emolene.  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  William  Andrews ;  and  John  and  Alfred 
are  deceased.  I\Irs.  Patience  H.  Choak  departed  this  life  in  1898.  She  and 
her  husl)and  were  both  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

Charles  Choak  was  brought  up  on  his  father's  farm  in  Brighton  township, 
and  was  educated  in  the  district  schools.  When  eighteen  years  old  he  enlisted 
in  Company  C,  ist  Wis.  V.  I.,  and  served  a  little  over  three  vears.  He  was 
at  Perryville,  Stone  River,  Chickamauga  and  all  through  the  Atlanta  campaign. 
At  Jonesboro,  near  Atlanta,  he  had  the  end  of  a  finger  shot  off,  but  otherwise 
came  back  uninjured.  He  was  mustered  out  in  the  fall  of  1864  and  returned 
home,  where  for  a  time  he  helped  his  father  on  the  farm,  but  after  his  marriage 
he  bought  his  present  property  and  has  made  his  home  there  ever  since.  It 
consists  of  186  acres,  the  original  purchase,  and  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  township.  Mr.  Choak  deals  quite  extensivelv 
in  cattle.  He  is  a  man  of  unusual  intelligence  and  possesses  many  fine  traits 
of  character  which  make  him  very  popular  among  his  neighbors. 

On  April  17.  1868,  JNIiss  Charlotte  E.  Weaver  became  the  wife  of  Charles 
Choak.  and  their  wedded  life  has  been  blessed  with  four  children,  (i)  Evared 
Sylvester,  who  lives  at  home,  married  Ella  Andrews,  and  has  two  children, 
Violet  and  Forrest.  (2)  Elmer  Eugene  died  when  nineteen  years  old.  (3) 
Florence  Nellie  married  Lewis  Hawkins,  and  has  three  daughters.  Ethel, 
Gladvs  and  Velma,  and  lives  in  Kansasville,  Wis.  (4)  Floyd  Hiram  is  at 
home  unmarried.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Choak  were  reared  in  the  Methodist 
faith.     Mr.  Choak  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.,  belonging  to  the  Grand 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  381 

Lodge  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin  and  to  Racine  Chapter.  R.  A.  AI.     PoHticaily 
he  is  a  Republican. 

Hiram  and  Helen  (Snyder)  Weaver,  parents  of  Mrs.  Choak.  were  both 
born  and  brought  up  in  the  State  of  New  York,^  and  for  many  years  hved  near 
Syracuse.  In  1843  they  moved  to  Wisconsin  and  settled  in  Bristol  township, 
Kenosha  county,  where  Mr.  Weaver  took  up  government  land  and  li\-ed  for 
twelve  years.  He  then  bought  a  farm  of  240  acres  in  Brighton  township,  and 
made  that  place  his  home  till  1874,  when  he  died,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  He 
was  survived  a  year  and  a  half  by  his  wife,  wdio  died  aged  sixty-four.  Both 
belonged  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Two  daughters  and  two  sons 
were  born  to  them,  viz. :  Henry  R.,  of  McMinnville,  Tenn. ;  Catherine  Matilda, 
Mrs.  John  Jamison,  of  Libertyville,  Hi. :  George  D.,  of  Salem.  Kenosha  county; 
and  Charlotte  E.,  Mrs.  Choak.  The  grandparents  on  both  sides  were  natives 
of  New  York  State  and  lived  to  old  age.  On  the  mother's  side  the  grand- 
father Snyder  reached  the  age  of  ninety  years  and  more;  he  had  a  large  fam- 
ily, six  sons  and  six  daughters. 

JAMES  Jx"\Y  VAN  ALSTINE,  a  prosperous,  enterprising  farmer  of 
Kenosha  county,  W'is.,  residing  on  his  farm  in  Section  12,  Salem  township, 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Hannibal,  Oswego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  June  13.  1838,  son  of 
Peter  C.  and  Eliza  Ann  (Foster)  Van  Alstine. 

Peter  Van  Alstine,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  New  York, 
and  a  swordmaker  by  tj-ade.  He  was  born  Aug.  16.  1776,  and  on  Oct.  2,  1803, 
married  Jane  Watson,  born  Oct.  ig,  1785.  They  had  eleven  children  :  Alonzo. 
James  W..  Katy  Ann,  Peter  C,  Leonard.  Evelyn,  Daniel,  Augustine,  David 
McCabe,  DeLos  and  Mary  Jane.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  James  J. 
Van  Alstine  was  William  Foster,  a  native  .of  New  York  State,  and  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812.     He  and  his  wife  attained  advanced  years. 

Peter  C.  Van  Alstine  was  1xirn  Nov.  28,  1809,  in  iMarcellus,  Onondaga 
Co..  N.  Y.  He  followed  shoemaking  in  Oswego  county,  and  in  1836  came 
West  and  located  land  on  Section  i,  Salem  township,  Kenosha  Co..  Wis.  He 
then  returned  to  his  native  State,  and  came  to  W^isconsin  again  in  1838  with 
his  family,  settling  on  the  farm  which  he  had  taken  up  from  the  government. 
This  place  he  improved,  and  reared  his  family  thereon,  and  he  died  at  the  old 
home,  aged  eighty-five  years,  being  buried  there,  in  the  cemetery  for  which  he 
had  given  a  piece  of  land.  His  wife,  who  was  born  March  9,  1813,  dieC  in 
1893.  They  had  two  children,  Angeline  and  James  Jay,  the  former,  now  the 
widow  of  Walter  E.  McVicker,  living  in  Kenosha. 

James  Jay^  Van  Alstine  has  lived  in  Salem  township  since  he  was  five 
months  old,  or  since  November,  1838,  a  period  of  almost  seventy  years,  and 
is  one  of  the  oldest  continuous  residents  of  Kenosha  county.  He  was  reared 
on  his  father's  farm  and  attended  the  district  schools,  and  with  his  father  learn- 
ed boot  and  shoe  making.  He  also  learned  the  painter's  trade,  which  he 
followed  for  about  six  years  in  connection,  with  farming.  On  Dec. 
17,  1862,  Mr.  Van  Alstine  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Jones,  daughter 
of  William  and  Mariah  (Evans)  Jones,  and  one  daughter  was  born 
to  this  union,  Eliza,  who  married  Charles  Burgess,  of  Somers  township,  by 


382  C0]\1MEM0RAT1\"E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

wliDiii  she  had  one  son,  W'iUiani  C.  ]\Irs.  Ehzaheth  \'au  Alstine  died  in  Octo- 
ber, 1864,  aged  twenty-three  years.  On  Sept.  30.  1874,  Mr.  \'an  Alstine  mar- 
ried (second)  Miss  Hannah  Ahnira  Jackson,  daughter  of  Northrup  and  Em- 
mehne  (Pardee)  Jackson,  and- three  children  \vere  born  to  this  union:  Jennie 
Isaljel.  who  married  Albert  W.  Burdick,  lives  in  Salem  township,  and  has  two 
children,  Roy  and  Vera  ;  Edwin  J.,  who  operates  the  home  farm,  married  Grace 
Blanchard,  and  they  have  two  children.  Hazel  and  Lester;  Marion,  who  mar- 
ried Charles  Blanchard.  lives  at  Trevor,  and  has  two  children,  Neva  and 
Lawrence.  Politically  Mr.  \  an  Alstine  is  an  independent,  voting  rather  for 
the  man  than  the  party. 

Mrs.  \'an  Alstine's  parents  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  came  to  Wis- 
consin in  1842,  and  engaged  in  farming.  Her  father  died  there  Nov.  9,  1880, 
aged  seventy-one  years,  the  mother  surviving  until  Jan.  18,  1901,  when  she 
passed  away  at  her  home  in  Bristol.  She  was  born  in  Waterbury,  New  Haven 
Co..  Conn.,  Aug.  7,  1816,  and  was  married  to  Mr.  Jackson  May  17,  1840. 
They  had  si.x  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living:  Heman,  of  Bristol 
township;  Hannah  A.,  Mrs.  Van  Alstine;  and  Emmeline,  unmarried,  who  lives 
on  the  old  homestead  in  Bristol.     There  was  also  an  adopted  son,  David. 

Mrs.  Van  Alstine's  paternal  grandfather  w^as  Orin  Jackson,  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  who  married  Hannah  Frisbie.  They  had  six  children.  On  the 
maternal  side,  Mrs.  Van  Alstine's  grandfather  was  Heman  Pardee,  and  his 
wife  was  Almira  (Nichols)  Pardee,  both  being  natives  of  Connecticut.  They 
both  attained  advanced  age,  and  had  a  family  of  six  children. 

James  Jay  Van  Alstine  is  very  highly  esteemed  in  the  community  in  which 
his  entire  life  has  been  spent.  By  his  strict  attention  to  business,  and  good  man- 
agement, he  has  made  his  farming  operations  a  success,  and  he  is  considered  one 
of  the  substantial,  as  well  as  one  of  the  representative,  men  of  Kenosha  county, 
Wisconsin. 

BARTHOLOMEW  GLEESON,  an  intelligent,  well-to-do  farmer-citi- 
zen of  Racine  county,  \\'is.,  owns  and  operates  a  fine  200-acre  tract  in  Dover 
township,  located  in  Section  31.  Mr.  Gleeson  was  born  on  his  present  farm 
J\Iay  2T,,  1850,  son  of  Timothy  and  Hannah  (Warren)  Gleeson.  natives  of 
County  Cork,  Ireland.  His  grandparents  were  all  natives  of  Ireland,  and 
there  died. 

Timothy  Gleeson  worked  in  a  tannery  in  his  native  country,  and  coming  to 
America  in  1838  worked  in  an  oil  mill  at  New  York  City  for  ten  years,  as  sec- 
ond engineer.  Meantime  he  made  a  trip  West  in  July,  1844,  antl  purchased  the 
claim  of  the  farm  which  his  son  Bartholomew  now  owns,  and  then  returned 
to  his  work  in  New  York  City,  whence  he  moved  with  his  family  to  \Viscon- 
sin  in  July,  1848.  He  remained  on  the  farm  until  his  death,  in  July,  1887, 
when  he  was  a  little  o\t\'  eighty-one  years  old,  his  wife  passing  aw"ay  one  vear 
previously,  aged  eighty-two  years.  ]\Ir.  Gleeson  held  various  township  offices, 
and  was  prominent  in  local  politics.  He  and  his  wife  had  six  children  (four 
of  whom  are  now  living)  :  ]\Iichael,  of  Dover  township;  Ellen,  the  widow  of 
Daniel  Cunningham,  of  Burlington  township;  Hannah,  the  widow  of  Thomas 
McNamara,  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county :  Bartholomew ; 
and   two  who  died  in  earlv  childhood. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  s^i, 

Bartliolijmew  Gleeson,  familiarly  known  as  "Battle,"  was  reared  on  his 
father's  farm,  and  attended  the  district  schools,  and  the  high  school  of  Bur- 
lington for  the  full  term.  He  then  worked  a  year  and  a  half  for  Wells  Broth- 
ers, in  Burlington,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  returned  to  the  farm,  remaining 
with  his  parents  until  their  death.  He  purchased  the  old  homestead  of  200 
acres,  which  he  still  owns,  and  he  also  owns  a  fine  home  and  something  over 
an  acre  of  land  in  Racine.  On  Nov.  7.  1875,  Mr.  Gleeson  married  Miss  Cath- 
erine Rategan.  daughter  of  John  and  Bridget  Rategan,  and  four  children  were 
Ijorn  to  this  union,  Mary,  Loretta,  Florence  and  Clotilda.  Mrs.  Catherine 
Gleeson  died  Sept.  5,  1887,  aged  thirty-four  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church.  On  Sept.  7,  1897,  Mr.  Gleeson  married  (second)  Miss  Lizzie 
A\'illich,  horn  March  21,  i860,  daughter  of  William  and  Anna  (Osterman) 
Willich.  farming  people,  who  came  from  Germany  to  Norway  township,  Ra- 
cine county,  in  1856.    One  son  has  heen  born  to  this  marriage,  Albert. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gleeson  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  Mr. 
Gleeson  belongs  to  the  Catholic  Knights.  Politically  a  Democrat,  he  has 
served  as  chairman  of  the  town  boards  of  Burlington  and  Dover  townships, 
and  as  far  as  known  was  the  first  native  of  the  county  to  serve  as  a  member 
of  the  county  board.  He  served  many  years  as  supervisor,  and  wrote  the  rules 
governing  the  board  in  1890.  He  also  served  as  town  clerk  for  some  years. 
Mr.  Gleeson  was  secretary  of  the  Wind  Lake  Drainage  Canal  System,  and  had 
full  charge  of  all  of  the  books  until  the  canal  was  completed. 

^lATTHIAS  MUNGEN,  engaged  in  business  in  Kenosha  as  a  liveryman, 
was  1)nrn  in  the  township  of  Pleasant  Prairie,  in  the  early  days  of  Kenosha 
county,  and  was  a  son  of  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  that  section  of  Wisconsin. 

]\lr.  Mungen  comes  of  Prussian  ancestry.  Jacob  Mungen.  his  grand- 
father, was  born  in  Prussia,  and  there  died  when  beyond  middle  life.  He  was 
a  blacksmith,  and  also  saw  military  service  during  the  Napoleonic  wars.  His 
wife,  iVIargaret  Mungen.  who  lived  to  be  eighty-seven,  bore  him  eight  children, 
four  sons  and  four  daughters,  all  of  whom,  except  one  son,  came  to  America. 

Peter  Mungen.  son  of  Jacob,  was  born  in  Prussia  in  181 8.  and  died  in 
Kenosha  county,  ^^'is.,  in  February,  1885.  Although  a  blacksmith  by  occupa- 
tion in  Germany,  be  followed  farming  in  America,  buying  land  at  once  upon 
his  arrival  in  1837.  His  first  purchase  was  fortv  acres  located  in  Pleasant 
Prairie  township,  and  this  became  the  nucleus  of  all  his  later  investments.  A 
year  afterward  he  bought  forty  acres  more  adjoining  the  first,  and  gradually 
added  still  more  till  he  owned  a  farm  of  204  acres.  His  sons  also  bought  in 
the  immediate  vicinity,  and  together  they  possessed  650  acres.  Mr.  Mungen 
reared  his  family  on  his  old  homestead  and  continued  to  make  his  residence 
there  till  he  died.  He  was  a  public-spirited  man,  who  was  active  in  promoting 
the  growth  of  his  locality,  and  was  specially  interested  in  school  affairs.  So 
anxious  was  he  to  have  a  school  in  that  district  that  he  not  onlv  hauled  the  first 
load  of  lumber  to  build  a  schoolhouse,  but  donated  half,  an  acre  of  ground  as 
a  site.  He  was  school  treasurer  for  many  yers.  and  also  held  various  township 
offices,  including  that  of  supervisor.  He  was  in  every  respect  a  good  citizen 
and  was  held  in  high  esteem. 

Peter  Mungen  married  Miss  Margaret  Alyers.  who  was  liorn  in  Prussia 
in  1810.  daughter  of  Theodore  and  Susan  (Lanson)  Mvers,  natives  of  that 


384        co-mm1':aioratj\'e  biographical  record. 

counlr}-.  1 1cr  father  served  in  the  German  army  three  years,  seeing-  active 
service,  and  escaped  with  no  further  injury  than  a  bullet  mark,  althuugh  he 
saw  seven  comrades  in  turn  shot  down  by  his  side.  He  accompanied  the 
Mungens  to  America  in  1837,  and  chose  his  land  in  Bristol  township,  where 
he  lived  for  over  forty-five  years.  He  then  moved  into  Kenosha,  and  there 
died  aged  eighty-nine.  He  held  various  town  offices  in  the  early  days.  His 
wife,  who  lived  to  be  seventy-two  years  old,  bore  him  three  sons  and  four 
daughters.  Two  of  these  daughters,  Mrs.  Mungen  and  Mrs.  Jacobs,  were  good 
singers,  and  for  sixteen  years  sang  in  St.  James  Catholic  Church  in  Kenosha. 
Mrs.  Mungen  had  a  family  of  four  sons  and  five  daughters,  of  whom  the  fol- 
lowing are  now  living,  all  residents  of  Kenosha,  save  one :  Theodore,  Mat- 
thias; Susan,  wife  of  John  Sheridan;  Mary,  Mrs.  Gust  Meiser;  Margaret, 
Mrs.  Peter  Thielen ;  and  Eva,  Mrs.  John  Fosbender,  of  Chicago. 

Matthias  Mungen  was  born  May  i,  1848,  and  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  which  is  now  his  own  property.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  school  located  on  the  farm,  and  never  moved  away  from  the  place 
until  March,  1904,  when  he  gave  up  farming,  and  going  into  Kenosha  assumed 
the  management  of  the  large  livery  barn  there  which  he  had  bought  the  pre- 
ceding Decemljer,  and  which  he  has  ever  since  conducted.  On  leaving  the 
farm  he  had  a  sale  of  his  stock  horses,  cattle,  etc.,  disposing  of  $7,000  worth. 
He  now  owns  in  connection  with  his  livery  stable  some  first-class  horses,  in- 
cluding a  number  of  fine  imported  ones,  and  one  of  his  stallions,  "Ecogsais," 
took  the  first  prize  at  the  Fat  Stock  Show  in  Chicago,  and  also  took  the  first 
prize  at  the  great  government  show  in  France  in  1898.  Mr.  Mungen  also 
keeps  a  very  good  line  of  carriages  and  buggies. 

The  marriage  contracted  between  Matthias  Mungen  and  Miss  Augusta 
Starr,  daughter  of  William  and  Theresa  (Taggent)  Starr,  took  place  on 
Thanksgiving  Day,  1869.  Of  the  four  sons  born  to  this  union  the  second, 
Theodore,  lived  only  about  six  weeks :  of  the  others.  Peter  and  Nicholas  are 
at  work  with  their  father,  and  Matthias  A.,  a  graduate  of  the  College  of  Com- 
merce, is  teaching  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mungen  are  members  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church,  and  he  belongs  to  the  Society  of  Catholic  Knights.  In  political 
matters  Mr.  Mungen  always  maintains  an  independent  stand.  He  succeeded 
his  father  as  school  treasurer  and  has  held  that  office  for  the  past  thirty-two 
years. 

JAMES  H.  TURNOCK,  an  honored  and  well-known  farmer  of  Salem 
township,  Kenosha  county,  has  followed  the  jiursuits  of  an  agriculturist  since 
boyhood.  He  is  now  the  possessor  of  a  fine  farm  in  Section  24,  Salem  town- 
ship, upon  which  place  he  was  born  Dec.  18,  1846,  son  of  James  and  Ann 
(Brown)  Turnock,  natives  of  Lancashire,  England.  His  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  farmer  in  England,  where  he  dierl  well  advanced  in  years,  as 
did  also  the  maternal  grandfatlicr.  who  also  followed  agricultural  pursuits 
in  that  country. 

James  Turnock,  father  of  James  H.,  worked  out  in  England,  and  liter 
became  the  superintendent  of  a  force  of  men  engaged  in  railroad  construction. 
He  came  to  America  in  1846,  and  purchased  seventv  acres  of  land,  the  pres- 
ent home  of  his  son  James  H..  where  he  engaged  in  farming.     He  made  a  trip 


Ct-T-l/C^^      aT         At^^^^^^*^^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  385. 

to  California  in  1849.  'i"''  another  in  1850,  staying  six  years  the  last  time. 
In  1856  he  returned  to  Saleni  tuwnship  and  resumed  farming,  passing  away 
on  his  farm  Nov.  13,  1900,  when  aged  seventy-eight  years.  He  and  his  wife 
were  Methodists.  Mrs.  Turnock  died  Nov.  8,  189b,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
They  had  four  children:  Anna,  who  died  unmarried;  James  H. ;  Charles 
Albert,  of  Salem  township ;  and  John  E.,  also  of  Salem  township. 

James  H.  Turnock  has  passed  his  life  in  Salem  township  with  the  ex- 
ception of  six  years  spent  in  Illinois  after  his  marriage.  His  education  was 
obtained  in  the  common  schools,  and  until  reaching  manhood  he  lived  at  home 
with  his  parents.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Turnock  rented  a  farm  four  and 
one-half  miles  north  of  Marengo,  McHenry  Co.,  111.,  where  he  farmed  for  six 
years.  He  then  returned  to  the  home  farm  in  Salem  township,  where  his 
father  had  purchased  an  additional  forty  acres ;  while  he  was  in  California 
his  wife  sold  the  original  seventy  acres,  living  on  the  forty,  which  she  retained. 
James  H.  Turnock  bought  back  the  seventy  acres,  and  inherited  his  share 
of  the  forty,  to  which  he  added  forty  acres  more,  now  owning  150  acres  of 
finely  improved  land. 

On  Dec.  31,  1870,  Mr.  Turnock  married  Miss  Esther  Violetta  Euell, 
daughter  of  Walker  and  Louisa  (Lockwood)  Euell,  and  four  children  were 
born  to  this  union :  Alice  Violetta,  Rose  Mary,  Maud  Irene  and  Orren  Al- 
bert. Alice  V.  married  Edwin  Mellor,  and  they  live  at  Liberty 
Corners;  they  have  five  children,  Edward,  Esther  A.,  Mabel  Maude,  Cleo  and 
Claude.  Rose  M.  married  Douglas  Burhite,  and  they  have  two  children,  Lee 
J.  and  Ralph  Douglas.  Maud  Irene  married  Beecher  Hines.  Orren  A.,  who 
lives  in  Salem  township,  married  Mabel  Garland,  and  has  one  daughter, 
Gladys  Caroline. 

Mrs.  Esther  Violetta  Turnock  died  Sept.  24.  1893,  aged  forty  years  and 
three  months,  in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  Church.  She  was  born  in  New 
York  State,  of  which  State  her  parents  were  also  natives,  and  they  were 
early  settlers  in  Kenosha  county,  Wis.,  but  spent  fourteen  years  in  California. 
Mr.  Euell  now  lives  at  Liberty  Comers,  Salem  township,  and  is  eighty-four- 
years  old.  His  wife  died  in  1904.  They  had  two  daughters.  IMrs.  Turnock 
and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Politically  Mr.  Turnock  is  independent. 

DR.  JOHN  H.  VEITCH,  sheriff  of  Kenosha  county,  and  a  veterinary 
surgeon  of  skill,  is  a  native  of  Canada,  born  in  the  County  of  Waterloo,  Prov- 
ince of  Ontario,  Feb.  12,  1863,  son  of  James  and  Mary  (Hastie)  Veitch,  na- 
tives of  Scotland. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  the  Doctor,  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  a 
sheep  raiser  by  occupation,  died  in  Canada  at  an  advanced  age.  On  the  ma- 
ternal side,  the  grandfather  was  a  native  of  the  same  country  and  followed  the 
same  calling.  He  and  his  wife  emigrated  to  Canada  at  an  early  day,  where 
both  died.  James  Veitch  was  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and. lived  in  the  County 
of  Waterloo,  Ontario,  from  early  childhood  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1888,  w'hen  he  was  about  sixty-five  years  old.  His  widow  survived  him  un- 
til 1901,  and  was  sixty-eight  years  okl  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Thev  were 
old  line  Presbyterians.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Veitch  had  thirteen  childrai : 


3S6  C0.\B11'^I0RAT1VE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

lennie.  deceased,  who  married  John  McNabb;  Catherine,  deceased,  wlio  mar- 
ried f'ohn  Dalgleisli;  .Mary,  deceased;  William,  deceased;  Jessie,  wife  of 
William  Hamilton,  of  the  County  of  Waterloo,  Ontario;  James,  deceased; 
Weaker,  of  the  County  of  Waterloo,  Ontario ;  George,  a  physician  at  Port  El- 
gin, Ontario;  Thomas,  deceased;  Dr.  John  H.,  of  Kenosha;  Robert,  of  the 
County  of  Waterloo;  Andrew,  on  the  old  homestead;  and  Bessie,  wife  of 
John  i'omeroy.  of  the  County  of  Waterloo. 

Dr.  John  H.  \'eitch  was  reared  in  the  County  of  Waterloo,  on  his  fath- 
er's farm.  He  attended  the  district  schools,  working  during  the  summer 
months,  and  attending  school  in  the  winter  terms.  He  graduated  from  the 
Ontario  \'eterinary  College,  Toronto,  in  1887,  and  began  practice  in  Preston, 
County  of  Waterloo,  from  whence  he  went  to  x\yr,  Ontario,  and  then  to  Ire- 
land and  Scotland,  where  he  did  some  practicing.  He  returned  to  America, 
and.  locating  in  the  United  States,  settled  in  Muncie,  Ind.,  whence  he  went  to 
Danyille,  same  State,  then  to  South  Chicago,  and  in  1892  located  in  Kenosha, 
where  he  has  since  remained. 

Dr.  Veitch  was  married  Noy.  3,  1898.  to  ^Miss  }vlargaret  Klinkhammer, 
daughter  of  Christian  and  Margaret  (Alungen)  Klinkhammer,  and  one  son 
was  born  to  this  union,  James  T.  Mrs.  Veitch  died  Nov.  9,  1902,  aged  forty 
years.  The  Doctor  is  a  Presbyterian,  while  his  wife  was  a  Catholic.  He  is  a 
Master  ]\Iason.  and  belongs  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  F,  &  A.  M.,  and  also 
to  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  was, county  supervisor, 
1903-4.  and  in  the  latter  year  was  elected  sheriff  of  Kenosha  county,  assuming 
the  duties  of  that  office  on  the  first  ^Monday  in  January,  1905. 

WILLIAM  J.  \MLAIORE,  a  retired  farmer  now  living  in  the  village 
of  L'nion  Grove,  has  dwelt  in  America  since  his  fifteenth  year.  He  was  born 
in  Cornwall.  England,  Nov.  15,  185 1,  son  of  John  Wilmore. 

The  \\'ilmore  family  is  of  English  descent  through  many  generations, 
and  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Wm.  J.  W'ilmore  died  in  England.  He  was  an 
agriculturist  all  his  life,  employed  either  on  his  own  land  or  that  of  others.  He 
died  when  somewhat  past  middle  life,  but  his  wife  survived  him  and  lived  to 
old  age.  On  the  maternal  side  also  Mr.  W'ilmore  comes  of  English  stock. 
His  grandfather,  Theophilus  George,  was  a  stonemason  by  trade,  and  died  in 
his  native  land  when  advanced  in  years.  He  had  a  family  of  ten  sons  and  two 
daughters. 

John  Wilmore  grew  up  in  England,  was  married  there  to  Miss  Susan 
George,  and  their  two  sons.  William  J.  and  George,  were  both  born  there.  Mr. 
Wilmore  was  a  railroad  man,  and  followed  that  occupation  as  long  as  he  re- 
mained in  England.  In  1866  he  came  to  America  on  a  visit,  but  became  so 
favorably  impressed  by  all  he  saw  that  he  never  returned,  settling  finally  at 
Brighton,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  bought  a  farm.  He  operated  it  with 
much  success  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  still  in  active  charge  of  it  when 
he  died  in  1892,  aged  sixty- four  years.  His  wife,  who  still  survives  him,  left 
the  old  farmhouse  in  1897  and  has  since  resided  in  L^nion  Grove. 

William  J.  Wilmore  passed  his  youth  in  England  and  there  received  his 
education.  When  he  was  fifteen  years  old  the  family  removed  to  the  L'niterl 
States,  and  he  has  ever  since  formed  one  of  the  great  farming  class  who  have 


COA01E^IORAT1\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  387 

done  so  much  to  develop  Wisconsin's  resovirces.  In  early  manhood  he  boug^ht 
a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Kenosha  county  and  almost  the  first  twenty  years  of  his 
married  life  were  passed  in  that  home.  In  1898  he  rented  the  propert\-,  Ijuilt 
a  fine  home  in  Union  Grove,  and  has  since  resided  there,  retired  from  acti\e 
work  and  enjoying  to  the  full  the  fruits  of  his  earlier  toil. 

Air.  Wilmore  chose  for  his  wife  Miss  Amelia  Martin,  and  their  wedding 
was  celebrated  Oct.  30,  1879.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  this  union, 
viz. :  Mabel.  Mrs.  Elmer  McFarland ;  Lillian,  a  teacher,  living  at  home ;  and 
Leslie,  a  carpenter.  Air.  and  Mrs.  Wilmore  are  both  members  of  the  M.  E. 
Church.  The  former  is  connected  socially  with  the  Alodern  Woodmen  of 
America.  His  political  views  are  those  of  the  Prohibitionist  partv.  which  he 
always  loyally  supports. 

Mrs.  Wilmore  was  a  daughter  of  Edward  and  Jane  (AIcNay)  Alartin, 
who  were  both  torn  in  the  North  of  Ireland,  of  Scotch  parentage.  They  came  to 
the  United  States  late  in  the  forties  and  made  their  home  in  Raymond  town- 
ship, Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  their  six  children  were  all  born.  Mr.  Martin 
died  in  1901.  aged  eighty-four,  but  his  wife  is  still  living,  and  has  reached  the 
age  of  eighty-eight  years. 

MARTIN  STEINAIETZ,  city  treasurer  of  Kenosha,  Wis.,  one  of  the 
leading  and  representative  residents  of  that  city,  was  born  there  March  16, 
1863,  son  of  John  and  Gertrude  (Weyer)  Steinmetz,  natives  of  Germany. 

On  coming  to  this  country,  Nicholas  Steinmetz.  the  grandfather  of  Mar- 
tin, settled  north  of  Milwaukee,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age;  his  wife. 
Anna,  died  at  Schleisingerville.  Martin  Weyer,  the  maternal  grandfather  of 
Mr.  Steinmetz,  came  to  America  in  1844  or  1845,  and  settled  in  Southport. 
He  was  a  school  teacher,  and  taught  one  of  the  first  German  schools  in  South- 
port,  now  Kenosha.  About  1872  he  went  to  Faribault,  Minn.,  and  located  per- 
manently, and  there  he  died  Jan.  4,  1905,  at  the  remarkable  age  of  ninetv-six 
years.     His  wife,  Mary  Anna,  died  when  over  seventy  years  of  age. 

John  Steinmetz  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and  on  coming  to  America,  in  1847. 
located  in  Southport.  Wis.  For  some  years  he  traveled  as  a  journevman,  but 
he  spent  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  in  Kenosha,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of 
fifty-nine  years,  in  1897;  his  wife,  who  attained  the  same  age,  died  in  1898. 
Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  A  number  of  years  ago  John 
Steinmetz  served  as  alderman  of  Kenosha.  To  him  and  his  wife  were  born 
seven  children:  Miss  Mary;  Alartin;  Rosa,  who  married  Caspar  Pitts,  both 
now  deceased:  John;  Julia,  the  wife  of  Barney  Zeitler;  Anthony  N.,  and 
Catherine. 

Martin  Steinmetz  was  reared  in  Kenosha,  and  here  attended  the  parochial 
schools.  He  then  learned  blacksmithing,  which  he  followed  for  many  years, 
retiring  from  that  business  in  1898.  Previous  to  1896  he  spent  eight  years  in 
Alinnesota.  but  returned  to  his  native  city  in  that  year,  and  has  since  resided 
here. 

Mr.  Steinmetz  first  married  Miss  Maggie  Barry,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Barry,  and  to  this  union  were  born  three  children :  Gertrude,  who  died  aged 
six  months :  John  Thomas,  who  is  employed  in  his  uncle's  grocery  store  as  a 
clerk ;  and  Eleanora.  wlio  died  when  eighteen  months  old.     Mrs.  Maggie  Stein- 


388  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

mclz  (lied  in  1891.  Mr.  Steinnictz  married  (second)  Mrs.  Fannie  (Mellich) 
Dauban,  widow  of  Charles  Dauban,  and  daughter  of  Mrs.  Lucy  Mellich.  Four 
children  were  born  to  this  union:  Frank  A.,  Clara,  Milton  B.  and  Gertrude, 
the  last  named  dying  in  infancy.  Mr.  Steinmetz  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic 
Churcli.  while  mVs.  Steinmetz  is  an  Episcopalian.  Their  home  is  at  No.  411 
Grant  street. 

Politically  Martin  Steinmetz  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  is  now  serving  as 
city  treasurer,  an  office  he  has  held  for  seven  years.  He  is  highly  esteemed 
in  the  communitv  in  which  he  resides  as  a  man  of  many  sterling  qualities. 

JOHN  MONAGHAN.  No  history  of  Kenosha  county  would  be  com- 
plete that  did  not  mention  representatives  of  the  Monaghan  family,  for  wdiile 
they  are  plain,  unpretentious  people  they  have  lived  in  the  region  from  the 
days  when  Kenosha  was  a  tiny  village,  and  have  worthily  done  their  part  in 
life,  maintaining  an  integrity  of  character  in  which  they  have  no  superiors. 

The  first  of  the  name  in  America  was  Patrick  Monaghan,  who  came  here 
in  1849.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of  Trim,  County  Meath,  Ireland,  and  was 
one  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  six  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  father  died 
in  his  native  island.  Patrick  Monaghan  was  a  blacksmith,  and  after  locating 
in  Southport  (now  Kenosha)  followed  his  trade  there  until  within  fifteen  vears 
of  his  death,  wdien  he  lived  retired.  He  married  Miss  Margaret  Reynolds, 
also  a  native  of  County  Meath.  whose  parents  were  James  and  Ellen  ( Smith) 
Reynolds,  of  Ireland.  The  father  who  was  a  bricklayer,  died  in  middle  age, 
being  killed  while  at  work  on  a  wall,  and  the  mother  survived  him  many  years. 
They  had  a  large  family.  Patrick  and  Margaret  (Reynolds)  Monaghan  had 
five  sons  and  two  daughters,  but  only  Mary  and  John,  of  Kenosha,  are  now 
alive.  Mrs.  Monaghan  died  in  January.  1892,  aged  sixty-one  years,  and  Mr. 
Monaghan  died  June  19.  1904.  in  Kenosha,  in  his  seventy-eighth  year.  He  was 
an  honest,  upright  and  industrious  man,  and  he  and  his  devoted  wife  were 
highly  respected  all  over  Kenosha  cmintv.  Thev  were  memljers  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church. 

John  Monaghan  was  born  in  Kenosha  Oct.  10.  1855,  and  has  never 
moved  from  his  native  town.  He  was  sent  to  both  the  public  and  the  parochial 
schools,  and  then  worked  in  his  father's  blacksmithy  for  a  short  time.  He  had 
no  leaning  toward  that  occupation,  however,  and  in  September,  1875,  started 
a  small  notion  and  candy  store,  which  he  conducted  for  five  years,  in  1880 
opening  the  grocery  store  which  he  is  still  managing.  He  has  built  up  a  good 
trade,  and  has  done  well.  Mr.  Monaghan  has  never  married,  and  lives  with 
his  sister  at  No.  409  Market  street.  Both  are  Catholics  in  religious  faith.  He 
belongs  to  several  fraternal  orders,  and  is  a  charter  member  of  Badger  Coun- 
cil. No.  109,  Royal  League,  and  of  Kenosha  Assembly,  No.  178,  Equitable 
Fraternal  Union.     Politically  he  is  a  strong  Republican. 

Miss  Mary  Monaghan  learned  dressmaking,  and  has  for  a  long  time  done 
work  in  that  line  in  addition  to  assisting  her  brother  in  his  store.  She  and 
Mr.  Monaghan  are  both  worthy  representati\-es  of  their  estimable  parents. 

WILLIAM  HENRY  DRAKE,  a  substantial  anrl  progressive  business 
man  of  Kenosha,  Wis.,  whose  establishment  is  situated  at  No.  567  Chicago 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  389 

street,  was  born  in  Xewark,  X.  J.,  May  8,  1852,  son  of  Frederick  H..  and 
Sarah  A.  (Hatch)  Drake,  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  Brooklyn,  X.  Y.,  respec- 
tively. 

Benjamin  Drake,  a  nati\e  of  Xew  Jersey,  was  the  paternal  o-randfather  of 
our  subject.  He  was  a  foreman  in  a  buckle  shop  for  many  years,  and  died  when 
over  eighty  years  of  age. 

Frederick  H.  Drake  grew  to  manhood  in  New  Jersey,  and  was  there 
married  to  Sarah  A.  Hatch,  whose  father  lived  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  but  all 
account  of  him  is  lost.  Mr.  Drake  and  his  wife  removed  to  Meriden,  Conn., 
and  one  year  later  to  Middletown,  Conn.,  where  he  manufactured  sewing  ma- 
chine needles.  He  lived  there  nine  years,  and  then  came  West  to  Chicago,  re- 
moving in  1 86 1  to  Kenosha,  where  he  was  a  sewing  machine  agent  for  many 
years,  and  later  a  blacksmith.  He  was  killed  on  the  Northwestern  Railroad  in 
1880.  His  first  wife  died  about  1866.  Like  her,  he  was  originally  a  Congrega- 
tionalist,  but  he  afterward  united  with  the  Methodist  Church.  He  married  a 
second  time,  his  widow  now  living  in  Burlington,  Wis.  To  Mr.  Drake  and  his 
first  wife  were  born  six  children,  four  of  whom  still  survive,  as  follows :  Will- 
iam Henry,  of  Kenosha;  Theresa  A.,  of  Chicago;  Christy  J.,  and  Frank  C, 
of  Chicago. 

William  Henry  Drake  lived  in  Middletown,  Conn.,  until  ten  years  of 
age,  and  received  his  first  schooling  there.  In  1862  he  came  to  Kenosha,  and 
has  since  lived  here  except  for  about  four  years.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  here,  and  learned  the  trade  of  cheesemaking,  later  taking  up  the  black- 
smith's trade,  which  latter  he  followed  for  eighteen  years.  For  the  past  fifteen 
years  he  has  been  engaged  as  a  florist.  On  Oct.  29,  1874,  he  married  Miss 
Ellen  A.  Holmes,  of  Fort  Atkinson,  Wis.,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah 
(Curtis)  Holmes,  and  to  this  union  five  children  have  been  born  :  Amy  Grace, 
Robert  Curtis.  Laura  Theresa,  Ruth  Edgerton  and  Marie  Marguerite.  Amy 
Grace  married  Thornton  Tait,  a  plantation  owner  in  the  South,  who  died  July 
4,  1904;  they  had  two  children,  Marjorie  Brandstetter  and  Marie  Marguerite. 
Robert  C.  is  a  plumber,  and  lives  at  home,  as  do  the  rest  of  the  children.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Drake  and  their  family  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  He 
belongs  to  the  Maccabees  and  the  Foresters.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

Mrs.  Drake's  paternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  New  York,  of  Eng- 
lish and  Welsh  extraction,  and  was  a  mason  contractor  by  calling.  He  mar- 
ried Ruth  Edgerton,  and  both  reached  advanced  age.  Mrs.  Drake's  maternal 
grandfather,  Abijah  Curtis,  was  a  native  of  Vermont.  His  father  was  cap- 
tured by  the  Indians  and  carried  away,  being  kept  a  number  of  years.  Abijah 
Curtis  married  Ruhama  Allen,  and  came  to  Wisconsin  with  her  and  two  sons. 
living  near  Fort  Atkinson,  where  he  purchased  a  farm.  "The  Old  Indian," 
as  he  was  familiarly  known,  died  in  his  new  home  a  short  time  afterward.  He 
had  two  sons — Timothy  and  Elias — and  three  daughters — Mercv,  Sarah  and 
Fidelia.  Timothy  went  to  California,  where  he  died.  Elias  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Civil  war. 

Benjamin  Holmes.  Mrs.  Drake's  father,  was  born  in  Cayuga.  N.  Y.,  and 
her  mother  in  Tunbridge,  Vt.  They  were  married  at  Fort  Atkinson,  Wis., 
and  had  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  still  living:  Ellen  A., 
Mrs.  Drake ;  Isabel  E.,  wife  of  Charles  Anderson,  of  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt. ;  Fred- 


390  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

erick  Holmes  and  Edward,  nf  Jacksonville.  Ela. ;  Walter,  of  Bay  Park,  Wash- 
ington;  and  Marguerite,  the  wife  of  I<"rederick  Campbell,  who  makes  his  home 
near  Lake  Ripley,  Wisconsin. 

Benjamin  Holmes  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  He  came  to  Fort  Atkin- 
son, Wis.,  when  a  young  man,  and  there  lived  for  many  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  went  to  Orange  Park,  Fla.,  where  he  owned  a  plantation  which 
is  still  in  the  possession  of  the  family.  He  died  of  congestive  chills,  at  the  age 
of  fifty-seven  years,  wdiile  his  wife  died  the  same  evening,  of  heart  disease. 

ANTON  DANIELS,  one  of  the  wealthy  farmers  of  Brighton  township, 
belongs  to  a  pioneer  family  of  Kenosha  county  of  German  descent.  He  was 
born  in  the  township  where  he  still  resides  on  Jan.  8,  1857,  a  son  of  Matthias 
and  Catherine  (Frey)  Daniels. 

Mr.  Daniels  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Brightoi:  township, 
attending  until  he  was  thirteen.  At  that  age  he  left  home  during  the  summer- 
time to  work  out  for  the  farmers,  continuing  this  for  eight  or  nine  years.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-three  he  married  and  began  farming  on  the  Poster  farm, 
consisting  at  that  time  of  120  acres,  to  wdiich  he  added  until  now  he  is  culti- 
vating 200  acres,  located  in  Section  16.  He  is  prominent  in  the  locality,  and 
for  a  number  of  years  was  a  memljer  of  tlie  board  of  supervisors,  besides  serv- 
ing as  school  director  for  a  long  period.  He  is  a  supporter  of  the  Democratic 
party.  Mr.  Daniels  also  has  business  interests,  and  is  treasurer  of  the  Brigh- 
ton Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company. 

On  June  30,  1880,  Miss  Margaret  Poster  became  Mrs.  Daniels,  and  she 
has  borne  her  husband  six  children:  Cora  S.,  William  J.,  Leo  N.,  Leona  E., 
Camilla  M.,  and  one  that  died  in  infanc}-.  Mv.  and  Mrs.  Daniels  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Mrs.  Daniels  is  of  German  descent  on  both  sides.  Her  father,  William 
Poster,  was  born  Oct.  5,  1827,  in  Germany,  as  were  also  his  parents,  who  died 
in  their  native  country.  William  Poster,  the  youngest  of  seven  brothers,  emi- 
grated to  America  and  later  married  Susanna  Gill,  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Margaret  (Pathen)  Gill,  natives  of  Germany  who  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  :\Ir. 
and  Mrs.  Gill  brought  their  children  to  America  in  1852,  from  Hilbungen,  Ger- 
many. They  had  seven  children,  viz.:  Susanna  (Mrs.  Poster),  born  May  15, 
1830;  Jacob,  born  Aug.  18,  1835:  John,  who  served  in  the  Civil  war  as  a  vol- 
unteer in  the  ist  Wisconsin  Regiment,  born  March  2.  1838;  Margaret  (Mrs. 
Stahl).  born  Nov.  15.  1840;  Nicolas,  born  March  26,  1843:  Eva  (Mrs.  Weil- 
er),  born  May  11,  1845;  and  Mary  (Mrs.  Beck),  born  April  18,  1849.  Only 
two  of  this  family  are  now*  living,  Nicolas,  of  Burlington,  and  Mary.  Mrs. 
Beck,  of  Waterford.  Mrs.  Daniels  was  the  only  daughter  of  William  and 
Susanna  Poster.  Her  parents  were  early  settlers  in  Kenosha,  but  a  few  years 
later  took  up  farming  in  Brighton  townshi]).  Tlie  father  died  in  1880,  aged 
fifty-seven  years,  and  the  mother  flied  in  1895,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years. 

DR.  PALLE  PETER  MARIUS  JORGENSEN,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  Dec.  18.  1872.  on  the  west  coast  of  the  peninsula  of  Tutland. 
which  is  a  part  of  the  Kingdom  of  Denmark.  His  ancestors  on  both  sides  of 
the  house  had  lived  in  that  section  of  Denmark  for  several  generations. 


COMINIE-MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  391 

He  had  just  started  to  attend  the  pubHc  school  of  his  native  village  when, 
in  1880,  his  parents  moved  to  America.  After  several  attempts  at  getting 
started  in  the  United  States  the  family  finally  settled  in  western  Iowa,  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of  Iowa  and  spent  some  time  at  Elkhorn  College, 
and  one  year  at  the  Iowa  State  Normal  School,  at  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa,  in  order 
to  prepare  himself  for  entrance  to  the  State  University. 

He  was  graduated  from  the  Medical  Department  of  the  State  University 
of  Iowa  March  30,  1898.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1898  he 
moved  to  Kenosha  and  has  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  here  ever 
since  that  time. 

On  June  26,  1901,  Dr.  Jorgensen  was  married  to  Helena  Glerum,  a  native 
of  and  a  former  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Grand  Haven,  Mich.  One  son, 
Paul  Edwin,  was  born  to  them  March  3,  1903. 

FRANK  H.  BRUEGGEMAN,  a  practical  farmer  of  Kenosha  county, 
now  cultivating  his  fine  piece  of  property  in  Section  18,  Salem  township,  was 
born  in  Wheatland  township,  April  27,  1847,  son  of  John  H.  and  Christina 
(Brandwitte)  Brueggeman.  natives  of  Hanover,  Germany.  His  grandfather, 
George  Henry  Brueggeman,  died  in  Germany  in  middle  life,  but  his  wife, 
Ann  Cathrine  Eggert.  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  On  his  maternal  side.  Frank 
H.  Brueggeman's  grandfather  was  Herman  Brandwitte,  who  died  in  Ger- 
many, where  he  had  spent  his  life  in  farming.  He  and  his  wife,  Cathrine 
(Stoppe)  Brandwitte,  had  a  large  family  of  children. 

John  H.  and  Christina  (Brandwitte)  Brueggeman  came  to  America  in 
1842,  and  settled  for  two  years  in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  where  he  followed  various 
pursuits.  In  1844  they  came  West  to  Wisconsin,  and  .settling  in  Wheatland 
township,  Kenosha  county,  bought  a  farm  of  forty  acres,  to  which  Mr.  Brueg- 
geman added  until  he  owned  200  acres.  Upon  this  land  he  erected  a  sub- 
stantial house  and  outbuilding's,  and  also  a  fine  frame  barn.  In  the  summer 
of  1866  he  sold  this  place  and  removed  to  Salem  township,  where  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land,  afterward  adding  thereto  forty  acres.  He  died  there  in 
1882,  on  the  1st  of  May,  aged  sixty-eight  years;  his  wife  passed  away  in  her 
thirty-third  year,  in  1847.  Both  were  Catholics  in  religious  faith.  They  had 
two  children,  John  H.  and  Frank  H.  Mr.  Brueggeman  married  for  his  second 
wife  Mrs.  Spiegelhof,  widow  of  William  Spiegelhof.  There  were  no  chil- 
dren, born  to  this  union,  but  Mrs.  Brueggeman  had  five  children  by  her  former 
marriage,  their  names  being:  William.  Anna  Mary  (wife  of  Herman  Spitz- 
man),  Theodore,  Elizabeth  (wife  of  Peter  Schlax)  and  Henry. 

After  his  mother's  death  Frank  H.  Brueggeman  was  taken  bv  an  uncle, 
Henry  Ulenhake,  and  reared  by  him  in  Burlington  township.  There  he  at- 
tended the  district  school,  and  spent  a  short  time  in  a  private  school.  After 
starting  out  in  life  for  himself  he  followed  various  occupations.  He  went 
to  Racine  and  worked  for  Mr.  Secor  at  the  harness  business  for  one  year, 
and  spent  the  next  eight  years  as  a  laboring  man.  He  tlien  purchased  thirty- 
seven  acres  in  Salem  township,  and  later,  after  his  marriage  rented  100  acres, 
which  he  farmed  with  his  thirty-seven  acres  for  five  years.  He  rented  his 
father's  place  for  one  year,  and  in  1881  took  charge  of  that  farm,  which  he 
still  manages,  also  having  his  own  135  acres.    On  Jan.  18.  1876.  \lv.  Bruegge- 


392  COMME.MORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

man  married  Miss  Alary  Ann  Sanders,  daughter  of  William  and  Dorothy 
(Sanders)  Sanders,  and  there  were  two  children  born  to  this  union,  Mary 
Ann  and  Dora  Frances.  Mary  Ann  married  William  Alverman,  and  has 
three  children,  John  William,  Frank  H.  and  Dorothy  Mary.  Dora  Frances 
Brueggeman  lives  at  home. 

Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Brueggeman  died  June  21,  1901,  aged  forty-nine  vears, 
in  the  faith  of  the  Catholic  Church,  to  which  Mr.  Brueggeman  also  adheres. 
Politically  he  is  independent.  He  served  as  road  commissioner  for  four  years, 
and  as  a  member  of  the  town  board  of  supervisors  for  one  year. 

Mrs.  Brueggeman's  parents  were  natives  of  Prussia,  Germany,  and  came 
to  America  about  1848.  locating  in  Waterford  township,  Racine  county.  Wis., 
and  afterward  in  Wheatland,  Kenosha  county.  They  died  well  advanced  iri 
years.  They  had  a  family  of  eight  children  :  Louis ;  Gertrude,  wife  of  Joseph 
Richter,  of  Nebraska;  Henry;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Luke,  of  Minnesota; 
Mary  Ann,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Mr.  Brueggeman;  Frances,  de- 
ceased ;  Annie,  deceased ;  and  William. 

JOHN  CLAUSEN,  one  of  the  leading  citizens  and  successful  agricul- 
turists of  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  was  born  in  Schleswig- 
Holstein,  Germany,  Feb.  15,  1862. 

John  and  Begrita  (Mathisen)  Clausen,  his  parents,  were  both  nati\-es  of 
Germany.  They  had  a  family  of  four  sons  and  one  daughter,  this  family  be- 
ing now  represented  by  but  three  members :  Ernest,  of  Kenosha ;  Katrina, 
wife  of  Snren  .Carlson ;  and  John.  The  father  was  a  laborer.  He  still  lives 
hi  his  native  locality,  in  the  city  of  Hoyer,  where  he  is  known  as  an  honest, 
industrious  man.  The  mother  died  in  1870,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three.  The 
family  have  always  been  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  The  grandfather, 
John  Clausen,  was  also  a  laborer.  He  and  his  wife  Annie  reared  twelve  chil- 
dren. The  grandfather  on  the  maternal  side  was  a  veterinarian.  Our  sub- 
ject's mother  was  his  only  child. 

John  Clausen,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch,  was  eighteen  years 
old  when  he  came  to  America  from  Germany,  prior  to  which  he  had  attended 
both  German  and  Danish  schools.  He  has 'always  followed  farming,  taking 
more  interest  in  this  line  of  work  than  any  other.  In  1880  he  came  to  New 
York,  from  there  going  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  worked  on  a  plantation 
until  1 88 1,  when  he  came  north  to  Chicago,  where  he  drove  a  team  for  a  year. 
In  1882  he  came  to  Kenosha  county.  Wis.  Here  he  worked  at  tile  draining 
and  for  some  three  years  did  contracting  in  that  line,  and  then  rented  land 
in  Bristol  township  for  several  years,  after  which  he  settled  on  rented  land  in 
Pleasant  Prairie  township.  Mr.  Clausen  then  bought  200  acres  of  good  land 
in  Sections  16  and  21,  his  present  farm,  which  he  has  placed  under  good  culti- 
vation and  has  made  into  a  comfortable  home. 

On  Nov.  30.  1886.  Mr.  Clausen  was  married,  at  Racine,  to  Miss  Victoria 
Lindquist.  daughter  of  Victor  and  Johanna  (Paulson)  Lindquist,  and  to  this 
marriage  have  been  born  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  namelv :  Edward.  Vic- 
tor. George,  Ernest,  Mabel.  Lillie.  Esther  and  Clara.  Victor  died  at  the  age 
of  seven.    Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clausen  are  members  of  the  Lutlieran  Church. 

The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Clausen  was  Peter  Lindquist,  who  was  born 


^^^^^^^^  ^^Z^^^pci^i^^j^^^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  393 

in  Denmark  and  came  to  America,  living  near  Spring  Lilull,  where  he  died  at 
the  age  of  se\-ent_v-eight  years.  The  grandmother,  Sarah,  chetl  in  Denmark 
in  middle  lite,  the  mother  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  maternal 
grandfather  of  i\Irs.  Clausen  was  Paul  Paulson,  a  farmer,  who  was  born  and 
died  in  Denmark.  His  wife  Hannah  died  in  middle  life,  the  mother  of  three 
daughters  and  one  son. 

Victor  Lindcjuist,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Clausen,  was  born  in  Sweden,  and 
his  wife  was  born  in  Denmark.  They  came  to  America  in  1869  and  settled 
in  Pleasant  Prairie  township.  He  built  the  windmill  at  Truesdell.  Mrs. 
Lindquist  still  lives  in  Bristol  township,  where  Mr.  Lindciuist  died  in  Novem- 
ber, 1905.  He  owned  a  farm  of  thirty-six  acres  there.  They  had  three  daugh- 
ters and  one  son,  namely :  Annie,  wife  of  Clarence  Younk,  of  Woodward  Sta- 
tion; Victoria,  Mrs.  Clausen;  Oscar,  who  is  with  his  mother  in  Bristol  town- 
ship; and  Sarah,  who  died  aged  fourteen  years. 

In  addition  to  general  farming,  Mr.  Clausen  pays  a  great  deal  of  atten- 
tion to  the  breeding  of  pure  Holstein  cattle.  He  does  quite  a  large  business 
also  in  general  merchandising,  and  handles  first-class  agricultural  implements. 
In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  for  two  years  he  served  as  post- 
master at  Erly,  and  during  several  terms  was  school  treasurer.  For  a  con- 
siderable period  he  has  been  a  justice  of  the  peace,  his  administration  giving 
general  satisfaction.  In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Clausen  is  a  member  of 
Kenosha  Lodge.  No.  47,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  the  Danish  Brotherhood  Lodge  No. 
14,  and  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 

ROBERT  H.  MOTH,  city  engineer  and  superintendent  of  the  city 
waterworks,  Kenosha,  Wis.,  is  a  leading  and  Influential  citizen  of  that  place, 
where  he  was  born  June  3,  1872,  son  of  Henry  J.  and  Maria  (Ryerson)  Moth, 
the  former  a  native  of  England,  and  the  latter  of  America. 

William  Moth,  the  grandfather  of  Robert  H.,  was  a  farmer  in  England, 
and  on  coming  to  America  followed  farming  in  Salem  township,  Kenosha 
county.  He  later  removed  to  the  village  of  Southport,  where  he  died  when 
fifty-four  or  fifty-five  years  of  age.  His  widow.  Elizabeth  (Soper)  Moth, 
died  shortly  afterward.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject.  Richard 
Ryerson,  was  a  native  of  Holland,  where  he  followed  cabinetmaking.  On 
coming  to  this  country  he  first  settled  in  New  Jersey,  and  later  in  Michigan, 
where  he  arrived  at  an  early  day.  He  later  lived  a  short  time  in  Kenosha, 
but  returned  to  Michigan,  and  died  in  Muskegon,  aged  over  eighty  years. 
His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Sarah  .\ckerman,  died  young. 

Henrv  J.  Moth  was  a  carpenter  and  builder.  He  first  settled  in  Virginia 
on  coming  to  this  country,  and  from  there  removed  to  Iowa,  and  in  1841  to 
Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  settling  in  the  town  of  Salem.  There  he  purchased  a 
farm,  which  he  operated  for  a  short  time,  and  then  moved  into  Kenosha,  where 
he  followed  his  trade  up  to  a  short  time  before  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1893,  when  he  was  aged  seventy-four  years.  His  wife  still  survives  him.  and 
lives  with  her  son,  Robert  H.  Mrs.  Moth  is  a  Methodist,  while  her  husliand 
was  an  Episcopalian  in  religious  faith.  They  had  two  children :  Bessie  J. 
and  Robert  H. 

Robert  H.  Moth  was  reared  in  Kenosha,  where  he  attended  the  public 


394  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  high  schools.  He  then  entered  tlie  engineering  department  of  the  Rose 
i'olyteclmic  Institute,  of  Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  and  graduated  from  there  in  i8q2, 
since  which  time  he  has  devoted  himself  exclusively  to  that  business.  He  was 
appointed  city  engineer  by  the  city  council  in  1899,  and  still  holds  that  office. 
Mr.  Moth  was  married  July  3,  1901,  to  Miss  Addie  L.  Rice,  daughter 
of  Frederick  and  Adelia  (Winslow)  Rice,  and  two  chddren  have  been  born 
to  this  union,  Margery  Elizabeth  and  Robert  Edward.  They  reside  at  No.  807 
Prairie  avenue,  where  Mr.  Moth  built  a  tine  home  in  1897.  Mrs.  Moth  is  a 
member  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Moth  belongs  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No. 
47,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Kenosha  Chapter,  No.  3,  R.  A.  M. ;  and  Racine  Commandery, 
No.  7,  K.  T.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Kenosha  Lodge  of  Elks,  No.  750,  and 
belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Oriental  Lodge,  No.  81,  Terre  Haute, 
Ind.     Politically  he  is  non-partisan. 

DR.  CHARLES  CARVER  RYAN,  whose  chosen  field  of  practice  is  the 
thriving  city  of  Kenosha,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in  Chicago  June 
7,  1 87 1,  son  of  Alexander  and  Rachel  (Carver)  Ryan,  the  former  of  whom 
was  born  in  Michigan,  and  the  latter  in  Illinois.  The  paternal  grandfather 
was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  while  on  the  maternal  side  Dr.  Rvan's 
grandfather  was  Seth  Carver,  a  native  of  Ohio,  whose  parents  came  from 
Massachusetts.  Seth  Carver  went  to  California  during  the  gold  craze,  and 
was  never  again  heard  from.  He  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  eight  or  nine 
children. 

Alexander  Ryan,  the  father  of  the  Doctor,  was  a  ship  carpenter,  and 
spent  most  of  his  life  in  Chicago,  where  he  died  in  1874,  aged  about  forty- 
six  years.  His  widow  survived  imtil  1896,  when  she  passed  away,  aged  fifty- 
nine  years.  They  always  attended  the  old  Moody  Church  in  Chicago.  Dur- 
ing the  Civil  war  Alexander  Ryan  was  a  sailor  in  the  employ  of  the  Govern- 
ment. There  were  ten  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ryan,  seven  of  whom 
are  still  living:  Caroline,  wife  of  Jacob  Vollmer,  of  Kenosha:  David  A.,  of 
Chicago:  Josephine,  wife  of  W.  G.  Livingston,  of  Chicago;  Jane  E.,  Anna 
and  Lillian,  of  Chicago,  and  Dr.  Charles  C,  of  Kenosha. 

Dr.  Charles  C.  Ryan  was  reared  in  Chicago,  and  attended  the  public 
schools.  He  then  took  up  the  study  of  dentistry,  and  graduated  from  the- 
Chicago  College  of  Dental  Surgery  in  1890,  after  which  he  practiced  for  about 
two  and  one-half  years  in  Kenosha,  and  then  returned  to  Chicago,  where  he 
followed  his  profession  for  seven  and  one-half  years.  He  finally  came  back 
to  Kenosha,  where  he  has  since  remained.  On  Jan.  i,  1895,  the  Doctor  mar- 
ried Miss  Charlotte  Borkenhagen,  daughter  of  George  William  and  Caroline 
(Bendt)  Borkenhagen,  and  three  children  have  been  born  to  this  union, 
Malcolm,  Ronald  and  Alice. 

Mrs.  Ryan  is  a  Congregationalist.  Fraternalh-  the  Doctor  is  connected 
with  the  Royal  League.  His  pleasant  home  is  situated  at  No.  621  Park 
avenue. 

EDWARD  BAIN  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  wagons  at  Ken- 
osha for  over  forty  years,  and  was  during  the  greater  part  of  that  time  the 
head  of  the  Bain  Wagon  Company,  one  of  the  most  important  industrial  con- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  395 

cerns  of  the  place.  He  was  an  early  settler  of  Kenosha  county,  and  was  a 
pioneer  in  the  wagon  making  business  of  the  West. 

Mr.  Bain  was  a  native  of  Kinderhook,  Columbia  county,  N.  Y.,  born 
March  9,  1823,  son  of  Bastian  and  Moyca  (Huyck)  Bain,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  New  York  State.  The  name  was  formerly  spelled  MacBen,  the 
family  being  of  Scottish  origin. 

Bastian  Bain  was  born  March  2-j,  1794,  in  Columbia  county,  N.  Y.,  and 
was  one  of  the  family  of  eight  cliildren  of  Hugh  Bain,  a  substantial  farmer. 
He  married  Moyca  Huyck,  who  was  descended  from  Holland  ancestors,  and 
though  Mr.  Bain  was  distinctly  Scotch,  by  living  among  the  Dutch  he  readily 
adapted  himself  to  their  ways,  and  he  became  a  member  of  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed Church,  as  was  also  his  wife.  In  political  sentiment  he  was  an  old- 
line  Democrat.  Bastian  Bain  made  farming  his  life  occupation,  and  he  and 
his  wife  spent  their  days  in  their  native  State.  They  were  of  that  sturdv, 
unpretentious  class  from  which  so  many  of  our  ablest  men  have  sprung.  Of 
their  family  six  children  reached  maturity. 

Edward  Bain  was  the  third  of  his  parents'  family  in  order  of  birth.  For 
his  day  he  enjoyed  exceptional  educational  advantages,  for  after  attending 
the  district  schools  he  spent  a  year  in  Kinderhook  Academy  and  an  equal 
length  of  time  in  an  academy  at  Lenox,  Mass.  When  sixteen  years  old  he 
commenced  the  active  business  of  life,  having  been  bound  out  for  five  vears 
to  a  hardware  merchant  in  Albany.  N.  Y..  and  after  serving  out  his  time  he 
decided  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  West.  Mr.  Bain  had  a  friend  in  southern 
Wisconsin,  whom  he  visited,  and  believing  Southport  a  good  place  to  open 
business  he  returned  to  Albany  and  invested  in  a  stock  of  hardware,  which  he 
brought  out  to  the  then  new  region,  arriving  in  the  village  in  1844.  For 
some  twentv  years  he  continued  to  carry  on  the  hardware  business,  his  brother. 
Lewis,  being  his  partner  during  the  last  half  of  that  period. 

Meantime,  in  1852.  in  partnership  with  J.  V.  Quarles.  Mr.  Bain  pur- 
chased the  wagon  factory  in  Kenosha  established  by  Henry  Mitchell,  and  em- 
barked in  that  enterprise.  Mr.  Mitchell  superintending  the  works  for  two 
years  thereafter.  Mr.  Bain  proved  himself  a  competent  and  successful  busi- 
ness man.  and  by  good  judgment  and  careful  business  management,  he  in- 
creased the  annual  product  of  the  factory  from  a  yearly  output  of  a  few  hun- 
dred wagons,  made  by  hand,  to  fifteen  thousand  vehicles.  In  1882  the  Bain 
Wagon  Company  was  incorporated,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $400,000.  and  the 
following  officers:  Edward  Bain,  president:  George  Yule,  vice-president  and 
superintendent ;  Frederick  S.  Newell,  secretary :  and  Charles  H,  Bain,  treas- 
urer. The  buildings  and  yards  of  the  establishment  cover  about  ten  acres 
and  over  three  hundred  hands  are  employed,  making  it  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive manufacturing  enterprises  of  Kenosha.  Mr.  Bain  was  the  principal 
factor  in  the  promotion  of  the  business  and  the  active  head  of  the  concern 
until  his  death. 

Mr.  Bain  married,  in  Kenosha.  Sept.  20.  184.7.  Miss  Harriet  M.  Brockett, 
who  was  born  in  Waterford,  Saratoga  Co..  N.  Y.,  June  7.  1837.  daughter  of 
Tared  and  Cecilia  (Scott)  Brockett.  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  New  York. 
in  which  State  the  mother  died.  Mr.  Brockett  married  again.  He  came  to 
Kenosha  among  the  early  settlers,  where  he  died  when  alx)ut  eighty-seven 


396  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

years  of  age.  Mrs.  Bain  is  the  only  survivor  of  his  family.  She  is  the 
mother  of  "tliree  children,  as  follows:  Frances  C,  widow  of  Frederick  S. 
Newell,  who  was  secretary  of  the  Bain  Wagon  Company;  Carrie  M.,  wife  of 
Col.  lames  J.  Hoyt,  president  of  the  Chicago  &  Kenosha  Hosiery  Company, 
and  vice-president  of  the  Bain  Wagon  Company;  and  Charles  H.,  formerly 
treasurer  of  the  Bain  Wagon  Company,  who  died  in  1893.  Mrs.  Bain  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

Mr.  Bain  was  originally  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  from  the  mception 
of  the  Republican  party  he  was  one  of  its  stanch  supporters.  He  was  a  director 
of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Kenosha,  and  a  successful  man  in  all  his  busi- 
ness ventures,  and  it  was  generally  understood  that  he  was  the  heaviest  tax- 
payer in  the  county.  For  the  most  part  of  his  wealth  was  accumulated  by 
industry,  good  management,  and  judicious  investment,  and  his  prosperity 
was  therefore  well  merited.  His  upright  life  won  him  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  and  his  modesty  and  unas- 
suming manners  won  him  the  admiration  of  many.  For  a  number  of  years 
Air.  Bain  .spent  his  winter  seasons  in  Pasadena,  Cal.,  where  he  died  Dec. 
18.  1898. 

WAKELY  T.  BULL,  a  retired  business  man  of  Racine,  Wis.,  who  is 
making  his  home  at  No.  827  Lake  avenue,  was  for  many  years  identified  with 
the  T.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company.  Mr.  Bull  was  born  near  Auburn, 
Cayuga  Co.,  N.  Y..  Feb.  16,  1836,  son  of  DeGrove  and  Amanda  (Crosby) 
Bull,  natives  of  New  York  State. 

John  Bull,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  physician,  and  spent' all  of 
his  life  in  New  York  State,  where  he  was  born.  He  died  in  Putnam  county 
at  an  advanced  age,  as  did  also  his  wife.  Their  son,  DeGrove  Bull,  came  to 
Wisconsin  in  May,  1846,  and  located  in  Raymond  township,  Racine  county, 
where  he  followed  farming  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  improving  a  farm  of 
240  acres.  His  death  occurred  there  in  1867,  aged  seventy-two  and  one-half 
years,  while  his  widow  survived  until  1880,  when  she  passed  away,  aged 
ei.ghty-four  years.  She  was  a  Baptist,  while  he  was  not  connected  with  any 
religious  body.  They  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  si.x  are  now  living:  Mrs. 
Teaiiette  Gage,  widow  of  Col.  Thomas  Gage,  residing  in  Racine ;  Stephen,  of 
Racine:  Lydia  A.,  widow  of  Jerome  I.  Case;  Caroline,  widow  of  Lorenzo 
Waite:  Wakely  T.,  of  Racine:  and  Charles  Henry,  formerly  of  Mount  Pleas- 
ant township,  now  living  retired  in  Racine.  Mrs.  Bull's  father,  Stephen  Cro.sby, 
was  a  native  of  New  York,  where  he  carried  on  farming.  There  he  died, 
as  did  also  his  wife. 

Wakely  T.  Bull  was  ten  years  old  when  brought  to  Racine  by  his  parents, 
and  at  fifteen  years  of  age  left  the  farm  and  located  in  Racine,  where  he  has 
lived  ever  since.  He  attended  the  country,  public  and  high  schools,  and  was 
afterward  principal  of  Bull's  Business  College  for  four  or  five  years.  He  then 
took  a  position  with  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  as  account- 
ant and  private  secretary  to  Mr.  J.  I.  Case,  being  with  the  firm  for  forty  years. 
He  and  Mr.  Case  were  the  founders  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Works  and  Mr. 
Bull  was  vice-president  and  treasurer  for  many  years.  For  the  past  three 
years  he  has  lived  retired. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  397 

Mr.  Bull  was  nianie>l  June  14,  uSji,  to  Miss  Carrie  Curtis,  of  St.  Paul, 
Minn.,  tlaug'hter  of  Orrin  Curtis,  and  to  this  union  four  children  were 
born:  Florence  L.,  wlio  married  M.  E.  Walker,  city  attorney  of  Racine,  and 
has  one  daughter,  Jane;  Daisy,  who  married  Reginald  Adams,  and  lives  in 
Marseilles,  111.,  where  he  is  connected  with  the  Marseilles  Manufacturing-  Com- 
pany, and  they  have  one  daughter,  Lois ;  William  C,  an  accountant  with  the 
J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  living  at  his  father's  home ;  and 
Miss  Carolyn,  who  also  lives  at  home.  Mrs.  Carrie  Bull  died  in  1881,  aged 
twenty-eight  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  On  June  27, 
1900.  Mr.  Bull  married  Mrs.  Cora  Frances  Stanton,  widow  of  Leon  Stanton, 
and  daughter  of  Francis  and  Mary  C.  (Smith)  Moore.  Mrs.  Bull  is  a  Pres- 
byterian, while  her  husl.iand  attends  the  Baptist  Church.  Politically  he  is  a 
stanch  Republican. 

Mrs.  Bull's  parents  were  natives  of  York  State,  and  she  was  the  only 
child  of  their  union.  Mr.  Moore  was  a  lawyer,  and  died  in  1869,  his  widow 
still  surviving  him,  and  residing  in  Denver,  She  married  for  her  second  hus- 
band Dr.  N.  B.  Farmham,  of  Chicago.  Mr.  Bull  has  done  much  traveling  for 
pleasure,  making  numerous  trips  to  California.  He  owns  a  beautiful  resi- 
dence at  No.  827  Lake  avenue,  Racine,  in  which  he  has  made  his  home  for 
over  twenty  years. 

JAMES  LUGG,  a  widely  known  farmer  in  Yorkville  township,  resid- 
ing on  his  highly  cultivated  farm  on  Section  14,  belongs  to  one  of  the  pioneer 
families  of  Racine'  county.  He  was  born  on  the  farm  adjoining  the  one 
he  now  occupies,  March  i.  1845,  son  of  Hannibal  and  Mary  (Harry)  Lugg, 
natives  of  Cornwall,  England. 

There  is  a  touch  of  French  blood  in  the  Lugg  family,  which  is  explained 
as  follows :  In  the  year  1704,  a  Colonel  Sands,  of  the  parish  of  Kevern.  Corn- 
wall, England,  sailed  to  Falmouth  with  a  cargo  of  salt,  and  returning',  volun- 
teered to  carry  a  party  of  friends  back  to  Kevern,  A  storm  overtook  the 
vessel,  however,  and  on  making  a  landing,  the  party  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
French,  who.  at  that  time,  were  at  war  with  England.  After  several  months' 
imprisonment  the  Colonel  and  his  friends  were  released,  but  not  before  Col- 
onel Sands  had  made  the  acquaintance  and  friendship  of  a  young  Frenchman 
named  Greenlaw,  who  later  visited  him  in  Cornwell  and  married  one  of  his 
daughters, 

James  Lugg,  grandfather  of  James,  was  a  native  of  Cornwall.  England, 
as  had  been  his  ancestors  for  many  generations,  and  there  both  he  and  his 
wife,  Sarah  (Lyne)  Lugg,  died,  leaving  a  large  family.  On  the  maternal 
side,  our  subject's  grandfather,  John  Harry,  was  also  a  native  of  England, 
who  emigrated  to  Canada,  dying  there  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  His  wife, 
Martha  Oats,  died  when  still  a  young  woman  leaving  a  family  of  six  children, 

Hannibal  Lugg.  one  of  the  few  surviving  English  emigrants,  is  a  pio- 
neer settler  of  Racine  county.  He  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Ruanmajor.  Corn- 
wall, England,  Oct,  11,  1819,  son  of  James  and  Sarah  (Lyne)  Lugg,  and  in 
his  native  place  was  reared  and  educated,  later  learning  the  trade  of  carpenter 
and  joiner.  In  1842  he  came  to  America,  landing  in  Canada,  where  he  spent 
a  short  time,  then  making  his  way  to  Racine,  arriving  there  Aug.  6.   1842. 


398  COMMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

After  working  for  several  persons  in  Racine.  [Mr.  Lugg  entered  80  acres  of 
Government  land  in  the  town  of  Yorkville.  In  the  winter  of  1842-3  Mr. 
Lugg  began  to  prepare  his  farm,  later  adding  tifty-six  acres  of  farm  land  and 
sixteen  acres  of  woodland,  and  there  he  continued  until  1874,  when  he  returned 
to  Racine,  and  here  he  has  since  made  his  home,  engaging  in  carpentering 
and  jobbing.  Politically  he  is  Republican,  and  while  in  Yorkville  served  one 
term  as  town  clerk,  and  three  terms  as  justice-of-the-peace.  He  was  reared 
in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  his  wife  attends  the  Emanuel 
Church  (Episcopal)  of  Racine.  In  the  spring  of  1844  Mr.  Lugg  went  to 
Canada,  where,  on  the  21st  of  May,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Harry, 
to  whom  he  had  been  engaged  in  England  before  coming  to  this  country.  She 
was  born  in  Mullion,  Cornwall,  and  came  to  America  in  1841.  Six  children 
were  born  to  this  union :  James  married  Martha  Wait;  Martha,  wife  of  Adel- 
bert  Beach,  died  aged  twenty-eight  years ;  John,  of  Ives  Grove ;  Thomas  Han- 
nibal and  William  Edward,  twins,  died  in  infancy;  and  Sarah,  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Evans,  of  Racine  county.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  Aug.  16, 
1875.  Mr.  Lugg  was  again  married  May  16,  1877,  in  Racine,  to  Mrs.^^'f- 
ginia  A.  Barry,  widow  of  Melville  Barry,  and  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah 
(Gorlin)  Cole.  She  was  torn  in  Raymond,  Racine  county,  where  her  parents 
were  early  settlers.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  union:  Lvdia  C,  Alexa 
V.  and  Martha  Louisa,  all  born  in  Racine. 

James  Lugg  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Yorkville  township,  attending  the 
district  scliools  there,  and  living  on  the  home  farm  until  eighteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  started  carpenter  work,  at  which  he  continued  forty  years.  He 
owns  the  old  homestead,  which  he  has  improved  greatly,  and  on  which 
he  raises  fine  crops.  On  Dec.  25,  1876,  Mr.  Lugg  married  Miss  Martha 
Wait,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Sarah  Bell  Wait.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lugg  are 
Methodists.  Politically  he  has  always  been  a  Republican,  and  has  held  the 
offices  of  supervisor  and  justice  of  the  peace. 

Reuben  Wait,  Mrs.  Lugg's  grandfather,  came  to  Racine  county  among- 
the  early  pioneers.  Mrs.  Lugg's  father,  Charles  Wait,  was  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont, and  came  to  Racine  county  in  1837,  taking  up  Government  land.  On 
first  coming  West  he  had  settled  in  Chicago,  remaining  there  for  a  vear  or 
two.  but  on  account  of  being  harrassed  by  the  Indians,  quit  the  claim  to  come 
to  Wisconsin.  He  died  in  Racine  county,  aged  seventv-eight  vears.  Mr.  Wait 
married  Sarah  Bull,  and  to  them  were  born  six  children,  five  of  whom  are 
still  living,  as  follows:  Martha,  the  wife  of  our  subject:  Charles,  of  York- 
ville township:  Newton,  of  Racine;  Mary,  the  wife  of  John  Bosustow,  of 
Milwaukee;  and  George,  of  Yorkville  township. 

Mr.  Lugg  has  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the  countv,  which  he  has  greit-lv 
improved  with  a  fine  new  residence,  good  substantial  barns  and  out  build- 
ings, and,  although  he  has  given  most  of  his  time  to  carpentering,  has  never 
neglected  to  keep  his  farm  in  the  best  possible  condition.  Mr.  Lugg  has  built 
many  of  the  substantial  homes  and  other  buildings  which  go  to  make  up  this 
finelv  improved  county.  His  father  is  one  of  the  best  known  men  among  the 
enrlv  settlers,  and  i'^  verv  vigorous  for  one  of  his  vears.  Great  respect  and 
ndniir^tion  are  due  him  and  the  other  sturdv  pioneers  who  helped  to  cle->r  th° 
county  at  a  time  when  it  required  courageous  and  manlv  men  to  take  the  lead 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  399 

in  the  hazardous  and  trying  ordeals  incident  to  pioneer  life.  Their  memory 
shouUl  ever  be  kept  sacred  and  fresh  in  the  minds  of  their  descendants  and 
the  coming  generations,  and  the  same  reverence  is  also  due  to  the  faithful  wives 
and  mothers  of  those  early  days. 

ANTOX  SCHERF,  one  of  the  representative  old  settlers  and  prominent 
farmer-citizens  of  Salem  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  \Vis.,  residing  on  a  fine 
farm  of  145  acres  in  Section  19,  was  born  in  the  province  of  Thiiringen,  Ger- 
many, Feb.  23,  1827,  a  son  of  Johan  George  and  Eva  (Stohr)  Scherf,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  Of  their  family  of  four  sons  and  three 
daughters  Anton  is  the  only  one  now  living.  His  brother  Gottlieb  was  a  mem- 
ber of  a  regiment  in  Gen.  Hancock's  Brigade  during  the  Civil  war,  and  was 
killed  at  Vicksburg.  The  father,  George  Scherf,  was  a  miller  in  tlie  city  of 
Hersberg,  where  he  died  in  1846,  aged  sixty-one  years.  The  mother  was  born 
in  the  same  year  as  was  Emperor  William  I,  and  lived  to  be  over  ninety  years 
of  age.  Both  parents  were  worthy  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  The 
father  married  (first)  a  Miss  Spindler,  and  they  had  two  children. 

Nickolaus  Scherf,  the  paternal  grandfather,  also  followed  milling  in 
Germany.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  a  farmer,  and  both  he  and  wife 
lived  to  old  age.     They  left  four  sons. 

Anton  Scherf  was  reared  on  his  father's  own  estate  and  learned  the  mill- 
ing business  with  him  after  he  had  completed  his  schooling.  In  1854  he  came 
to  America,  landing  in  July  of  that  year  in  Milwaukee,  where  he  first  secured 
work  in  a  threshing  machine  shop  and  also  worked  at  wagonmaking.  In 
1859  he  came  to  Wilmot  and  followed  milling  in  the  first  mill  that  was  erected 
there,  for  a  Mr.  Benham,  with  whom  he  continued  until  1868.  when  he  bought 
his  present  farm,  which  he  has  been  operating  ever  since. 

Mr.  Scherf  was  married  Nov.  17,  1855,  to  Natalie  Fischer,  daughter  of 
Ernest  and  Caroline  (Bachmann)  Fischer,  and  six  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  viz. :  Ernest  resides  at  home.  Louis,  a 
miller  for  ten  years,  is  now  a  farmer  in  Clark  county,  Wis. ;  he  married  Char- 
lotte Sabin,  and  they  have  five  children,  Fred,  Sabin,  Emeline.  Nathalie  and 
Anton.  William  learned  the  tailor's  trade,  but  is  now  engaged  in  farming  in 
Clark  county;  he  married  Mary  Bartlett,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Paulina. 
Edgar  died  aged  three  years.  Albrecht  died  aged  thirty-five  years.  Louisa 
is  single  and  living  at  home.  On  Nov.  17,  1905,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scherf  cele- 
brated suitably  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  their  wedding,  receiving  the  con- 
gratulations and  good  wishes  of  all  who  know  them.  They  are  members  of  the 
Lutheran  Church. 

From  1847  to  1850  Mr.  Scherf  served  in  the  German  army.  Politically 
he  votes  independently.  He  has  been  a  member  of  Salem  Lodge,  No.  42,  I. 
O.  O.  F.,  at  Wilmot,  since  1865. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Scherf  were  natives  of  Saalfeld,  Thiiringen,  Ger- 
many, and  died  in  old  age  in  that  locality.  They  had  one  son  and  seven  daua:h- 
ters,  this  daughter,  Mrs.  Scherf,  being  the  only  survivor  of  the  familv.  She 
was  born  in  Germany  Jan.  21,  1827,  and  came  to  America  in  1855,  being 
married  two  days  after  her  arrival  in  Milwaukee,  Mr.  Scherf  meetine  her  and 
taking  her  to  the  home  he  had  provided.  Her  father  was  an  architect  by  pro- 
fession. 


400  CO.M-MI-:.M()RATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

The  paternal  grandfatlier  of  Mrs.  Scherf  died  in  German}-.  His  wife 
was  -Maria  Eischer.  His  maternal  grandparents  also  died  in  Germany.  The 
old  family  records  have  been  lost,  but  it  is  known  that  the  Bachmann  children 
were:    Ernest,  Dorothea  (who  married  a  Mr.  Laudenschlecher)  and  Caroline. 

SAMUEL  WTLLEY,  who  is  engaged  in  cultivating  his  farm  on  Sec- 
tion 2,  Rochester  township,  is  one  of  Racine  county's  enterprising  agricultur- 
ists. He  was  born  in  Rochester  township  Aug.  4.  1859,  son  of  John  Richard 
and  Jane  (Anderson)  Willey,  the  former  a  native  of  England  and  the  latter 
of  Norway. 

John  Willey,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  baker  by  occupation.  He 
was  a  native  of  England,  where  he  died  in  1832,  aged  about  fifty-two  years. 
His  wife,  Jane  (Beaumont)  Willey,  also  died  in  England,  aged  fifty-two, 
about  the  same  time  that  the  death  of  her  husband  occurred.  They  had  a 
family  of  three  children,  two  daughters  and  one  son,  namely :  ^lary  Ann, 
who  married  a  Air.  North;  Susan,  who  married  a  Mr.  Wood;  and  John  Rich- 
ard. 

John  Richard  Willey  was  a  baker  by  trade,  and  followed  his  trade  in 
the  city  of  Leeds,  England.  In  1843  ^''^  came  to  America,  locating  in  Roches- 
ter township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.  He  purchased  forty  acres  of  land,  to  which 
he  added  from  tiine  to  time  until  he  owned  a  fine  tract  of  325  acres,  and  also 
two  other  farms,  consisting  of  160  acres.  He  died  in  Rochester  township 
June  2j,  1897,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  Mr.  Willey  was  a  member  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  which  he  attended  faithfully  in  his  younger  days.  He  was 
prominent  in  local  politics,  and  held  many  town  ofiices.  John  Richard  Willey 
married  Jane  Anderson,  whose  father  died  in  Norway  in  1830,  aged  about  sixty 
years.  Her  mother  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Norway  township.  Racine 
Co.,  Wis.,  dying  there  in  1876  at  an  advanced  age.  She  and  her  husband  had 
two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  Mr.  Anderson  had  been  formerly  married, 
and  had  several  children  by  the  first  union.  To  Air.  and  Mrs.  John  Richard 
Willey  were  born  seven  children,  five  of  whom  grew  to  maturity :  Mary,  de- 
ceased, married  William  D.  White,  and  had  two  children,  Walter  N.  (in  Cal- 
ifornia) and  Florence  (who  married  Emerson  Ela.  of  Madison,  Wis.)  ;  Em- 
ma, deceased,  married  Albert  E.  Shaub,  of  Alilwaukee,  and  had  two  children, 
Willey  and  Alice ;  John,  of  Rochester  township,  on  the  old  homestead,  married 
Hattie  Smith,  and  has  four  children,  Mary,  Leslie,  Edward  and  Alice ;  Samuel 
is  our  subject;  Jennie  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  L.  Ward,  of  Bemidji,  Minn.,  and  has 
one  son,  Willey.  Mrs.  Jane  (Anderson)  \Villey  died  Oct.  7,  1889.  aged  sixty- 
three  years,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Rochester  cemetery.  She  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lutheran  Church. 

Samuel  Willey  has  lived  in  Rochester  township  all  of  his  life.  Raised 
on  the  farm,  he  attended  the  district  schools,  and  he  always  lived  at  home, 
at  the  time  of  his  father's  death  inheriting  a  part  of  the  latter's  farm.  He 
now  owns  a  fine  tract  of  150  acres  at  the  edge  of  the  village  of  Rochester, 
which  he  has  finely  improved.  Mr.  Willey  is  independent  in  politics,  and 
while  not  a  member  of  any  religious  denomination  is  ever  ready  to  help  in 
the  work  of  any  church.  To  use  Mr.  Willey's  own  words,  he  is  "the  hap- 
piest man  in  the  township." 


•y§=? 


MRS  JANE   WILLEY. 


COMME]MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  401 

GEORGE  R.  BAKER,  a  prominent  retired  farmer  residing-  at  Eranks- 
ville  Station,  Caledonia  township,  and  an  honored  pioneer  of  Racine  countv, 
was  born  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  that  count}',  Nov.  3,  1844.  He  is  a  son 
of  Abraham  and  Elizabeth  (Rowej  Baker,  natives  of  Cornwall,  England,  and 
of  the  four  children  born  to  them  two  reached  maturity :  George  R.,  of 
Franksville;  and  John  R.,  of  Yorkville  township. 

Abraham  Baker,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  George  R.,  was  a  native  of 
Cornwall  and,  with  his  lamily  started  for  America  in  1842.  He  died  in 
Canada  while  on  his  way  to  the  United  States,  well  advanced  in  years.  His 
wife,  Margaret  (Hugler),  continued  the  journey  with  the  children,  settling 
in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  but  passing  the  last  years  of  her  long  life  in  Ray- 
mond township.  They  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  children,  eleven  of  whom 
reached  manhood  and  womanhood.  John  Rowe,  the  maternal  grandfather  of 
.  George  R.  Baker,  died  in  his  native  England,  as  did  the  mother  of  his  two- 
sons  and  daughter.  Of  his  sons,  one  became  a  British  soldier  and  spent  his 
last  days  in  Australia,  and  the  other  died  in  England. 

Abraham  Baker,  the  father  of  George  R.,  was  a  fanner  throughout  life. 
He  and  his  wife  came  to  x\merica  in  Augvtst,  1843,  ii'^  ^  •''^w  ship.  When  i^art 
way  out  they  encountered  a  severe  storm  and  were  compelled  to  return  to 
port  for  more  ballast,  and  it  took  them  nine  weeks  to  get  to  America.  Locating 
in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  Abraham  Baker  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  which 
he  improved,  and  later  purchased  forty  acres  more.  He  operated  the  120 
acres  until  1864,  when  he  sold  the  same.  He  then  purchased  390  acres  in 
Raymond  township,  which  he  cultivated  and  improved  until  the  death  of  his 
wife,  June  30,  1871.  He  also  owned  a  fami  of  120  acres  in  Yorkville  town- 
ship. After  the  death  of  his  wife  he  lived  retired  from  active  labors  until  his 
death,  in  1893.  at  seventy-eight  years  of  age. 

George  R.  Baker  passed  his  boyhood  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  on  the 
paternal  farm,  acc^uired  his  education  in  the  district  schools,  and  at  the  age 
of  twenty  accompanied  his  parents  to  Raymond  township,  where  liis  mother 
died.  Subsequently  he  went  to  Racine  and  worked  for  about  two  vears  in  the 
Fish  Brothers  Wagon  Works. 

On  Dec.  25,  1868,  Mr.  Baker  married  Mary  Ann  Smith,  daughter  of 
Benjamin  and  Philanda  (Van  Doozer)  Smith.  They  became  the  parents  of 
three  children  :  ( i )  Abram  H.,  a  farmer  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  married 
Aletta  Priscilla  Beach,  and  they  have  one  son,  Raymond  G.  Baker.  (2) 
George  R.,  a  physician  and  surgeon,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Milwaukee  Medical 
College,  class  of  1900,  and  is  now  located  at  Tomahawk.  Wis. :  he  married 
Martha  Neary,  of  that  city,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  Rowe  Irving  Baker. 
(3)  Mary  E.  is  unmarried  and  lives  at  home.  Mrs.  Baker,  the  mother  of  this 
family,  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  as  is  her  daughter. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  R.  Baker  lived  in  Raymond  township  from  1872 
to  1895,  '^^'^  were  among  the  leading  residents  of  that  section.  In  March, 
1895,  they  removed  to  Franksville,  where  they  have  since  resided,  sub- 
stantial and  highly  respected  members  of  the  community.  Politicallv  Mr. 
Baker  is  a  Republican,  and  he  served  as  postmaster  of  Franksville  under 
McKinley  and  Roosevelt  for  a  period  of  over  four  years.  He  has  always 
taken  a  practical   interest  in  the  cause  of  popular  education,  and  as  school 


402  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

director  for  some  fifteen  years  accomplished  much  creditable  work.  In  his 
private  capacity,  besides  conducting  extensive  agricultural  interests,  he  has 
been  prominently  identified  with  the  creamery  industry,  being  at  one  time 
treasurer  of  the  company  which  built  the  establishment  at  Thompsonville. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Baker  died  in  England,  his  native 
country,  when  his  children  were  young.  His  wife,  Sarah  Gardner,  lived  to 
old  age.  and  was  the  mother  of  thirteen  children,  only  one  of  whom  became 
a  resident  of  the  United  States.  William  Van  Doozer,  the  maternal  grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Baker,  was  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  and  in  early  life  lived 
in  Oswego.  In  1842  he  bought  a  farm  and  located  in  Caledonia  township, 
Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  and  during  several  subsequent  years  kept  a  hotel  at  Racine. 
His  final  location  was  at  Ahnapee,  Wis.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and 
attained  some  political  prominence,  holding  the  ofifices  of  sheriff  and  justice 
of  the  peace.  His  wife,  who  was  Jane  Van  Amberg.  died  at  the  age  qf  fifty- 
three,  while  he  lived  to  be  eighty.     They  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children. 

Benjamin  Smith,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Baker,  was  a  native  of  England,  and 
lier  mother  was  born  in  Oswego,  N.  Y.  In  May,  1842,  he  came  to  the  United 
States  and  located  in  Caledonia  township,  wdiere  he  busied  himself  both  at 
his  trade  as  a  carpenter  and  in  the  operation  of  a  farm  which  he  soon  pur- 
chased. At  one  time  he  was  the  owner  of  quite  an  extensive  tract  of  land. 
His  wife  had  migrated  to  the  West  the  same  year  that  he  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, and  they  were  married  Jan.  16,  1843.  Their  four  children  were  as  fol- 
lows: IMary  A.,  wife  of  George  R.  Baker:  Samuel  G. :  Sarah  J.;  and  Caro- 
line E.,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  father  died  in  March,  1886,  aged  seventy- 
six  years,  one  month.  He  was  not  only  an  industrious  man.  of  irreproachable 
character,  but  a  citizen  of  some  public  prominence,  and  besides  holding  var- 
ious school  offices  for  many  years  he  served  with  honor  as  justice  of  the  peace. 

PETER  SCHLAX,  the  prosperous  proprietor  of  a  blacksmith  shop  at 
Brass  Ball  Corners,  Salem  township,  Kenosha  Co..  Wis.,  is  one  of  the  rep- 
resentative citizens  of  that  county.  Mr.  Schlax  was  born  in  the  Rhein  Prov- 
ince, Germany,  near  Trier,  Aug.  7.  1829,  son  of  Engelhard  and  Elizabeth 
(Harings)  Schlax,  also  natives  of  Germany.  His  paternal  grandfather  was 
Baiter  Schlax,  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  and  his  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Susie  Hahn,  died  at  an  advanced  age.  They  had  a  family  of  eight 
children,  two  daughters  and  six  sons.  Peter  Schlax's  maternal  grandfather 
was  Peter  Harings,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation. 
Peter  Harings  was  twice  married,  and  by  his  first  wife.  Catherine  Knch.  had 
two  children,  one  of  whom  died  young.  His  second  wife  was  Catherine 
Weber,  and  they  had  five  sons  and  one  daughter. 

Engelhard  Schlax  was  born  in  1801,  and  his  wife  the  vear  previous.  He 
followed  farming  all  of  his  life,  and  served  in  the  regular  armv.  He  died  in 
1885.  his  wife  passing  away  in  1873.  They  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  six 
of  whom  are  now  living:  Peter:  John,  of  Marysville,  Kans. :  Anton,  of 
Bassett  Station.  Wis.:  A.gnes,  the  widow  of  Christopher  Gerardy,  of  Scott 
county,  Minn.:  Michael,  of  Wilmot,  \\' is. :  and  Barbara,  the  wife  of  William 
Blum,  of  Nieder  Bettinger.  Germany,  on  the  old  homestead. 

Peter   Schlax    remained   in   Germanv   until    twenty-eight  years   old.    re- 


C0MAIE:\I0RATIVE    biographical    record.  403 

ceiving  his  educali(jn  in  the  common  schools,  and  Iiegan  to  learn  the  black- 
smith's trade  when  in  his  eighteenth  year.  In  his  native  country  he  served 
four  years  in  the  regular  army,  and  in  1857  came  to  America,  working  for  a 
short  time  in  Burlington,  Wis.,  in  a  plow  shop.  In  1858  he  located  at  Brass 
Ball  Corners,  Salem  township,  where  he  has  continued  to  the  present  time, 
except  for  six  weeks  spent  in  the  United  States  service  during  the  Civil  war. 
He  was  drafted  into  the  32d  Wisconsin  Regiment,  in  which  he  served  six 
weeks,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  secured  a  substitute,  and,  returning  home, 
resumed  blacksmithing. 

On  Feb.  12,  1863,  Air.  Schlax  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Spiegelhoff, 
daughter  of  W^illiam  and  Mary  (Pantfoeder)  Spiegelhoff.  Nine  children 
were  born  to  this  union:  Mary  (deceased),  Mary  A.,  Henry  J.,  John  H., 
Edith  M.,  Michael  M.,  Rose  A.,  and  Mathilda  and  Caroline,  twins.  Mary 
A.  married  Mathias  Britz,  of  Dixville,  Minn.,  and  they  have  eight  children, 
Catherine,  Cecilia,  Ida,  Peter,  Henry,  John,  Rose,  and  Margaret.  Henry  J., 
lives  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and  is  a  blacksmith;  he  married  Elizabeth  Jacobs, 
and  they  have  three  boys,  Theodore,  Vincent  and  Riichard.  John  H.,  a  black- 
smith of  Salem  Village,  married  Theressa  Ludwig,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren, Raphael.  Emma  and  Margaret.  Edith  M.  lives  in  Milwaukee,  where  she 
married  John  Muenzer,  and  they  have  three  sons,  George,  Raymond  and  Lee. 
Michael  M.,  a  blacksmith  of  Kenosha,  married  Anna  Newman.  Rose  A.  mar- 
ried Alexander  Huck,  and  they  have  a  daughter,  Elizabeth,  and  reside  at  Kern, 
California. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  Schlax  are  members  of  St.  Alphonso's  Catholic 
Church  in  New  Munster,  where  they  attend  regularly.  Politically  Mr., Schlax 
is  a  Democrat,  and  he  takes  a  great  interest  in  the  success  of  his  partv  in  this 
section. 

Mrs.  Schlax's  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  came  to  America 
in  1846  with  their  family,  settling  in  New  Munster,  in  the  town  of  Wheat- 
land. He  died  Jan.  i,  1847,  survived  by  his  wife  and  four  children,  and  his 
mother.  His  widow  married  for  her  second  husband  Henry  Bruggemann, 
and  passed  away  in  1897,  aged  ninety-four  years.  Eour  of  the  five  children 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spiegelhoff  still  survive,  namely:  Mary,  the  wife  of 
Herman  Spitzman,  of  Burlington;  Elizabeth,  Mrs.  Schlax:  Theodore,  of 
Lyons,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis. ;  and  Henry,  of  Milwaukee.  The  paternal  grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Schlax  was  William  Spiegelhoff  who  died  in  Germany  when 
a  young  man.  He  followed  farming  all  his  life.  His  wife's  name  was  Ger- 
trude (Dubbling)  Spiegelhoff,  and  they  had  but  one  son,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Sdilax.  Mrs.  Schlax's  maternal  grandfather  was  Bernard  Pantfoeder.  who 
died  in  Germany. 

JOSEPH  EDW^\RD  DIXON  has  been  in  business  in  Bristol.  Kenosha 
county,  for  a  number  of  years  as  a  builder  and  contractor,  and  has  been  very 
largely  identified  with  the  growth  of  the  town.  He  is  a  native  of  the  county, 
born  in  Brighton  township  March  17,  1850,  a  son  of  James  and  Mary  (Whit- 
taker)  Dixon. 

Mr.  Dixon  comes  of  English  descent  on  both  sides.  The  parents  of 
James  Dixon  were  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Wilkinson)  Dixon,  both  of  whom 


404  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

reached  extreme  uld  age.  They  left  England  for  America  in  1S42  and  spent 
the  rest  of  their  lives  in  Brighton  township,  where  Henry  Dixon  died  when 
over  102  years  old  and  his  wife  at  about  the  age  of  ninety.  They  had  fifteen 
children,  but  many  of  them  died  in  infancy. 

In  the  Whittaker  line  the  grandparents  of  Joseph  E.  Dixon  were  Nicho- 
las and  Sarah  (Lord)  Whittaker,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  and  sixty- 
six,  respectively.  Nicholas  Whittaker  was  a  cabinetmaker  by  trade,  and  came 
to  America  in  1846,  w-orking  at  his  calling  in  Southport,  Wis.,  till  his  death. 
He  and  his  wife  had  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  as  follows:  William; 
Tohn ;  Mary,  Mrs.  Dixon ;  Robert,  of  Kenosha ;  Alice,  deceased  wife  of  John 
Murgatroyd;  Ann,  deceased;  and  James,  of  Racine. 

James  Dixon  was  born  in  Lancashire,  near  Liverpool,  in  181 5,  and  his 
wife  "was  a  native  of  the  same  locality.  A  lifelong  farmer,  he  came  to  America 
in  1842  and  bought  eighty  acres  in  Brighton  township,  Kenosha  county,  set- 
tling down  there.  He  added  to  his  land  till  he  owned  a  homestead  of  141 
acres,  where  his  family  were  all  reared.  About  1885  he  removed  to  Union 
Grove  and  made  his  home  there  till  his  death,  in  March,  1904,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-eight  years,  nine  months,  twenty-five  days.  Mr.  Dixon  was  an  in- 
fluential man  locally  and  held  various  town  offices.  Religiously  he  was  a 
Catholic,  while  his  wife  was  an  Episcopalian.  She  died  nearly  ten  years  be- 
fore her  husband.  May  24,  1894,  aged  sixty-nine.  Ten  children  were  born 
to  them,  as  follows:  Joseph  Edward,  of  Bristol;  James  M.,  of  Union  Grove; 
John,  of  Racine;  William,  of  Union  Grove;  Sarah  Ann,  deceased  wife  of 
Edward  Williams;  Alice,  Mrs.  David  Hurn,  of  Union  Grove;  Robert  M.,  of 
Silver  Lake,  Wis. ;  Jane,  Mrs.  William  Sheen,  of  Brighton  township,  occupy- 
ing her  father's  homestead;  and  two  who  died  in  infancv. 

Joseph  E.  Dixon  spent  a  boyhood  much  like  that  of  other  farmers'  sons 
and  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Brighton  township.  He 
remained  at  home  till  he  was  seventeen  years  old,  but  at  that  age  went  to  Union 
Grove,  where  he  lived  while  learning  the  trade  of  a  carpenter.  He  began  in 
business  for  himself  in  Brighton,  but  after  five  years  there  returned  to  Union 
Grove  and  followed  his  trade  there  till  1887.  Since  then  he  has  been  estab- 
lished as  a  contractor  in  Bristol.  Both  of  the  churches  in  that  town  were 
built  by  him  and,  in  fact,  the  largest  part  of  the  whole  village.  His  work  is 
recognized  as  of  the  highest  order  and  he  has  accumulated  a  competence. 

WHierever  he  has  lived  Mr.  Dixon's  ability  and  patriotism  have  been 
utilized.  A  loyal  citizen,  ready  to  do  his  part,  he  has  served  for  a  number  of 
years  as  justice  of  the  peace,  holding  that  ofiice  for  tw'o  terms  in  Union  Grove, 
while  he  is  now  filling  his  fourth  term  in  Bristol.  He  is  a  stanch  Republican. 
Fraternally  he  belongs  to  Washburn  Lodge,  No.  145,  F.  &  A.  M. 

Twice  married,  Mr.  Dixon's  first  wife  was  Fidelia,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  Wilson,  to  whom  he  was  united  Dec.  28,  1871.  Mrs.  Dixon  died 
Dec.  20,  1881,  aged  about  thirty  years,  and  left  five  children,  namely:  Mary, 
who  married  Alonzo  Hill,  of  Bristol  township ;  Florence,  who  marri'ed  Samuel 
Knopp,  of  Bristol  township,  and  has  four  children.  Glenn,  Ernest.  Ethel  and 
Harvey;  Jessie,  Mrs.  David  Jackson,  of  Bristol  township,  mother  of  Clyde, 
Roger  Dewey  and  Mary;  Edward  Everett,  who  is  in  the  laundry  business  m 
Kenosha:  and  Edna,  living  in  Dakota,  unmarried.  On  June  25,  1882,  Mr. 
Dixon  married  Miss  Ada  Hawkins,  and  to  this  union  also  have  been  born 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  405 

five  children,  as  follows :  Nina  May,  who  married  Joseph  Steinbech,  super- 
intendent of  the  Laflin  and  Rand  Powder  Mill,  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township, 
and  who  has  two  daughters,  Elva  Maud  and  Berneice  Evelyn ;  Elsie  Maud ; 
Georgia  Lydia,  wife  of  George  Bryant ;  Hershel,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four 
years ;  and  Hazel,  twin  sister  of  Hershel.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dixon  are  both  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  he  is  serving  as  trustee.    - 

Mrs.  Ada  Dixon  is  a  daughter  of  Elihu  and  Sarah  (Lewis)  Hawkins, 
the  former  an  Englishman,  one  of  the  early  settlers  near  Chicago.  From  there 
he  went  to  Southport,  now  Kenosha,  in  its  pioneer  days,  but  later  moved  to 
Brighton  township,  where  he  has  resided  since  the  sixties.  His  wife  died 
May  30,  1893,  aged  fifty-five  years,  eight  months,  thirteen  days.  Of  their 
twelve  children,  seven  are  living.  The  paternal  grandfather,  Samuel  Haw- 
kins, was  born  in  England  and  came  to  America  many  years  ago,  but  returned 
to  his  own  country  and  there  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  He  was  a  plasterer  by 
trade.    The  maternal  grandparents  were  born  in  England  and'died  there. 

JAMES  HURD,  an  underwriter  of  life  and  fire  and  tornado  insurance 
in  Union  Grove,  has  been  for  many  years  a  prominent  business  man  there, 
and  until  1902  also  conducted  a  flourishing  establishment  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  light  and  heavy  harness,  where  he  turned  out  work  of  the  finest  quality 
and  workmanship. 

Mr.  Hurd  was  born  in  Keighley,  Yorkshire,  England,  April  17,  1849. 
On  his  ninth  birthday  he  boarded  the  vessel  bound  for  America,  whither  his 
widowed  mother  Mrs.  Amy  Hurd,  came  to  make  a  home  for  her  two  chil- 
dren, James  and  Selina,  now  the  wife  of  D.  Worrall,  of  Chicago.  The  little 
family  located  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county,  and  there  Mrs.  Hurd  mar- 
ried William  Murgatroyd,  a  farmer  in  that  locality.  Mrs.  Murgatroyd  lived 
to  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years,  dying  March  4,  1901.  She  was  a  member  of 
the  Congregational  Church. 

James  Hurd  attended  school  first  in  England,  and  later  in  the  Paris  dis- 
trict school.  He  grew  up  on  the  farm,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  began  to 
learn  the  harness  maker's  trade,  rapidly  mastering  the  details  of  the  business, 
and  in  six  months  bought  out  his  employer's  establishment  in  Union  Grove, 
running  it  on  his  own  account  from  that  time  until  1902,  when  he  turned  it 
over  to  his  son,  Clarence.  Eor  nearly  twenty  years  Mr.  Hurd  had  been  in- 
terested in  insurance,  as  a  side  issue,  and  since  giving  up  his  harness  making 
business  he  has  confined  his  attention  exclusively  to  the  insurance  business. 

Mr.  Hurd  has  been  active  in  various  ways  in  public  life.  A  strong  Re- 
publican, he  was  for  five  years  town  treasurer  of  Bristol,  while  at  L^nion  Grove 
he  served  two  years  as  supervisor,  an  office  to  which  he  was  again  elected  in 
1905.  He  is  prominent  in  fraternal  work,  is  a  member  of  Union  Grove  Lodge, 
No.' 288,  F.  &  A.  M.:  of  Orient  Chapter,  No.  12.  R.  A.  M. :  and  of  Racine 
Commandery,  No.  7.  K.  T.  His  initiation  into  the  Masonic  order  was  at  Bris- 
tol, Wis.,  about  thirty  years  ago,  when  he  joined  Washburn  Lodge,  No.  145. 
there,  and  he  was  master  of  that  lodge  for  five  years  in  succession.  James 
Hurd  is  a  public-spirited  and  enterprising  citizen,  who  believes  in  furthering 
to  the  utmost  the  upbuilding  of  the  community.    He  is  a  man  of  strict  integrity 


406  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  high  moral  character,  w  ho  enjo\'S  a  standing  uf  the  first  rank  among  his 
fellow  townsmen. 

On  Aug.  5,  1869,  Mr.  Hurd  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Aurelia 
Terhune,  daughter  of  John  J.  and  Mary  ( Welsh  j  Terhune,  and  to  their  union 
one  son,  Clarence,  was  born.  This  son,  since  succeeding  to  his  father's  busi- 
ness, has  fully  maintained  the  high  standard  of  work  for  which  the  elder  Mr. 
Hurd  was  so  well  known.  Clarence  Hurd  married  Miss  Annie  Otto,  and 
has  three  daughters,  Florence,  Edna  and  Alice. 

Mrs.  Hurd  was  born  in  Alexandria,  Va.,  though  her  parents  were  natives 
of  New  York  State.  Later  the  family  returned  to  New  York,  then  went  West, 
settling  for  a  time  in  Batavia,  111.,  and  finally,  in  1867,  came  to  Racine  county. 
They  lived  for  a  number  of  years  in  Union  Grove,  and  then  moved  to  Racine, 
where  Mr.  Terhune  died  in  1879,  aged  sixty  years.  He  was  a  painter  by 
trade,  and  during  the  Civil  war  saw  service  in  the  army.  While  he  resided 
in  Union  Grove  be  was  for  some  time  a  member  of  the  town  board.  His  wife 
lived  to  be  over  eighty,  passing  away  in  1903.  They  had  seven  children,  of 
whom  the  following  six  are  living:  Jerry;  John;  William;  Albert;  Aurelia, 
Mrs.  Hurd;  and  Carrie,  Mrs.  Orton  Shaver. 

WALTER  GAIUS  SHUMWAY,  a  farmer  on  Section  14.  Raymond 
township,  Racine  county,  was  born  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives  Feb.  12, 
1867,  son  of  Lyman  and  Mary  (Ellis)  Shumway,  and  grandson  of  Walter 
and  Amarillus  Shumway  and  of  Gains  and  Julia  (Chamberlain)  Ellis. 

\\'alter  Shumway  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and  the  family  is  of  French 
origin.  His  entire  life  was  devoted  to  farming.  At  one  time  he  owned  five 
eighty-acre  tracts  of  land  in  Raymond  township,  Racine  county,  and  he  died 
in  that  township  at  the  extreme  old  age  of  ninety-four  years.  His  good  wife 
also  attained  advanced  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  five  of 
whom  are  now  living,  namely :  Henry,  of  Castle  Rock,  Minn. ;  Dwight,  of 
Northfield,  Minn. ;  William,  of  Racine ;  Abigail,  who  was  twice  married,  her 
last  husband  being  Henry  J.  Lyman,  now  deceased ;  and  Harriet,  wife  of 
Dexter  Bailey,  of  Breckenridge,  Minn.  Walter  Shumway  and  his  wife  were 
charter  members  of  the  first  Congregational  Church  in  Raymond  township. 

Lyman  Shumway,  son  of  Walter,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  the  early 
American  home  of  the  family,  and  lived  there  until  he  was  nineteen  years 
old,  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  migration  to  Wisconsin.  Like 
his  father  he  devoted  his  active  years  to  farming,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
owned  105  acres  of  well-improved  arable  land.  He  was  active  and  influential 
in  public  affairs,  and  held  various  town  offices,  having  been  supervisor,  treas- 
urer and  school  director.  His  death  occurred  April  9,  1896,  when  he  was 
aged  seventy-four  years.  His  wife,  Mary  Ellis,  died  March  22,  1905.  They 
had  seven  children,  five  of  whom  died  young,  the  remaining  two,  Walter  Gains 
and  Elbert  L.,  still  surviving.  Elbert  L.  is  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  and 
resides  on  the  same  farm.  On  Aug.  14,  1894,  he  married  Miss  Cora  West, 
sister  of  Mrs.  Walter  G.  Shumway.  Lyman  Sliumway  and  his  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregational  Church,  and  were  among  the  charter  members  of 
the  first  church  of  that  denomination  in  Raymond  township.  ^Irs.  ^larv 
(Ellis)   Shumway  was  a  daughter  of  Gaius  and  Julia   (Chamberlain)    Ellis, 


CO^niEMORATlVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  407 

the  former  of  whom  was  a  native  of  the  Old  Bay  State,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  the  hotel  business,  and  whence  he  came  to  Wisconsin  with  the  early  pio- 
neers. Mr.  Ellis  lived  for  a  while  in  Raymond  township,  and  then  moved  to 
Racine,  and  later  to  Neenah,  dying  in  the  latter  place  when  aged  nearly  four- 
score years  and  ten;  his  wife  passed  away  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  They 
had  five  children,  three  daughters  and  two  sons,  all  now  deceased. 

Walter  Gains  Shumway  has  passed  all  his  life  on  the  farm  where  he  was 
born,  and  which  he  and  his  brother  Elbert  L.  now  own.  This  farm  contains 
125  acres,  and  the  young  men  are  aptly  demonstrating  their  ability  as  thor- 
oughly up-to-date  agriculturists.  Their  improvements  are  substantial,  their 
fields  well  cared  for,  and  they  adopt  such  new  methods  as  are  iM'acticable  for 
their  needs.  Walter  G.  Shumway  was  president  and  manager  of  the  Raymond 
Center  Dairymen's  Association. 

On  March  25,  1890,  Walter  G.  Shumway  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Charlotte  West,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Charlotte  (Ferris)  West, 
and  three  chiUlren  have  been  born  to  them :  Lyman  William,  who  died  when 
fifteen  months  old ;  and  Linus  Walter  and  Charlotte  Elizabeth,  living.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Shumway  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church,  and  are  active 
and  influential  in  its  work,  Mr.  Shumway  now  serving  as  one  of  the  trustees. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  has  ever  taken  a  keen  interest  in  public 
affairs,  having  been  supervisor  one  year,  chairman  of  the  board  for  one  year, 
and  now  serving  his  fourth  term  as  town  clerk.  He  has  proved  in  every  way 
his  worthiness  to  be  ranked  among  the  useful,  public-spirited  and  able  citizens 
of  the  county. 

EDWTN  ELTGENE  WRIGHT,  who  conducts  a  furniture,  undertaking 
and  harness  establishment  in  the  thriving  village  of  Wilmot,  Wis.,  was  l)orn 
in  Randall  township,  Kenosha  county,  Feb.  6,  1857,  son  of  James  and  Eliza- 
beth (Kellett)  Wright,  natives  of  Lincolnshire,  England.  The  grandfather 
died  in  England  when  his  son  James  was  a  small  boy,  and  his  history  and  that 
of  his  wife  are  lost.  The  grandfather  on  the  maternal  side,  Samuel  Kellett, 
a  native  of  England,  came  to  America  and  finally  located  at  Zumbrota,  Minn., 
where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age.    He  was  a  farmer  in  his  later  years. 

James  Wright,  father  of  Edwin  E.,  came  to  America  when  eighteen  years 
of  age,  and  worked  in  several  cities  in  the  East  before  striking  out  for  the 
West,  in  1852.  In  that  year  he  located  in  Randall  township,  Kenosha  county, 
locating  on  143  acres  of  land  upon  which  he  engaged  in  farming  until  his 
death,  in  1881,  in  his  sixty-third  year.  Mr.  ^^"right  became  prominent  in 
township  affairs  and  held  various  township  offices.  His  widow  survived  until 
1892  and  was  si.xty-nine  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  They  were  Metho- 
dists. They  had  twelve  children,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living:  Joseph,  of 
Appleton,  Minn. ;  Albert,  of  Richmond,  111. :  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Lucius  B.  Rice. 
of  Richmond,  III. :  Edwin  E. :  John  Franklin,  of  Chicago,  111. :  Pearson,  of 
Three  Oaks,  Mich. :  and  Nellie,  the  wife  of  Herbert  F.  Gibbs,  of  Genoa  Junc- 
tion, ^^^isconsin. 

Edwin  Eugene  Wright  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  attended  the 
district  schools  and  the  public  schools  of  Richmond,  after  which  he  taus'ht 
school  for  several  terms.     In   1887  he  removed  to  \\'ilmot.  \\Ms.,  where  for 


4o3  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

six  years  he  conducted  a  meat  market,  and  then  followed  shipping'.  ]\Ir. 
Wright  then  bought  out  the  furniture  and  undertaking  business  of  Louis 
Scherf,  and  has  conducted  that  business  to  the  present  time,  also  engaging  in 
the  harness  business.  He  has  been  successful  in  his  efforts  to  build  up  a 
paying  trade  among  the  residents  of  this  section,  his  straightforward  business 
methods  and  strict  integrity  having  completely  won  their  confidence. 

On  April  23,  1885.  Mr.  Wright  married  Mary  Hodge,  daughter  of  John 
and  Peggy  (Watters)  Hodge,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  three  chil- 
dren, Ethel.  Floyd  and  Clarence.  Floyd  died  aged  three  months.  Mr.  Wright 
belongs  to  Wilmot  Lodge,  No.  241,  F.  &  A.  M..  and  also  to  the  Modern  W(iod- 
men  of  America.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Wright  were  natives  of  Cornwall,  England,  wiiere 
John  Hodge  was  born  March  30,  1828.  He  came  to  America  July  3,  1849, 
and  his  wife  on  July  5.  1849.  They  were  married  Nov.  4,  1852,  in  Yorkville, 
Wis.,  and  settled  in  Caledonia,  Racine  county,  where  he  operated  a  sawmill 
for  four  vears.  In  May.  1856.  they  removed  to  Richmond.  111.,  on  a  farm 
where  in  connection  with  farming  Mr.  Hodge  had  the  care  of  the  round 
house  at  Richmond.  In  1871  the  road  was  extended  to  Lake  Geneva.  Wis., 
and  after  he  severed  his  connection  with  the  railroad  company  he  was  engaeed 
as  captain  and  engineer  of  the  "Annie  Wilson."  the  first  steamer  that  plied 
the  waters  of  Lake  Geneva.  He  afterward  became  the  engineer  of  the  "Lady 
of  the  Lake."  discharging  the  duties  of  that  situation  with  marked  ability. 
His  connection  with  the  passenger  trafific  of  the  steamers  covered  a  period  of 
nine  seasons.  He  died  in  1889.  His  wife  still  survives  him,  at  the  age  of 
eightv-one.  and  resides  on  the  old  homestead.  They  were  the  parents  of  five 
children,  as  follows:  Edson  H..  a  farmer  of  Randall  township:  Mrs.  Mary 
W^right.  of  Wilmot:  John  W..  a  farmer  of  Randall  township;  Thomas  E., 
who  is  on  the  old  homestead  ;  and  Christina,  wife  of  J.  D.  Smith,  of  Ringwood. 
Illinois. 

Thomas  Hodge.  Mrs.  Wright's  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of 
England,  where  he  died  at  an  old  age,  after  following  agricultural  pursuits  all 
of  his  life.  He  married  Mary  Thomas,  who  also  attained  an  advanced  age, 
and  they  had  nine  children.  Mrs.  Wright's  maternal  grandfather.  Henrv 
\\^atters,  was  also  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England,  and  came  to  America  with 
his  family  in  1849,  settling  in  the  State  of  Pennsvlvania  for  several  vears, 
following  mining.  About  the  year  1867  he  came  West  to  Illinois,  and  made 
his  home  with  his  daughter,  Pegg^'.  at  whose  home  he  died  aged  ninety-six 
years.  His  wife,  Sarah  Richards  Watters.  also  died  at  her  daughter  Peggy's 
home,  when  in  her  seventy-fourth  vear.  Mr.  and  INIrs.  Watters  had  a  familv 
of  twelve  children,  of  whom  eleven  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood. 

PHILO  CURTIS,  a  prominent  retired  agriculturist  of  Bristol  township, 
Kenosha  county,  is  a  pioneer  of  that  place,  having  gone  there  in  18^19.  Mr. 
Curtis  was  born  in  Columbia  county.  N.  Y.,  April  5,  1824.  son  of  Frederick 
and  Gittie  (Alilius)  Curtis. 

Frederick  Curtis  was  lx)m  in  Connecticut,  of  Quaker  stock  and  English 
descent.  He  married  Gittie  Milius.  daughter  of  Jacob  Milius.  and  they  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Dutchess  county.   X,   Y.     There  he  was  quite 


PHILO   CURTIS 


^.   ^.    V^yU^^^lX^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  409 

prominent  in  public  life,  serving  as  constable  and  coroner.  They  both  died 
when  past  middle  life  in  Columbia  county,  N.  Y.  Six  sons  and  five  daughters 
were  born  to  them,  as  follows:  Hezekiah;  Harriet,  who  married  Jacob 
Hiserodl;  Emma,  who  married  John  Pulver;  Edward;  William;  Hiram;  Sally 
Ann,  who  died  unmarried  when  over  sixty  years  of  age;  Angeline,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  thirty  years;  Philo,  Betsy,  who  married  Ely  Colpah,  and 
Samuel. 

Philo  Curtis  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  in  early  manhood.  Later  becoming 
a  farmer,  he  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1849  and  bought  a  farm  in  Bristol  town- 
ship, Kenosha  county.  To  his  first  purchase  of  280  acres  he  afterward  added 
forty  more,  and  has  spent  most  of  his  life  since  cultivating  his  land.  He  mar- 
ried Mary  Hunt,  who  was  born  at  Quaker  Basin,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  three  children:  Emma  V.,  wife  of  Welcome  W.  Bur- 
dick,  of  Bristol  township,  has  two  children,  Leon  and  Alvie ;  Mary  Alice, 
deceased  wife  of  Stephen  Moran,  had  six  children,  Frank,  Amy,  Peter,  Rich- 
ard, and  JNIinnie  and  Martha  (twins,  the  latter  of  whom  is  deceased)  ;  Cyrus 
A.,  is  mentioned  below.  On  Aug.  14,  1865,  Philo  Curtis  lost  his  wife  at  the 
age  of  twenty-nine  years,  and  for  the  next  eleven  years  he  lived  in  the  East. 
Since  1876,  however,  he  has  lived  in  his  old  home,  though  his  son  is  now  in 
charge  of  the  farm. 

Cyrus  A.  Curtis  is  an  up-to-date  farmer,  cultivating  the  farm  of 
which  he  has  had  charge  since  his  father's  retirement.  He  was  born  Aug. 
12,  i860,  and  most  of  his  boyhood  was  passed  in  the  East,  whither  his  father 
took  him  when  he  was  five  years  old.  He  was  sent  first  to  a  private  school  and 
then  to  the  district  schools,  and  when  about  sixteen  returned  to  Wisconsin. 
He  then  began  to  assist  his  father  about  the  farm,  and  gradually  assumed  the 
entire  charge.  He  was  married  Jan.  i,  1885,  to  Miss  Louisa  Fenske,  and  one 
child  was  born  to  this  union,  Cora  M.,  but  she  lived  only  nine  months.  Mr. 
Curtis  is  a  good  Republican  in  his  political  views,  and  has  served  the  town- 
ship as  road  commissioner.  He  is  one  of  the  wide-awake,  enterprising  agri- 
culturists of  the  section,  and  he  and  his  aged  father  both  enjoy  the  respect 
of  the  entire  community. 

Henry  and  Minnie  (Pofahl)  Fenske,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Louisa  F. 
Curtis,  were  natives  of  Germany,  where  Mrs.  Curtis  also  was  born,  in  1864. 
The  family  came  to  America  two  years  later,  and  locating  in  Wisconsin,  the 
father  for  a  time  worked  out  by  the  month,  but  later  bought  fifty-two  acres 
in  Paris  township.  Improving  it,  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  there,  dying 
in  1887.  aged  forty-eight,  and  his  wife  followed  him  a  little  more  than  a  year 
after,  at  the  same  age.  They  had  eight  children,  one  of  whom  died  in  Ger- 
many in  infancy,  and  one  in  America,  aged  fourteen.  The  others  are : 
Louisa,  Mrs.  Curtis ;  Louis  of  Somers  Station,  Wis. ;  Mary,  Mrs.  Fred  Sax, 
residing  near  Delavan,  Wis. ;  William,  of  Kenosha ;  Anna,  Mrs.  John  Batcher, 
of  Kenosha,  and  Rosa,  Mrs.  Glen  Heisert.  Mr.  Fenske  served  in  the  German 
army  for  some  time.  His  father  died  in  Germany  in  1848,  but  his  mother, 
Mrs.  Caroline  (Hegeman)  Fenske.  came  to  America  in  1883.  and  lived  in 
Kenosha  from  that  time  until  her  death,  in  1902,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven. 
She  was  the  mother  of  four  sons  and  four  daugrhters. 


4IO  COMIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

OWEN  P.  GRAHAM,  cashier  of  the  State  Bank  of  Union  Grove,  at 
Union  Grove,  Wis.,  was  born  at  Rushford,  Minn.,  Jan.  2"],  1867,  a  son  of 
George  W.  and  Miami  (Streator)  Graham. 

James  Graham,  the  grandfatiier,  was  born  in  Kentucky,  of  Scotch  descent. 
His  occupation  was  farming.  In  boyhood  he  went  to  Ohio  and  settled  in  Han- 
cock county,  where  he  married,  and  later  removed  to  Minnesota.  He  died 
tliere.  survived  by  his  widow,  Susan  (Willford)  Graham,  and  a  large  family. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  first  State  Legislature  in  Minnesota.  The  great- 
grandfather, also  named  James  Graham,  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  on  coming 
to  America  settled  first  in  Connecticut,  later  moving  to  Kentucky. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Graham  was  Lemuel  Streator,  of 
French-Huguenot  stock,  and  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  lumterman 
and  conducted  a  sawmill  in  Bradford  county.  He  married  Jemima  Sweet,  who 
survived  him  many  years.  The  maternal  great-grandfather,  also  Lemuel 
Streator,  was  born  in  Orwell,  Vt..  and  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Masonic 
Lodge  which  was  organized  there  in  1807. 

George  W.  Graham  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  was  only  a  boy  when  his  father 
settled  in  Minnesota,  and  he  grew  to  manhood  on  a  farm  near  Rushford,  re- 
maining at  home  until  he  reached  his  majority.  He  then  enlisted  for  service 
in  the  Civil  war,  as  a  private  in  Company  E,  7th  Minn.  V.  I.,  and  lost  a  leg  at 
the  battle  of  Nashville.  After  his  return  to  private  life  he  was  postmaster  at 
Rushford  for  about  fifteen  years,  removing  then  to  Woonsocket,  S.  Dak., 
where  he  and  his  wife  now  reside.     She  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 

Owen  P.  Graham,  the  only  child  of  his  parents,  was  reared  and  educated 
at  Rushford,  Minn.,  where  he  completed  the  high  school  course  in  1885.  He 
then  went  to  Woonsocket,  S.  Dak.,  and  became  assistant  cashier  of  the 
Bank  of  Woonsocket,  and  later  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Mitchell, 
S.  Dak.,  where  he  remained  for  ten  years.  Mr.  Graham  then  accepted  a  posi- 
tion with  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Company,  at  Racine,  Wis.,  and  re- 
mained with  that  concern  for  two  years.  In  December,  1899,  he  came  to 
Union  Grove  and  bought  out  the  private  bank  then  doing  business  here,  con- 
ducting it  as  an  individual  venture  until  1903,  when  the  law  was  passed  abol- 
ishing private  banks.  The  business  was  then  reorganized  as  the  State  Bank 
of  Union  Grove,  with  John  S.  Blakey  as  president  and  Owen  P.  Graham  as 
cashier.  The  business  is  general  banking,  and  the  institution  has  a  large  finan- 
cial backing  and  enjoys  much  prosperity. 

Mr.  Graham  was  married  Jan.  22,  1890,  to  Miss  Lena  Caldwell,  daughter 
of  John  and  Augusta  (Lord)  Caldwell,  natives  of  Maine.  Thev  had  two 
daughters :  Lena,  wife  of  Mr.  Graham,  and  Edith,  wife  of  C.  E.  Blondell,  of 
Spencer,  Iowa.  John  Caldwell  was  a  farmer.  He  moved  to  Iowa  in  1870,  and 
at  present  is  a  resident  of  Woonsocket,  S.  Dak.  He  was  a  soldier  during  the 
Civil  war,  in  the  9th  Maine  V.  I.  Mrs.  Graham's  paternal  grandfather,  Au- 
gustine Caldwell,  was  a  son  of  Capt.  John  and  Eunice  (Stanwood)  Caldwell, 
and  he  went  to  Salem,  Mass.,  where  he  married  Maria  Bunker,  of  Bamstead, 
New  Hampshire. 

The  Caldwell  family  is  an  old  Colonial  one.  Along  this  line  ]\Irs.  Gra- 
ham can  trace  very  far  back  in  the  history  of  New  England,  to  some  of  the 
earliest  settlements,   the   founders  of  the  old   Caldwell    family  in  the  L'nited 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  411 

States  being  John  and  Sarah  (Dillingham)  Caldwell,  who  came  to  Ipswich, 
Mass.,  in  1034,  and  in  1654  purchased  the  Gov.  Bradstreet  home,  which  is 
still  in  the  possession  of  their  descendants  and  occupied  by  the  eighth  gene- 
ration. On  the  maternal  side,  the  Lords  were  also  very  early  settlers  in 
America. 

Mr.  Graham  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  affiliations,  but  he  has  never 
been  inclined  to  accept  political  preferment.  The  family  has  always  been  iroted 
for  its  loyalty  and  American  characteristics.  In  fraternal  life  Mr.  Graham  is 
a  member  of  the  Union  Grove  Masonic  Lodge  and  belongs  also  to  the  Knights 
of  Pythias.  He  is  one  of  the  town's  progressive  and  enterprising  men,  thor- 
oughly representative  of  its  business  and  social  life. 

MRS.  CLARA  P.  BARNES.  The  lady  whose  name  opens  this  sketch 
is  the  librarian  of  Gilbert  M.  Simmons  Library,  that  admirable  educational 
factor  at  Kenosha,  Wis.,  over  which  she  has  presided  since  1896. 

Mrs.  Barnes  was  born  March  9,  1854,  in  Oshkosh,  Wis.,  a  daughter  of 
Reuben  and  Chloe  Lapham  (Pratt)  Parkinson,  natives  of  New  York.  Their 
children  were:  David  J.,  deceased;  Morris  Burke,  of  Boston,  Mass.;  Mrs. 
Clara  Parkinson  Barnes,  of  Kenosha ;  and  Nellie,  wife  of  James  Cavanagh,  of 
Kenosha. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Barnes  was  reared  in  New  York  and  was  educated 
and  later  married  there  to  Miss  Hester  Ann  Woodward,  who  at  death  left  two 
children :  Hannah  Jane,  wife  of  Samuel  Grant  Norton,  of  Carthage,  Mo. ;  and 
Joseph,  deceased.  His  second  marriage  was  to  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Barnes, 
and  after  the  birth  of  two  children,  they  came  to  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Parkinson 
located  on  the  present  site  of  Oshkosh,  at  that  time  the  present  prosperous  and 
busy  city  being  represented  by  two  or  three  cabins.  With  a  Mr.  Jackson  he 
bought  a  large  body  of  land  there  which  he  subsequently  sold  and  for  some 
time  prior  to  his  death  in  1893,  aged  eighty-five  years,  his  time  was  occupied 
in  looking  a'fter  his  realty  investments.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Barnes  lived  to 
be  but  forty-nine  years  old,  dying  April  5,  1872.  Originally  they  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregational  Church. 

Mrs.  Barnes  was  reared  at  Oshkosh  and  was  educated  in  the  common  and 
high  schools  of  that  city,  graduating  in  1873.  On  Nov.  16,  1875.  she  was 
married  to  Walter  Roswell  Barnes,  a  son  of  William  H.  and  Lucy  E.  ( Thom- 
as) Barnes.  The  former  was  a  prominent  lumberman  of  Oshkosh,  Wis.,  and 
at  one  time  was  associated  in  business  v.'ith  U.  S.  Senator  Philetus  Sawyer. 

Walter  R.  Barnes  successfully  passed  the  examination  and  was  a  cadet 
at  West  Point,  preparing  for  a  military  career,  but  was  obliged  to  resign,  on 
account  of  the  prolonged  illness  and  death  of  his  father.  He  subsequently 
studied  law  and  was  considered  a  young  man  of  brilliant  promise.  Just  a  short 
time  1>efore  his  death,  in  1882,  when  but  twenty-nine  years  of  age,  he  had  been 
elected  district  attorney.  He  is  survived  by  his  widow  and  one  son,  Chester 
David  Barnes,  the  latter  of  whom  was  born  April  27,  1880.  at  Stevens  Point, 
Portage  Co.,  Wis.,  and  is  now  a  successful  practitioner  of  law  at  Kenosha. 
Until  seventeen  years  old  he  attended  the  University  school  at  Kenosha  and 
then  entered  the  University  of  Chicago,  and  after  two  years  instruction  there, 
entered  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  where  he  was  graduated  in  June,  iqoi. 


412  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

He  had  taken  one  year  in  law  there,  and  then  entered  the  law  office  of  James 
Cavanagh  at  Kenosha  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  August,  1903.  He  is 
actively  interested  in  politics,  is  a  Republican,  and  in  1904  was  made  secretary 
of  the  Republican  club.  He  was  a  member  of  different  college  fraternities  and 
keeps  up  his  membership  with  the  Phi  Kappa  Psi,  the  Theta  Nu  Epsilon  and 
the  Kappa  Epsilon.    He  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

HEXRY  CH.\RLES  DARBY,  M.  D.,  a  physician  and  surgeon  who 
has  chosen  for  his  field  of  practice  the  town  of  Wilmot,  Wis.,  was  born  in 
Bridgewater,  England,  Jan.  21,  1855,  son  of  Charles  and  Elizabeth  (Edding- 
ton)  Darby,  natives  of  that  country. 

The  Doctor's  paternal  grandfather  was  William  Darljy,  also  a  native  of 
England,  who  lived  in  the  village  of  Middlezoy,  England,  wliere  he  died  at  an 
advanced  age.  His  wife,  Mary  (Addicott)  Darby,  also  lived  to  an  old  age. 
They  had  a  large  family:  John.  Mary,  Elizabeth,  William,  Ann  and  Char- 
les :  of  the  daughters,  Mary  married  a  sea  captain,  John  Withers,  who  died  of 
yellow  fever  while  on  a  voyage  to  the  West  Indies ;  Elizabeth  married  Edward 
Alexander  a  banker  of  London ;  and  Ann  died  when  a  young  woman. 

Dr.  Darby's  maternal  grandfather  was  Samuel  Eddington,  a  native  of 
England,  where  he  died  aged  seventy-three  years.  He  followed  droving  and 
stock  buying  for  the  London  market.  His  wife,  Mary  Somers  Atyeo.  died 
aged  seventy-three  years.  They  left  two  daughters :  Elizabeth,  mother  of 
Dr.  Darby,  and  Jane,  now  the  wife  of  Charles  Tucker,  of  Grays  Lake,  Illinois. 

Charles  Darby  was  a  policeman  for  many  years,  and  also  followed  car- 
pentering in  England.  In  1868  he  came  to  America  and  located  on  a  farm 
which  is  situated  on  the  present  site  of  Lake  Villa,  111.,  owning  a  place  of  about 
eighty  acres,  upon  which  he  resides.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  Methodists, 
and  they  are  active  workers  in  the  Church.  They  had  four  children :  Dr. 
Henry  C..  IVIary  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Henry  Adams,  of  Bristol  township;  Wal- 
ter John,  of  Lake  Villa,  111.;  and  Emma  J.,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of 
James  Isbester,  of  Antioch,  Illinois. 

Henry  Charles  Darby  was  thirteen  years  old  when  he  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  America.  He  attended  St.  John's  school,  at  Bridgewater,  England, 
and  the  public  high  school  of  Waukegan,  111.,  and  then  began  clerking  for  E. 
S.  L.  Batcheldor,  with  whom  he  remained  two  years.  He  then  spent  a  year 
in  the  South,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  farm,  upon  which  he  worked  two 
years.  He  then  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  D.  B.  Taylor,  of  Mill- 
burn.  III.,  and  entered  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Michigan, 
at  Ann  Arbor,  taking  the  third  year  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, Chicago,  where  he  graduated  in  1883.  He  practiced  one  year  at 
Wheeler,  Ind.,  coming  to  Wilmot  in  1884,  and  here  he  has  since  remained. 

On  May  9,  1883,  Dr.  Darby  married  Miss  Annie  B.  Meade,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Margaret  (Caine)  Meade,  and  six  children  were  born  to  this 
union :  Raymond  J.,  Lillie  E.,  Edith  B.,  Charlotta  A.,  Earle  M.  and  Henrietta 
Eva.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Darby  are  Episcopalians.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  and  is  also  a  member  of  Wilmot  Lodge,  No.  241.  F.  & 
A.  M..  Kenosha  Chapter.  No.  3,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7, 
K.  T. ;  lie  and  his  wife  belong  t(j  the  Eastern  Star.     He  has  professional  mem- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  413 

bersliip  with  the  Cminty  and  Wisconsin  State  Medical  Sucieties,  and  the  Amer- 
ican Medical  Association.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

Thomas  Meade,  Mrs.  Darby's  father,  was  born  in  Middlezoy,  England, 
and  her  mother  in  Chicago,  111.  The  father  came  to  America  in  1855,  settling 
near  Lake  Villa,  Lake  Co.,  111.,  where  he  owns  over  eight  hundred  acres  of 
land ;  he  is  also  the  possessor  of  city  lots  in  Chicago.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meade 
have  had  six  children:  Annie  B.,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Darby;  Philip  M.,  of  Grays 
Lake,  111. ;  Alfred  \\'.,  of  near  Wadsworth,  111. ;  Jesse,  deceased ;  Lily,  the  wife 
of  O.  A.  Hook,  of  near  Rollins,  111. ;  and  May,  who  passed  away  when  seven 
years  of  age. 

Thomas  Meade's  father  was  also  named  Thomas  Meade.  He  was  a 
wealthy  farmer  in  England,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was  a 
church  warden  for  many  years.  He  and  his  wife,  Sarah  (Richardson)  Meade, 
who  died  aged  eighty-four  years,  had  a  good  sized  family.  On  the  maternal 
side,  Mrs.  Darby's  grandfather  was  James  Caine,  born  in  the  Isle  of  Man,  who 
later  became  a  substantial  farmer  of  Lake  county.  111.,  where  he  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age.  His  wife,  Isabella  (Simpson)  Caine.  was  the  daughter  of  a 
Methodist  minister  of  Manchester,  England. 

JOHN  S.  HAY  was  born  May  7,  1852,  in  Raymond  township,  Racine 
county,  three  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Raymond  Center,  and  has  passed  all 
his  life  in  the  county.  He  is  of  English  descent,  his  paternal  grandfather  i^ass- 
ing  all  his  life  in  England ;  the  latter  married  Harriet  Thomas. 

Adam  Hay,  the  father  of  John  S.  Hay,  was  born  in  England,  and  lived 
in  that  country  until  past  sixty  years  of  age.  Coming  to  America  in  the  year 
1 85 1,  he  settled  on  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Raymond  township,  Racine  Co., 
Wis.,  and  subsequently  purchased  360  acres  more,  at  one  time  owning  520 
acres.  He  made  a  permanent  home  on  the  first  farm,  which  was  in  Section  t,^. 
and  died  there  in  1859,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  He  was  a  Methodist 
in  religion. 

Mr.  Hay  was  first  married,  in  England,  to  Jane  Cristal,  who  dietl  on  the 
ocean,  while  they  were  on  their  way  to  America,  in  1851.  Five  children  were 
born  to  that  union,  namely:  George,  William.  John,  Jane  and  James,  all  now- 
deceased  but  James,  who  lives  in  Walworth  county.  Wis.,  near  Delavan. 
Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  Racine  county  Mr.  Hay  married,  for  his  second 
wife.  Miss  Harriet  Thomas,  a  native  of  Wales,  and  to  that  marriage  were  also 
born  five  children,  four  sons  and  one  daughter,  viz. :  Joseph ;  Andrew,  who 
died  in  childhood ;  John  S. :  Adam :  and  Hattie,  wife  of  Charles  Protis,  of  Ra- 
cine, Wis.  Mrs.  Harriet  (Thomas)  Hay  died  in  1890,  when  past  seventy-one 
years  of  age.  Her  father,  Thomas  Thomas,  was  a  native  of  Wales,  and  came 
to  this  country  about  i860,  settling  in  Yorkville  towaiship,  Racine  Co.,  Wis., 
on  an  eighty-acre  farm,  where  he  li\-ed  out  his  days,  dying  at  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years.  He  and  his  wife,  Mary,  had  three  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, Thomas,  John,  Isaac,  Harriet  (Mrs.  Hay),  Elvira  and  Maria. 

John  S.  Hay  attended  the  district  schools  of  the  locality  in  which  he  was 
reared,  and  also  the  Third  ward  school  in  Racine.  He  lived  at  home  until  he 
reached  maturity,  and  when  twenty  years  old  started  out  on  his  own  account 
in  the  occupation  to  which  he  had  been  trained  from  boyhood,  renting  a  farm 


414  COI\i:\IE]\IORATl\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

for  three  vcars.  He  then  receix'ed  a  portion  of  his  father's  estate,  and  later 
another  portion,  and  also  bought  twenty-seven  acres,  now  owning  seventy-four 
acres,  all  well  improved.  Mr.  Hay's  home  is  at  North  Cape,  in  Norway 
township,  and  he  is  considered  one  of  the  successful  farmers  of  that  neighbor- 
hood. He  attends  strictly  to  his  agricultural  labors,  taking  no  part  in  jniblic 
life.  Fraternally  he  holds  membership  in  North  Cape  Camp,  No.  863,  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America.     He  is  a  Methodist  in  religious  belief. 

Mr.  Hay  was  married.  Jan.  i,  1876,  to  Miss  Susan  Ferris,  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  (  Callahan )  Ferris,  and  they  have  had  three  children,  Lillian, 
Elmer  and  Allen. 

William  Ferris,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Hay,  was  born  in  Ireland,  of  which 
countrv  his  father,  William  Ferris,  was  also  a  native.  The  latter  emigrated 
from  his  native  country  and  settled  in  Canada,  where  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  dying  there  wdien  about  seventy-six  years  of  age.  He  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation.  He  married  Rosa  Ferris,  and  they  had  a  family  of  six  chil- 
dren, of  whom  William,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Hay,  was  a  child  when  the  family 
settled  in  Canada,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  There  he  married  Mary  Calla- 
han, who  like  himself  was  born  in  Ireland,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Susanna 
(Strong)  Callahan,  and  was  reared  in  Canada,  whither  her  parents  emigrated 
when  she  w^as  young.  They  were  farming  people,  and  both  died  in  Canada  at 
a  good  old  age.  They  had  quite  a  large  family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferris  moved 
from  Canada  to  Wisconsin  in  about  185 1  and  settled  on  a  tract  of  eighty 
acres  in  Raymond  township,  which  was  ever  after  their  home.  Mrs.  Ferris 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years,  and  Mr.  Ferris,  who  survived  her,  passed 
awav  in  1896,  at  the  great  age  of  ninety-four.  They  had  eight  children,  three 
sons  and  five  daughters,  five  of  this  family  still  surviving,  viz. :  Charlotte,  wife 
of  Thomas  West;  Carlin,  wife  of  Newell  Alexander,  of  Milwaukee;  Elizabeth 
wife  of  Darius  Parsons,  of  Delavan,  Wis.:  Alfred,  of  Hobart.  Mich.;  George, 
deceased;  Anna,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Mathias  Lee;  WMlHam,  de- 
ceased ;  and  Susan,  wife  of  John  S.  Hay. 

JOHN  J.  CALLAGHAN,  a  representative  farmer  of  Burlington  town- 
ship, owning  and  operating  a  fine  farm  on  Section  27,  was  born  on  his  present 
farm.  Oct.  8,  1846,  son  of  Patrick  and  Helen  (Dinan)  Callaghan,  natives  of 
Ireland,  who  lived  near  Blarney  Castle. 

Dennis  Callaghan.  grandfather  of  John  J.,  was  born  in  Ireland.  He  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation  and  died  in  his  native  country  in  1813,  leaving  his 
wddow,  Mary  (Daley)  Callaghan,  and  four  children,  three  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter, in  fairly  comfortable  circumstances.  By  careful  management  the  mother, 
wdio  lived  to  be  nearly  fourscore  years  of  age,  continued  to  hold  the  farm,  and 
support  her  children  for  several  years,  although  the  decline  of  prices  after  the 
battle  of  Waterloo  greatly  reduced  her  finances.  The  oldest  brother  having 
died.  Patrick  (born  in  the  parish  of  Upper  Glanmire,  County  Cork,  Feb.  i, 
1806)  was  taken  out  of  the  day  school  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years,  and  put  to 
work  on  the  farm,  to  do  what  little  he  could  in  the  support  of  his  brothers  and 
sisters.  He  continued  on  the  farm  until  twenty  years  of  age,  when  he  ob- 
tained a  situation  as  lime  burner  in  the  citv  of  Cork.     In  the  same  establish- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  415 

ment  the  business  of  rectifying  salt  was  carried  on,  so  that  he  acquired  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  that  branch  of  the  business,  and,  having  in  the  mean- 
while acquired  a  fair  knowledge  of  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic,  by  attend- 
ing night  school,  he  was  soon  promoted  to  the  position  of  head  weighmaster 
of  the  salt  works,  a  position  which  he  filled  with  credit  U>  himself,  and 
to  the  satisfaction  of  his  employers,  as  a  faithful,  honest  and  upright  man. 
On  June  9,  1837,  he  landed  in  New  York,  where  for  five  years  he  engaged  in 
working  upon  public  works,  as  a  driller  and  mason.  From  New  York  he  went 
to  St.  Catharines,  Out.,  but  that  same  year,  1842,  he  removed  to  the  Terri- 
tory of  Wisconsin,  landing  here  the  jd  of  September,  and  went  to  Milwaukee, 
entering  the  tract  of  land  upon  which  his  children,  John  J.  and  Ellen  now  re- 
side. This  consisted  of  eighty  acres,  for  which  he  paid  $100  in  gold.  He 
later  purchased  two  forty-acre  tracts  and  one  of  ten  acrces.  He  soon  had  a 
log  cabin  erected  for  his  family  to  live  in  ,  as  good  as  any  in  that  day.  Many 
were  the  log  houses  he  helped  to  put  up,  in  company  with  Captain  Trowbridge, 
both  lifting  at  the  same  end  or  notching  in  the  logs.  They  were  neighbors, 
for  that  day.  although  they  lived  four  miles  apart.  As  the  country  became  more 
thickly  settled,  Mr.  Callaghan  had  nearer  neighbors,  the  Walters,  Andrews, 
Lockwoods,  Nims,  Van  Kirks.  Browns,  Hockings  and  the  Heajd  family.  In 
those  days  neighbors  were  neighbors,  in  the  real  meaning  of  the  word.  Mr. 
Callaghan  departed  this  life  Feb.  15,  1877,  in  his  seventy-second  year,  greatly 
mourned  by  those  who  were  bound  to  him  by  filial  love  and  affection. 

Patrick  Callaghan  married  Helen  Dinan,  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine 
(Dorgan)  Dinan.  natives  of  Ireland  who  passed  their  whole  lives  there,  the 
former  engaged  in  business  as  a  money  lender,  and  attaining  the  age  of  about 
sixty  years.  Mrs.  Helen  (Dinan)  Callaghan  lived  on  the  home  farm  until 
her  death,  which  occurred  Jan.  8,  1885.  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 
Both  Patrick  Callaghan  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
They  had  three  daughters  and  two  sons :  Catherine,  widow  of  Frederick 
Brownell.  living  at  Lake  Geneva ;  Dennis,  who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Prairie 
Grove,  Ark.,  Dec.  7,  1862:  John  J.,  of  Burlington;  Margaret,  the  wife  of 
John  Kelley,  of  Lake  Geneva ;  and  Miss  Ellen,  of  Burlington.  During  his 
early  residence  in  Wisconsin  Patrick  Callaghan  went  to  Milwaukee  and  helped 
in  the  surveying  of  the  Juneau  addition,  being  presented  with  one  of  the  old 
axes  which  were  used  to  hew  the  timber  for  the  old  fort  built  there  in  1818. 
He  often  helped  in  appraising  property,  and  canvassed  for  money  to  help  build 
the  first  brick  schoolhouse  in  Burlington  township. 

John  J.  Callaghan  attended  school  in  Burlington,  at  Moore's  Summer  Re- 
sort, and  at  the  Union  school  of  Burlington.  He  lived  at  home  until  his  fath- 
er's death,  when  he  inherited  the  old  home  where  he  and  his  sister  Ellen 
now  live.  She  attended  the  High  school  in  Burlington,  and  was  ambitious  to 
become  a  teacher,  but  her  parents'  illness  and  death  frustrated  her  designs. 
Mr.  and  Miss  Callaghan  are  considered  to  be  among  the  best  informed  citi- 
zens concerning  early  history  in  Burlington  township,  where  their  entire  lives 
have  been  spent.  They  well  remember  the  hardships,  as  well  as  the  pleasures 
of  pioneer  life,  and  have  not  forgotten  the  howl  of  th8  prairie  wolf,  nor  the  cill 
of  the  prairie  chicken. 


41 6  CO:\BIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

GEORGE  H.  BOOTH,  a  prominent  farmer  and  stockman  of  Salem 
township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  who  carries  on  agricultural  pursuits  in  Section 
34,  was  born  at  Paris  Elill,  Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  9,  1832,  son  of  Lemuel 
and  Mary  Ann  (Addington)  Booth,  also  natives  of  New  York.  The  family 
is  descended  from  one  of  three  brothers  who  came  from  England,  and  set- 
tled in  Massachusetts. 

C}rus  Booth,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  farmer  and  a  native  of" 
New  York.  He  started  to  come  \Vest  about  1843,  and  was  drowned  in  Lake 
Erie  at  the  time  the  vessel  "Erie"  was  burned.  His  Ixidy  was  washed  ashore 
and  was  buried  on  the  beach,  but  his  father  came  on  and  took  the  body  back 
to  Oneida  county,  burying  it  near  Utica.  Cyrus  Booth  was  about  seventy 
years  old  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  had  been  married  four  times,  and 
by  his  wife  Mary,  grandmother  of  our  subject,  had  three  sons  and  one 
daughter. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  George  H.  Booth  was  Henry  Addington, 
a  native  of  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  died  at 
the  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  but  his  wife  died  in  middle  life.  They  had 
six  daughters  and  three  sons :  William ;  Mary  Ann,  mother  of  Mr.  Booth, 
Caroline,  who  was  the  wife  of  Dueas  Ellingwood ;  Lydia  and  Jane,  who  died 
unmarried;  David;  Lafayette;  Almeda,  who  was  the  wife  of  Isaac  Doolittle; 
and  Cordelia,  who  died  when  eighteen  years  of  age. 

Lemuel  Booth,  father  of  George  H.,  was  reared  a  farmer  boy,  but  when 
eighteen  years  of  age  learned  the  carpenter  business.  This,  however,  he  gave 
up  after  his  marriage  and  resumed  farming.  In  1840  he  came  to  Wisconsin, 
where  he  bought  four  eighties  of  Government  land  in  Salem  township,  later 
taking  up  an  additional  eighty,  for  which  he  paid  $2.50  per  acre.  The  trip 
to  the  new  home  was  made  by  team  to  Buffalo,  thence  by  boat  to  Detroit, 
through  Michigan  to  Chicago,  and  on  to  Kenosha  county,  in  the  then  Ter- 
ritory of  Wisconsin.  He  improved  his  land,  reared  his  family  there,  and 
there  died  Sept.  28,  1885,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  His  wife  passed  away 
July  17,  1886,  aged  seventy-six  years.  They  were  Congregationalists  in 
religious  faith.  Politically  a  Republican,  Mr.  Booth  served  as  township  as- 
sessor. Five  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lemuel  Booth :  George  H. 
and  Andrew,  of  Salem  township ;  Lathrop,  now  deceased ;  and  two  sons  who 
died  in  infancy. 

George  H.  Booth  was  but  eight  years  old  when  he  came  to  Salem  town- 
ship, Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  has  lived  ever  since,  a  period  of  sixty-six 
years.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  which  he  now  owns  (this  prop- 
erty containing  120  acres),  and  he  has  been  the  possessor  of  real  estate  in  var- 
ious parts  of  the  country.  His  first  schooling  was  obtained  in  New  York 
State,  and  in  Salem  township  he  attended  the  district  schools  and  Fowler's 
Select  school.  When  seventeen  years  of  age  he  went  back  to  Oneida  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  attended  an  academy. 

On  Nov.  5,  1854,  Mr.  Booth  married  Miss  Ann  Garland,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Jane  (Marsh)  Garland.  ^Ir.  and  ]\Irs.  Booth  raised  no  chil- 
dren of  their  own.  but  they  adopted  George  H.  Welch,  in  his  infancy,  he  be- 
ing a  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Welch,  the  latter  the  youngest  sister  of 
Mrs.  Booth.  George  H.  Welch  took  the  name  of  Booth.  He  died  July  18, 
1890,  when  eighteen  years  old,  beloved  by  all. 


1 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  417 

Politically  Mr.  Buotli  is  a  Republican.  He  has  been  extensively  engaged 
in  the  stock  raising  business  in  connection  with  farming,  and  was  manager  of 
the  Trevor  Stock  Yards  for  a  number  of  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Booth  celebrated  their  Golden  Wedding  Nov.  5,  1904,  and 
the  following  is  taken  from  the  Kenosha  Telegram  Courier  of  No\'.  io,  1904: 
"Saturday,  Nov.  5,  1904,  witnessed  a  meeting  of  the  people  of  Trevor  and 
surrounding  villages  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  H.  Booth  to 
honor  them  on  their  fiftieth  anniversary  of  wedded  life.  The  gathering  was 
like  an  'Old  Settlers'  Reunion,'  as  many  of  the  visitors  were  the  early  pioneers 
of  southern  Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois  *  *  *  *  While  most  of 
us  look  upon  golden  weddings  as  a  crowning  glory  of  age,  yet  these  two  peo- 
ple. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Booth,  do  not  indicate  that  Father  Time  has  been  a  severe 
master.  The  threescore  years  and  ten  have  been  left  behind,  and  the  assur- 
ance of  the  present  is  that  many  anniversaries  will  come  and  go  before  they 
are  called  from  their  busy  scenes  to  the  rest  they  have  earned- by  a  well-spent 
life. 

"One  remarkable  event  to  chronicle  is  that  this  is  the  second  wedding  of 
like  character  in  the  same  residence.  Twenty-four  years  ago  Mr.  Booth's 
father  celebrated  his  golden  wedding,  and  some  were  present  on  the  5th  of 
November  who  were  in  attendance  at  that  time.  Among  those  present  at  the 
elder  Booth's  anniversary  was  Alexander  Bailey,  of  Salem,  who  is  hale  and 
hearty,  and  but  for  the  four  generations  he  represented  no  one  could  read  his 
real  age.  These  four  generations  were  represented  as  follows:  Alexander 
Bailey,  Mrs.  Andrew  Booth,  Mrs.  Mabel  Lubeno,  and  Harry  Lubeno. 

"The  list  of  guests  and  presents  is  too  long  to  record  here.  Bountiful 
refreshments  were  served,  and  all  pronounced  the  wedding  as  interesting  and 
enjoyable  as  though  it  dated  the  first  milestone,  instead  of  fifty." 

Mrs.  Booth's  parents  were  natives  of  Dorsetshire,  England,  and  came  to 
America  in  1844,  settling  three-c|uarters  of  a  mile  north  of  Liberty  Corners, 
in  Salem  township,  where  Mr.  Garland  engaged  in  farming.  In  England  he 
had  conducted  a  dairy  for  many  years.  At  one  time  he  owned  140  acres  in 
Salem  township,  and  there  he  died  in  1849,  when  fifty-two  years  old.  His 
wife  survived  him  until  1885,  and  was  about  seventy-one  years  old  when  she 
died.  They  had  children  as  follows :  Charles ;  Mary,  widow  of  John  Bar- 
hydte;  Ann,  Mrs.  George  H.  Booth;  George  and  William,  who  reside  near 
Lincoln,  Nebr. ;  Thomas,  of  Bristol,  Wis. ;  Harriet,  the  wife  of  James  Welsh, 
a  resident  of  near  Lincoln,  Nebr. ;  Frank,  who  owns  the  old  homestead  in 
Salem  township;  and  Jane,  who  died  in  infancy. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Booth  was  Charles  Garland,  a  native 
of  England,  where  he  died  well  advanced  in  years.  He  was  a  baker  in  young 
manhood,  and  later  became  a  church  -sexton.  He  and  his  wife,  Betsy,  had 
a  family  of  ten  children,  all  of  whom  are  deceased.  On  the  maternal  side, 
Mrs.  Booth's  grandfather  was  Robert  Marsh,  a  native  of  England,  and  a 
dairyman  by  occupation.  He  died  in  middle  life,  while  his  widow  survived 
some  years,  being  ninety-three  at  the  time  of  her  death.  They  had  a  family 
of  sixteen  children,  who  are  all  now  deceased. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  H.  Booth  are  two  of  the  most  highly  esteemefl  res- 
idents of  Salem  township,  where  they  have  spent  so  many  years  of  dieir  ac- 


4iS  COM.ME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

tive  and  useful  lives.  They  are  well  known  by  the  older  generation,  and  have 
been  i:ierniitted  to  live  long  lives  and  see  many  wonderful  changes  come  over 
ihc  ciiuniry. 

FRED  W.  SWANTZ,  one  of  the  substantial,  prominent  farmers  and 
lan;-e  land  owners  of  Racine  county,  resides  on  his  finely  improved  farm  in  Sec- 
tion 31.  Yorkville  township.  Mr'  Swantz  was  horn  on  the  farm  ujion  which 
he  now  resides  Sept.  8,  1865,  son  of  William  and  .Minnie  (Freitag)  Swantz, 
natives  of  Pomerania,  Germany. 

The  paternal  grandfather  was  a  farmer,  and  owned  a  small  tract  of  land, 
upon  which  he  died  in  middle  life.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  a  nati\e 
of  Germany,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  farm  laborer,  and  where  he  died 
well  advanced  in  years,  while  his  widow  came  to  this  country,  and  died  at 
the  hiime  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  William  Swantz,  aged  seventy-seven  >ears. 
William  Swantz,  our  subject's  father,  came  to  America  in  185 1,  remain- 
ing two  or  three  years  in  Milwaukee,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  came  to 
Racine  countv.  wliere  he  purchased  eighty  acres  in  Section  31.  This  land  he 
improved  and  added  to  until  at  one  time  he  owned  300  acres.  There  he  re- 
sided until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1896.  in  his  eightieth  year;  his  wife 
passed  away  in  1888.  when  sixty-four  years  old.  Both  were  members  of  the 
Lutheran  Church.  They  had  ten  children,  four  of  whom  are  now  living: 
Herman,  of  Paris  township;  ^Villiam,  of  Paris  township;  Henry,  of  Brighton 
township ;  and  Fred  W. 

Fred  W.  Swantz  attended  the  district  schools,  and  has  always  lived  on 
the  farm  upon  which  he  was  born.  In  connection  with  farming  he  has  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  business  and  has  consummated  the  sales  of  some  of  the  best 
farms  in  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties.  On  Sept.  25,  1889,  he  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Myers,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Lemand)  Myers. 

Jacob  Myers  and  his  wife  were  both  natives  of  Germany.  They  came  to 
America  in  1854,  locating  in  the  town  of  Paris,  Kenosha  county,  where  they 
purchased  a  farm,  and  reared  their  family  of  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are 
now  living:  Jacob;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  our  subject;  Peter;  Maggie,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Drinkwater;  and  Catherine,  the  wife  of  William  Crillv.  Mr. 
ami  ]\Irs.  Myers  now  live  in  Racine,  where  the  past  few  years  of  their  lives 
have  been  spent. 

Two  sons,  Herbert  and  Alfred,  have  been  born  to  j\lr.  and  ]\Irs.  Swantz. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Fraternally 
he  is  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  In  his  political  sym- 
pathies he  is  a  Republican.  Mr.  Swantz  is  a  man  of  intelligence  and  a  thrifty 
farmer  withal.  He  belongs  to  a  family  which  settled  in  Yorkville  township 
more  than  fifty  years  ago,  and  has  himself  lived  in  the  township  for  over 
fort>-  years,  seeing  the  wonderful  development  of  the  country  during  that  time. 
His  wife  also  belongs  to  one  of  the  old  families  of  the  county,  and  has  spent 
her  entire  life  in  this  li:>calitv. 

CHARLES  HENRY  WASHBURN.  The  city  of  Racine  has  many  pub- 
lic-spirited citizens  whose  services  have  been  freely  given  to  further  its  wel- 
fare, and  among  those  who  are  now  striving  to  increase  the  advantages  which 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  419 

it  may  offer  along  intellectual  lines  is  Charles  Henry  \\'ashburn,  one  of  her 
own  sons,  born  Aug.  24,  1851. 

Mr.  Washburn  is  descended  from  a  family  long  resident  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  where  both  his  father  and  grandfather  were  born.  The  latter  died 
there  in  middle  life,  but  his  son,  David  Curtis  Washburn,  came  West  and  in 
1850  settled  in  Racine,  where  he  carried  on  a  business  in  marble  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  March  12,  1877,  when  he  was  aged  fifty-two  years.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Emily  H.  Foster,  who  was  born  at  Tunbridge,  Vt.,  July  29,  1828, 
and  who  still  survives  him.  Their  only  child  was  Charles  Henry.  Mrs.  Wash- 
burn is  a  member  of  the  Universalist  Church,  where  her  husband  also  attended, 
and  was  for  a  number  of  years  the  leader  of  the  choir.  Mr.  Washburn  was  in- 
terested also  in  educational  matters,  and  was  a  member  of  the  school  board 
for  a  number  of  years. 

Mrs.  Emily  H.  Washburn  comes  from  New  England  stock,  her  ances- 
tors living  in  Vermont  and  New  Hampshire.  Her  parents  were  David  Greeley 
and  Sallie  L.  (Winnick)  Foster,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Salisburv, 
N.  H.,  Feb.  12,  1788,  and  died  at  Tunbridge,  Vt.,  June  21,  1840;  the  latter, 
born  in  Lebanon,  N.  H.,  Aug.  28,  1791,  died  at  Racine,  Wis.,  Dec.  13,  1869. 
David  G.  Foster  was  one  of  six  children  born  to  Jonathan  Foster,  a  Vermont 
farmer  who  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  Mr.  Foster  was  a  merchant  in  Tun- 
bridge where  he  died  when  fifty-two  years  old.  He  served  at  one  period  of 
his  life  as  sheriff  of  Orange  county,  Vt.  His  wife,  who  survived  him,  came  to 
Racine  in  the  early  days,  and  there  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight.  She  was 
a  daughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Loring)  Winnick.  Her  father,  who 
was  a  native  of  Vermont,  was  of  German  descent,  and  was  a  farmer  in  New 
Hampshire.  He  had  but  a  small  family.  David  G.  and  Sallie  L.  (Winnick) 
Foster  had  six  daughters  and  two  sons,  all  now  deceased  except  Mrs.  Wash- 
burn. 

Charles  H.  Washburn  attended  school  in  Racine  until  he  was  old  enough 
to  enter  upon  a  business  career,  which  he  began  bv  clerking  in  the  office  of  the 
Northwestern  Railway  at  Green  Bay.  After  a  year  and  a  half  there  as  billing 
clerk  he  returned  to  Racine  and  became  bookkeeper  for  the  Racine  Silver  Plate 
Company,  remaining  there  until  the  establishment  was  destroyed  by  the  fire 
which  swept  Racine  in  May,  1882.  Mr.  Washburn  then  secured  his  piesent  po- 
sition with  the  Mitchell  &  Lewis  Company,  where  he  has  been  an  accountant 
for  over  twenty-two  years,  and  enjoys  the  entire  confidence  of  his  emplovers. 
Mr.  Washburn  was  married  May  5,  1880,  to  Ella  Simmons,  daughter 
of  Burr  Simmons,  of  Kenosha  county.  Two  sons  have  been  born  to  them, 
David  Curtis  and  Charles  Burr.  The  family  reside  at  No.  716  Park  avenue. 
The  parents  are  both  members  of  the  Universalist  Church.  Mr.  Washburn 
has  always  been  interested  in  all  questions  pertaining  to  the  schools  of  Racine 
county  and  has  done  good  service  on  the  board  of  education,  while  at  present 
he  is  working  for  the  public  weal  along  a  kindred  line  as  a  member  of  the 
Pnl>lic  Li1;)rarv  Board,  of  which  he  served  as  secretary  for  five  years.  Politi- 
callv  he  is  a  Republican.  He  is  also  prominent  in  Masonic  circles;  is  an  active 
member  of  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18.  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  whicJT  he  has  been  secre- 
t?rv  since  1885,  and  was  master  of  the  lodge  in  188^  and  1884;  is  a  member  of 
Orient  Chapter,  No.  12,  R.  A.  M. :  Racine  Council,  No.  5,  Royal  and  Select 
Masters;  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  Knights  Templar;  is  past  grand  com- 


420  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

niaiuler  of  the  Grand  Commandery  of  Knights  Templars  of  Wisconsin ;  is  a 
member  of  Wisconsin  Consistory,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  and  of  Tripoh  Temple,  A.  A. 

O.  X.  M.  S. 

Mrs.  Washburn's  father,  Bm-r  Simmons,  was  a  native  of  New  \  ork,  and 
was  one  of  five  children  born  to  Ezra  and  Maria  (Giltert)  Simmons,  farming 
people  of  New  York.  The  father  lived  to  be  seventy-two,  the  mother  over 
ei«-hty.  Burr  Simmons  went  West  and  established  a  lumber  business  in  Ken- 
osha,'where  he  also  ran  a  tannery,  besides  carr>-ing  on  a  farm  in  Somers  town- 
ship.' He  was  a  member  of  the  Kenosha  City  council  for  many  years,  and  al- 
ways had  his  home  in  that  city,  but  his  death  occurred  while  he  was  in  Chicago, 
in  '1900.  when  he  was  seventy  years  of  age.  He  married  Miss  Lois  Sykes,  a 
daughter  of  Brigham  and  Or'pha  Sykes.  The  former,  a  farmer,  was  a  native 
of  Vermont,  whose  father,  Ashbel  Sykes,  was  a  patriot  colonel  who  fought  at 
Bunker  Hill.  He  lived  to  an  advanced  age  and  became  the  father  of  a  large 
family.  The  father  of  Orpha  Sykes,  John  Eastman,  was  a  captain  in  the 
American  army  in  the  Re\-olutionary  war.  Burr  and  Lois  Simmons  were  the 
parent's  of  four  children,  of  whom  but  Mrs.  Washburn  is  now  living.  The 
mother  died  in  1S65;  both  she  and  her  husband  were  Unitarians  in  their  relig- 
ious belief. 

CHRISTOPHER  HOGENSOX.  Among  the  prominent  and  enterpris- 
ing farmers  of  Racine  county.  Wis.,  may  be  mentioned  Christopher  Hogen- 
son,  wdio  is  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil  on  Section  13,  W^aterford  township.  He 
was  born  in  Norway  township,  Racine  county,  Feb.  27,  1847,  son  of  Ole  and 
Carrie  (Christopherson)  Hogenson,  natives  of  Norway. 

Hogen  Hogenson,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native 
of  Norway,  in  which  country  he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  By  his  first  wife  he 
had  several  children.  His  second  wife,  Ingebor,  lived  to  be  eighty-six  years 
old,  and  her  mother  attained  the  remarkable  age  of  one  hundred  years.  Hogen 
and  Ingebor  Hogenson  had  three  children ;  Ole :  Ingebor,  deceased,  who  was 
the  wife  of  Ole  Anderson ;  and  Mrs.  Elling  Kieliand.  ]\Irs.  Ingebor  Hogen- 
son married  again,  her  husband  being  a  ]\Ir.  Anderson,  by  whom  she  had 
two  children :  Jennie,  the  wife  of  R.  J.  Willey,  of  Rochester,  Wis. ;  and  Ho- 
gen. These  two  and  the  three  children  of  Hogen  Hogenson  previously  men- 
tioned were  all  earlv  settlers  in  Racine  county. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Hogenson  was  Christopher  Christopher- 
son,  also  a  native  of  Norway,  where  he  died  aged  eighty-five  years.  He  fol- 
lowed farming  all  of  his  life.  His  wife,  Gonel  (Larson)  Christopherson,  also 
lived  to  an  advanced  age.  and  they  had  a  large  family,  three  of  whom  lived, 
in  Racine  county  at  an  early  day:  Carrie,  the  mother  of  our  subject;  Ole, 
deceased;  and  Mrs.  Bejorn  Benson,  who  now  lives  at  Peterson,  Minnesota. 

Ole  Hogenson  followed  farming  in  his  nati\-e  country,  and  on  coming  to 
America,  in  1840,  settled  in  the  town  of  Norway.  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  on  a  farm 
of  forty  acres,  to  which  he  added  from  time  to  time  until  he  owned  300  acres. 
Mr.  Hogenson  died  in  the  house  which  he  built  on  the  old  homestead  in  Nor- 
way township,  Sept.  23.  1900.  aged  eighty-five  years,  one  month.  His  wife 
had  passed  away  on  ]\Iav  12th  of  the  same  yenr,  on  the  sixtieth  anniversnrv  of 
their  wedding,  when  eightv-one  vears  ohl.     Both  were  Lutherans,  and  they 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  421 

were  faitliful,  consistent  Christian  people.  Mr.  Hogenson  had  been  a  member 
of  the  regular  army  in  Xorway.  Eight  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ole  Hogenson,  three  now  surviving :  Hogen,  of  Waterford  township ;  Chris- 
topher, our  subject;  and  Ingebor,  wife  of  Zacarias  Anson,  of  Waterford  town- 
ship. 

Christopher  Hogenson  was  born  in  Xorway  township  on  his  father's  farm 
and  there  he  was  reared  to  manhood.  He  attended  the  district  schools  and 
lived  at  home  until  his  marriage,  when  he  located  in  Waterford  township, 
renting  a  farm  until  his  father's  death,  when  he  inherited  the  latter's  place, 
bought  out  the  other  heirs,  and  now  owns  a  tract  of  108^2  acres,  all  of  this 
land  being  finely  improved. 

On  March  3,  1873,  Mr.  Hogenson  married  Miss  Crete  Amelia  Anson, 
daughter  of  Gabriel  and  Sarah  Olene  (Saveland)  Anson,  and  two  children 
were  born  to  this  union,  toth  named  Sarah  Olene.  The  first  died  when  seven- 
teen months  and  eighteen  days  old;  and  the  second  married  Thomas  Overson 
and  lives  in  Norway  township ;  she  has  two  children,  Clifford  Francis  and  Lor- 
aine  Bessie.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hogenson  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Hogenson  was  Onne  Jersdal,  who  died 
in  Norway  well  advanced  in  years,  his  wife,  Gonel  Jersdal,  also  attaining  an 
advanced  age.  They  had  six  children.  On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Hogen- 
son is  a  granddaughter  of  Zacharias  Saveland,  who  died  in  middle  life.  He 
was  a  shipbuilder  by  occupation,  and  also  owned  a  farm.  His  wife,  Olene 
Saveland,  bore  him  quite  a  large  family. 

Mrs.  Hogenson's  father  and  mother  came  to  America  in  1853,  and  spent 
sixteen  years  in  Milwaukee,  at  the  end  of  which  time  they  bought  a  small  farm 
in  the  town  of  Norway.  Seven  children  were  born  to  them,  five  now  deqeased, 
the  survivors  being:  Zacharias,  of  Waterford  township;  and  Crete  Amelia, 
wife  of  Mr.  Hogenson.  Gabriel  Anson,  Mrs.  Hogenson's  father,  died  in  De- 
cember, 1890,  aged  seventy-three  years. 

JOHN  R.  BAKER,  a  successful  farmer  of  Section  10,  Yorkville  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Caledonia  township,  Racine  county,  April  20,  1847,  son  of 
Abram  and  Elizabeth  (Roe)  Baker,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  England. 

Abram  Baker  was  born  about  1816,  and  was  one  of  thirteen  children  born 
to  William  and  Margaret  Baker ;  Mrs.  Margaret  Baker  died  in  the  town  of  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.  A  farmer  by  occupation,  Abram  Baker  came  to 
America  in  1843,  ''"'^l  located  first  in  Caledonia  township,  but  later  bought 
eighty  acres  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  county,  and  made  his  home 
there.  After  his  children  were  grown  he  sold  the  place  and  bought  290  acres 
in  Raymond  township,  besides  forty  acres  of  Woodland  in  Caledonia  town- 
ship. After  his  wife's  death,  in  1872,  Mr.  Baker  bought  a  small  place  below 
Ives  Grove,  and  lived  there  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Franksville  in 
1894,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Roe,  born  in 
1815,  wdio  w'as  a  daughter  of  Richard  Roe,  who  died  in  England.  Of  the  four 
children  born  to  them,  all  sons,  the  only  two  now  living  are  George  R.,  of 
Franksville;  and  John  R. 

John  R.  Baker  passed  his  boyhood  in  Mt.  Pleasant  townshi]5,  and  was 
educated  in  the  district  schools  there.     He  remained  at  home  until  he  was 


422  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

grown  and  chuse  fanning  as  his  uccupatiun  in  life.  After  his  mother's  death, 
when  his  fatlier  left  his  farm  home,  George  R.  took  the  large  farm  of  250  acres, 
and  John  R.  the  tract  of  120  acres.  During  the  father's  lifetime  they  paid 
rent,  hut  at  his  death  they  came  into  full  ownership  of  the  property.  The 
farm  helonging  to  John  R.  is  situated  in  Yorkville  township,  and  still  is  his 
property,  although  since  the  spring  of  1905  he  has  ceased  to  live  there  and  has 
rented  the  place.  In  that  year  he  bought  a  place  of  only  an  acre  and  a  quarter, 
ahout  two  miles  from  his  farm,  and  is  now  residing  there  retired  from  active 
lahor. 

Mr.  Baker  was  united  in  marriage  July  30,  1874,  to  Miss' Sarah  Hamilton, 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Alice  (Wayhurton)  Hamilton.  Their  union  has  been 
blessed  with  four  daughters,  as  follows:  (i)  Lizzie,  who  married  Harrj'' 
Jones,  of  Ives  Grove,  has  three  children,  Ray,  Willis  and  Ernest.  (2)  Alice 
E.  married  John  Criplean,  and  lives  on  her  father's  homestead.  (3)  Emma 
Irene  married  Peter  Larsen,  of  Dover  township.  (4)  Effie  May  died  when 
twenty-one  years  old.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baker  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Church.  Politically  Mr.  Baker  is  a  strong  Republican,  but  usually  contents 
himself  with  the  casting  of  his  vote. 

Mrs.  Baker  comes  of  Scotch  ancestry  on  her  father's  side.  Her  grandpar- 
ents were  Robert  and  Mary  (Mutter)  Hamilton,  and  they  had  a  family  of  four 
sons  and  four  daughters.  Robert  Hamilton  spent  one  year  in  America,  but 
returned  to  Scotland,  where  he  lived  to  be  eighty-one  years  old.  His  wife  died 
at  the  age  of  sixty.  Their  son  Thomas  was  born  in  Scotland,  near  Edinburgh. 
His  wife,  Alice  Wayburton,  was  born  in  the  County  of  Kent,  England,  and 
her  parents  died  there  when  she  was  a  child.  She  and  Mr.  Hamilton  came  to 
America  the  same  year,  met  here  and  w^ere  married.  They  went  to  Racine 
county.  Wis.,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Yorkville  township,  and 
settled  down  permanently.  His  wife  died  in  1868,  aged  fifty-two.  Both  were 
Presbyterians  in  their  faith.  The  four  children  born  to  them  were :  Mary, 
wife  of  Charles  Robertson,  of  Hamilton  county.  Iowa;  Alice,  Mrs.  William 
Emerson,  who  died  in  March,  1904;  Sarah,  Mrs.  Baker;  and  Robert,  of 
Marion,  Iowa.  Mr.  Hamilton  died  in  1885,  aged  seventy  years,  at  the  home 
of  Mrs.  Baker,  where  he  had  spent  the  last  two  years  of  his  life.  He  was  a 
man  of  many  good  qualities  and  was  highlv  esteemed. 

ALVA  PADDOCK,  who  carries  on  agricultural  pursuits  in  Section  2, 
Salem  township,  is  one  of  Kenosiia  countv's  representative  farmers.  He  was 
born  Dec.  18,  1861.  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides,  son  of  the  late 
Dr.  Francis  and  Martha  Cecelia  (Munson)  Paddock,  natives  of  New  York 
State,  His  paternal  grandfather  was  William  D.  Paddock,  born  in  New  York 
State,  who  came  to  Wisconsin  in  July,  1838,  and  located  in  Salem  township, 
where  he  followed  farming.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Alva  Paddock  was 
Louis  Munson.  also  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation. 
His  wife,  Betsey  (Barnes)  Munson.  bore  him  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 
They  came  West  to  Wisconsin  at  an  early  day,  but  removed  to  ISIankato.  ]\Iinn., 
and  there  died  in  old  age. 

Francis  Paddock.  M.  D.,  father  of  Alva,  was  born  in  New  York  Sept. 
13.  1814.  and  died  a-t  his  home  in  the  town  of  Salem  March  29.  1889,  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him.     At  a  very  early  age  Francis  Paddock  began  life  for 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  423 

himself,  and  ever  afterward  made  his  uwu  way  in  the  world.  By  his  own  appli- 
cation and  efforts  he  managed  to  acquire  a  good  education,  and  at  the  age 
of  seventeen  taught  his  first  school.  tor  some  years  he  followed 
that  profession  through  the  winter  months,  while  in  the  summer  sea- 
son he  attended  medical  college,  having  determined  to  engage  in  the  prac- 
tice of  medicine  as  a  life  work.  He  also  studied  with  Dr.  Hamilton,  of  Auburn, 
N.  V.  With  his  parents  he  came  to  Wisconsin  in  July,  1838,  the  trip  being 
made  by  team,  and  in  Salem  township,  Kenosha  county,  the  family  settled,  lo- 
cating on  a  farm  of  about  four  hundred  acres  on  Section  2,  purchased  from 
the  Government.  It  was  the  Doctor's  intention  on  coming  West  to  assist  his 
parents  to  locate  in  Wisconsin  and  then  to  go  to  Michigan,  where  he  expected 
to  establish  an  oi^ce  and  engage  in  practice,  but  his  father  was  taken  sick  and 
he  gave  up  the  plan,  remaining  at  home  to  manage  affairs.  He  also  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  medicine,  in  which  he  continued  until  within  a  few  years  of 
his  death. 

On  Aug.  19,  1841,  Dr.  Paddock  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mar- 
tha Cecelia  Munson,  who  was  born  Jan.  5,  1819,  daughter  of  Louis  and  Bet- 
sey (Barnes)  Munson,  natives  of  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  and  of  English  de- 
scent. Fourteen  children  were  born  to  this  union,  seven  of  whom  now  survive : 
Ambrosia,  born  June  6,  1842,  is  the  wife  of  Lewis  Burgess,  of  Tacoma.  Wash. ; 
Cecelia,  born  Aug.  31,  1843,  is  deceased;  Francis,  born  Feb.  12,  1845,  died" 
July  30,  1845;  Francis  (2)  was  born  April  24,  1846;  Cassander.  born  July  19, 
1848,  was  a  physician  of  Fresno,  Cal.,  and  died  March  9,  1896;  Gay,  born 
Nov.  18,  1849,  is  a  resident  of  Elkhorn,  Wis.;  May.  born  Dec.  20^  1851,  is 
the  wife  of  William  Davenport,  of  California;  William  F..  born  Aug.  15, 
1853,  died  in  infancy;  Claire,  born  May  26,  1855,  is  a  resident  of  Aurelia, 
Iowa,  wife  of  Worth  Reeve;  Dora,  born  Feb.  28,  1857,  is  of  Portland.  Ore- 
gon; Munson,  born  Feb.  25,  1859,  is  deceased;  Alvin  and  Alva,  twins,  were 
born  Dec.  18.  1861,  the  former  dying  in  infancy;  Harvey,  born  March  6,  1864, 
also  died  in  infancy. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Dr.  Paddock  was  a  Republican,  and  his  fellow- 
townsmen  testified  to  their  confidence  in  his  ability  by  electing  him  to  various 
official  positions.  Aside  from  minor  offices  he  served  as  justice  of  the  peace 
for  several  years,  and  also  represented  his  district  in  the  State  Legislature.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  aided  in  the  organization  of  the 
Old  Settlers'  Club  of  Kenosha  county. 

Alva  Paddock  has  spent  his  entire  life  on  the  farm  which  his  father  set- 
tled, and  now  is  the  owner  of  the  property,  which  comprises  427  acres  of 
finely  improved  land.  He  attended  the  district  schools  and  the  Oshkosh  and 
Whitewater  normal  schools.  Mr.  Paddock  has  always  followed  farming, 
and  has  been  very  successful  in  his  operations.  On  Aug.  11,  1883,  he  married 
Miss  Irene  L.  VanWie,  daughter  of  Garrett  and  Isabel  (Morley)  VanWie, 
and  two  sons  came  to  this  union:  Alvin  D.,  born  Dec.  8,  1888,  and  Morley 
Ray,  born  Jan.  29,  1892.  Mr.  Paddock  is  a  member  of  Washburn  Lodge.  No. 
145,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Bristol,  and  also  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  served  as  school  director  of 
his  district  for  a  number  of  years. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  Mrs.  Paddock  were  Fredrich  and  Jane 
(Alcombaugh)  VanWie,  of  New  York.    The  father  of  Fredricli  was  born  in 


424  COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

llullainl,  and  had  nine  sons  and  three  daughters.  Her  inaternal  grandparents 
were  Joseph  and  Anna  (Catley)  Morley,  oi  Lincohishire,  England,  where  they 
were  married.  They  came  to  VVisconsin  in  1854,  and  settled  in  Salem  town- 
ship, taking  up  land  there,  hut  later  removed  to  lUinios.  Some  years  later 
they  removed  to  Missouri,  where  they  remained.  They  had  five  children,  two 
sons  and  three  daughters. 

Garrett  VanWie,  Mrs.  Paddock's  father,  was  a  native  of  New  York,  ana 
her  mother  was  a  native  of  Lincolnshire,  England.  The  latter,  born  m  April, 
1843,  came  to  America  in  January,  1854,  coming  direct  to  Wisconsin  with 
her  parents,  who  settled  on  the  banks  of  Silver  Lake,  in  Salem  township.  Gar- 
rett VanWie  was  a  farmer  in  Salem  township,  and  there  died  in  August,  igoo, 
ao-ed  sixty-seven  years.  He  held  several  township  offices.  His  widow  is  a 
niember  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  She  and  her  husband  had  children  as 
follows  born  to  them:  Jennie  E.,  deceased,  married  L.  E.  Cody;  L.  Irene 
married  Alva  Paddock;  Guern  is  of  Salem,  Wis.;  Joseph  A.  is  also  of  Salem; 
Ruth  B.  married  George  Phillips,  of  Hebbern,  111. ;  Gay  A.  married  E.  L. 
Keigher,  of  Chicago ;  and  Fannie  M.  is  unmarried  and  living  with  her  mother 
in  Salem. 

}iI.\RTIN  L.  HOFFMAN,  a  well-known  citizen,  and  extensive  farmer 
•and  stock  buyer  of  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  located  on  Section  23,  Randall  town- 
ship, was  bom  March  i,  1839,  at  Burton,  McHenry  Co.,  111.,  son  of  Martin 
and  Hannah  (Cupp)  Hoffman. 

William  Hoffman,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Martin  L.,  was  a  farmer 
in  Somerset  county,  Pa.,  where  he  lived  and  died,  leaving  two  sons  and  one 
daughter. 

Martin  and  Hannah  (Cupp)  Hoffman  were  both  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
in  one  of  the  townships  of  Somerset  county.  They  had  six  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter born  to  them,  as  follows:  Aaron,  deceased;  William,  deceased;  Philip, 
deceased;  Mary,  wife  of  Dennis  Haldeman,  of  Decorah,  Iowa;  Martin  L.,  of 
this  sketch;  John,  of  Rosecrans,  Lake  Co.,  111.;  and  Joseph,  who  died  young. 
Martin  Hoffman,  the  father,  was  a  millwright  by  trade.  After  his  marriage 
he  removed  from  Pennsylvania  to  Niles.  Mich.,  and  worked  there  at  his  trade 
until  1832,  when  he  went  to  Fort  Dearborn  as  a  soldier  to  fioht  the  Indians. 
He  was  there  a  year  and  did  his  duty  in  repelling  the  savage  Black  Hawk  In- 
dians. Returning  to  Niles  he  disposed  of  his  property  and  removed  to  Spring 
Grove,  111.  There  he  located  a  claim  and,  in  1835,  after  the  land  was  surveyed 
he  settled  on  this  claim  and  farmed  and  continued  to  work  at  his  trade  as  op- 
portunitv  offered.  He  lived  on  that  farm  until  1850  and  then  made  a  trip 
overland  to  California,  bv  ox  team,  accompanied  by  his  son  Aaron.  The  jour- 
ney consumed  just  five  months  to  a  day  and  both  father  and  son  engaged  in 
mining.  In  1852  he  started  to  return  home  with  a  i^artner  named  Mark  Fin- 
necum.  leaving  his  son  behind,  his  object  being  to  return  to  California  with  his 
sons  Philip  and  Martin.  As  Mr.  Finnecum  had  been  a  captain  on  a  steamer 
prior  to  locating  in  Califronia,  it  was  his  wish  that  they  should  return  bv  wa- 
ter. Mr.  Hoffman  was  taken  sick  with  vellow  fever,  when  thev  reached  New 
Orleans  and  died  there  in  i8!;2.  aeed  fifty-two  vears.  His  wife  survived  him 
until  186;.  and  died  aged  sixtv-three  vears.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  State 
militia  but  had  no  adventures  as  the  Indians  were  then  peaceful  in  that  quarter. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  425 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Martin  L.  Hoffman  was  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, of  German  extraction,  and  was  a  farmer  in  Somerset  county.  He 
moved  from  Pennsylvania  to  Iowa  wlien  100  years  old  and  settled  near  Cedar 
Rapids,  where  he  died  at  the  unusual  age  of  106  years.  His  wife  also  lived  to 
a  great  age  and  they  reared  a  large  family. 

Martin  L.  Hoffman  was  reared  in  McHenry  county.  III-,  a  farmer  boy, 
and  he  was  educated  in  the  district  schools.  Assisting  his  father,  he  continued 
under  the  home  roof  until  he  reached  the  age  of  fifteen  years.  He  then  went 
from  home  and  worked  for  other  parties.  He  bought  a  yoke  of  oxen,  a  ]5low 
and  a  w^agon  and  then  felt  prepared  to  begin  farming.  Selling  his  oxen  he 
bought  a  team  of  horses  and  a  half  interest  in  a  threshing  outfit  and  he  followed 
threshing  until  twenty-three  years  of  age.  Later  he  decided  to  follow  his 
father's  example  and  go  to  California,  so  he  sold  his  team  and  his  interest  in 
the  threshing  machine  and  went  to  the  Golden  State  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama.  After  reaching  there  he  secured  a  contract  for  cutting  saw  logs 
and  worked  a  year  for  a  milling  company.  Those  were  days  when  many  ways 
of  making  a  living  were  open  to  alert,,  industrious  men,  and  Mr.  Hoffman 
opened  a  hotel  and  successfully  conducted  it  for  a  year;  then,  as  he  found 
something  better,  he  sold  his  lease.  Before  the  days  of  railroads  the  conveying 
of  freight  over  the  mountains  was  a  matter  of  considerable  importance,  and 
Mr.  Hoffman  was  engaged  for  a  time  in  driving  a  fast  freight  team  of  six 
horses,  and  still  later  he  drove  a  passenger  stage.  During  these  days  he  met 
Avith  many  adventures  and  the  recounting  of  these  is  most  interesting,  as  they 
give  a  fair  picture  of  existing  conditions  at  that  time.  For  the  next  two  years 
Mr.  Hoffman  worked  in  a  vineyard  at  Placerville  and  then  engaged  in  c|uartz 
mining. 

From  California  ]\Ir.  Hoffman  went  to  Lake  Tahoe,  Nevada,  and  worked 
in  a  saw  mill  until  the  mill  burned  down.  His  next  enterprise  was  the  operat- 
ing of  a  summer  resort  hotel  at  Glenbrook,  Nev..  for  one  season,  and  from  there 
he  went  to  Carson  City.  In  the  following  spring  he  took  a  number  of  China- 
men to  build  a  camp  to  prepare  to  build  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  railroad  from 
A^irginia  City  to  Carson  City.  He  assisted  in  the  grading  of  this  road  and  had 
imder  his  direction  a  force  of  iioo  Chinamen  and  500  white  men.  At  a  later 
date,  when  the  completed  road  was  in  service,  he  became  a  passenger  conductor 
on  it.  In  1870  he  veturned  toTllinois  and  was  married.  Afterward  he  bought 
stock  and  produce  for  several  years  but  continued  to  make  his  home  in  Randall 
township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  to  which  he  had  moved.  For  six  years  he  re- 
sided on  Section  24,  one-half  mile  east  of  his  present  home,  and  then  bought 
his  present  farm  of  fifty-one  and  one-half  acres,  where  the  family  has  con- 
tinuously resided  for  the  past  twenty-nine  years. 

Mr.  Hoffman  was  married  Nov.  22,  1870,  to  Miss  Anna  Brower,  born 
May  I,  1843,  daughter  of  William  B.  and  Paulina  (Broadway)  Brower. 
They  have  one  son,  Martin  E.,  torn  April  20,  1873,  wdio  resides  at  home  and  is 
also  extensively  interested  in  stock  buying.  He  married  Miss  Margaret 
Amanda  Lynch  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Georgia  Anna,  born  April  8, 
1904. 

Politically  Mr.  Hoffman  is  a  Republican  and  he  cast  his  first  vote  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  and  has  ardently  upheld  the  princinles  of  this  partv  ever 
■since.  He  was  supervisor  and  chairman  of  the  board  of  Randall  township  for 


426  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

a  number  of  terms  and  has  held  many  of  the  local  offices.  He  belongs  to  Wil- 
mot  Lodge,  i\o.  J41,  A.  E.  &  A.  M.  Mrs.  Hoffman  is  a  member  ot  the  Epis- 
copal church. 

William  B.  Brower  was  a  native  of  New  York  and  his  wife  of  Vermont. 
They  had  nine  children,  seven  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  the  three  now  living 
being;  William  Baker,  of  Wilmot;  Mrs.  Anna  B.  Hoffman;  and  Adolphus 
W.,  of  Sycamore,  111.  The  others  were  Elizabeth,  John,  Hannah,  and  Emeline. 
Mr.  Brower  began  life  as  a  clerk  in  a  grocery  store  and  later  learned  the  car- 
penter trade  and  followed  that  until  he  came  west  in  1837.  He  settled  in 
Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  bought  160  acres  of  land 
at  $1.25  an  acre  which  he  improved.  This  was  located  on  what  is  now  Section 
13  Randall  township.  He  died  there  May  8,  1886,  aged  eighty-two  years  and 
seven  months.    In  his  youth  he  belonged  to  the  New  York  State  militia. 

Adolphus  Brower,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Hoffman,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  died  aged  eighty-one  years.  His  wife 
was  Elizabeth  Baker,  who  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  Their  children 
were:  John  H.,  Betsey,  Susan,  Sarah  and  Caroline.  The  maternal  grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Hoffman  was  a  farmer  in  Vermont  who  also  served  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary war.  His  wife  was  Hannah  Weed  and  they  both  lived  into  old  age. 
They  had  eight  children,  namely:  Ornian,  Laura,  Elwood.  Fidelia.  Edmund, 
Paulina,  Emiline  and  Alfred. 

ELLIOTT  C.  BENSON,  an  old  and  honored  retired  resident  of  Burl- 
ington, Wis.,  was  born  Oct.  7.  1827,  in  Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Caroline  (Collins)  Benson.  The  former  was  a  native  of  New  York 
and  the  latter  of  Ohio. 

The  father  of  Mr.  Benson  was  a  farmer  and  mechanic  and  was  but  a  boy 
when  his  parents  settled  in  Ohio.  Later  he  was  one  of  the  pioneer  band  o'f 
workers  who  constructed  the  Illinois  canal  at  Lockport,  111.,  where  he  was 
engaged  to  superintend  the  wood  work,  by  his  brother-in-law,  John  V.  Singer. 
About  1839  lie  moved  to  Southport,  Wis.,  and  from  there  moved  into  "the 
township  of  Paris,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  Thence  he  moved  to 
Brigliton  township,  wdiere  he  pre-empted  120  acres  of  land  on  which  he  lived 
a  number  of  years,  rearing  his  family  there.  In  1857  he  moved  into  Burl- 
ington, Wis.,  where  his  wife  died  in  the  same  year,  at  the  age  of  forty-nine. 
She  was  a  Baptist  in  religious  faith.  She  was  the  mother  of  three  sons  and 
three  daughters,  the  three  now  living  being:  Elliott  C.  of  Burlington  :  Elmer, 
of  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa:  and  Mary  Ann,  wife  of  Joseph  Collins,  of  Parkers- 
burg,  Iowa.  Later  Mr.  Benson  married  (second)  a  Miss  Skiff,  of  Lvons 
township,  Walworth  county,  and  they  then  moved  to  Kirksville,  Alo.,  where 
he  farmed  until  his  death,  at  the  age' of  sixty-three  years. 

_  The  paternal  grandfather  of  Elliott  C.  Benson  w^as  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, a  farmer,  who  died  in  advanced  years.  Tiie  maternal  grandfather 
was  Ebenezer  Collins,  a  native  of  New  York  and  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 
His  wife  was  Nancy  Collins.  They  came  to  Lockport,  111.,  in  pioneer  davs, 
and  both  lived  to  advanced  age.     Mr.  Collins  was  blind  for  many  years. 

Elliott  C.  Benson  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Kenosha  countv  from  the  age 
of  twelve  years,  and  had  but  limited  educational  ad\-antages.  '  He  was  quite 
young  when  he  went  to  work  by  the  month  for  others,  and  wlien  he  started 


♦  ^'  ^  J2ry:^c:f-7i.,^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  427 

out  fur  himself  pioneer  conditions  still  prevailed.  During  the  summer  sea- 
sons he  ran  what  was  known  as  a  breaking  team,  which  consisted  of  six  or 
seven  yoke  of  oxen,  and  in  the  fall  and  through  the  winter  he  ran  a  threshing 
machine.  When  about  sixteen  he  was  employed  at  teaming  for  P.  M. 
Perkins,  and  drew  many  loads  of  flour  from  Burlington  to  Southport,  on  the 
return  trip  bringing  back  lumber  and  merchandise.  For  this  work  he  re- 
ceived $8  a  month,  and  he  continued  at  it,  off  and  on,  for  two  years.  He  mar- 
ried while  ciuite  young,  and  in  March,  1854,  moved  to  Burlington,  where  he 
has  lived  ever  since.  For  fourteen  years  he  ran  a  livery  stable  business.  Dur- 
ing the  Civil  war  he  bought  horses  for  the  government  and  he  carried  the 
mail  to  Waterford  and  other  points.  He  then  bought  a  farm  which  he  oper- 
ater  for  four  years  and  since  then  has  bought  and  sold  several  other  farms 
and  has  also  built  several  houses  in  Burlington. 

Mr.  Benson  was  married  July  4,  1849,  to  ]\Iiss  Elizabeth  Baggs,  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  and  Mary  (Penney)  Baggs,  and  five  children  were  born  to 
this  union,  Jane,  Caroline,  Emma,  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  Jane  mar- 
ried William  Aldrich,  of  Burlington,  and  they  have  five  children,  Harry, 
Percy,  Grace,  Mabel  and  William.  Caroline  married  Edward  D.  Perkins,  and 
they  have  four  children,  Lucile.  Edna,  Bessie  and  INIary.  Emma  married 
Louis  Smithers,  of  Burlington,  and  they  ha\-e  four  children,  Helen,  Elliott, 
Evelyn  and  Elizabeth. 

Mrs.  Benson  was  l^orn  in  1828,  and  died  Nov.  6,  1905.  Her  parents 
were  natives  of  Dorsetshire,  England.  For  a  number  of  years  the  father  was 
a  sailor  on  the  seas,  but  in  1844  he  came  with  his  family  to  Salem,  Kenosha 
Co.,  Wis.  However,  he  sold  out  his  farm  after  a  few  years  and  moved  to 
Stockbridge,  Wis.,  and  later  to  Grinnell.  Iowa,  where  he  died  aged  seventy- 
five  years ;  his  wife  passed  away  six  years  before.  Mrs.  Benson  had  two 
brothers,  Charles,  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and  George,  of  Grinnell,  Iowa.  Her 
grandfather,  William  Baggs,  was  a  fisherman,  and  died  in  England  at  the 
age  of  eighty  years.  Her  maternal  grandfather,  Robert  Penney,  was  a  dairy- 
man, and  spent  his  whole  life  in  England.  He  married  Susan  Garland,  and 
both  lived  to  be  old. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Benson  is  a  Republican,  but  he  has  ne\er  lieen 
very  active  in  the  political  field.  Although  never  uniting  with  any  religious 
body,  he  is  an  attendant  on  the  services  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Mrs.  Benson 
was  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church.  He  is  a  highly  esteemed  mem- 
ber of  the  community  and  a  worthy  representati\e  of  the  old  settlers  of  this 
locality. 

AUGUST  H.  KRUCKMAN.  who.  was  born  Aug.  31,  1843,  in  West- 
phalia, Germany,  is  one  of  the  prominent  general  merchants  of  Wilmot,  Salem 
township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Clara  Maria  (\\^en- 
ner)  Kruckman.  natives  of  Germany,  who  were  the  parents  of  seven  children : 
Josephine,  the  widow  of  .Bernard  Lais,  of  Wheatland- township;  Frederick 
\\\,  of  Fort  Dodge.  Iowa;  William  F.,  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo.;  Emma,  deceased, 
who  was  the  wife  of  Joseph  Bieneman  ;  .\ugust  H. ;  Anna,  the  widow  of  Henrv 
Smith:  and  John,  of  Leithton.  111.  The  father  of  this  familv  was  a  shoemaker 
by  trade.    He  came  to  America  in  1853,  and,  settling  in  Wheatland  township. 


428  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Kcnoslia  Co.,  Wis.,  purcliased  260  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  lived  until 
1867.  He  then  removed  to  near  Diamond  Lake,  Lake  Co.,  111.,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  and  lived  for  a  number  of  years,  at  the  end  of  that  time  return- 
ing to  Kenosha,  in  which  city  he  died  in  1882,  aged  seventy-four  years.  His 
wife  passed  away  one  year  before,  when  seventy-one  years  old.  He  was  a 
Lutheran,  while  she,  originally  a  Catholic,  changed  to  the  Methodist  faith. 

The  grandfather  of  August  H.  Kruckman  was  a  soldier  during  one  of  the 
German  wars,  and  died  at  an  advanced  age.    He  and  his  wife  had  three  sons. 

August  H.  Kruckman  lived  in  Germany  until  ten  years  of  age,  and  then 
came  to  America  with  his  parents,  growing  to  manhood  in  Wheatland  town- 
ship on  the  farm.  In  1864  he  answered  his  country's  call  and  was  assigned  to 
Company  H.  22d  Wis.  V.  I.,  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  in 
headquarters  at  Madison,  jjeing  an  orderly  imder  Sergeant-major  Baxter. 
After  the  war  he  went  to  Warrenton,  Mo.,  and  entered  college  there,  remain- 
ing about  one  year,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  began  clerking.  His  brother 
Frederick,  who  served  nine  months  in  the  Civil  war  and  came  out  unhurt,  only 
to  lose  both  feet  in  an  accident  while  rafting  on  the  Wisconsin  river,  agreed 
to  furnish  the  money  against  what  little  experience  August  had,  and  they  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  in  1867,  in  Wilmot,  Wis.  They  remained  together 
one  year,  when  Frederick  sold  his  interest  to  J.  H.  Sabin,  the  firm  being  known 
as  Sabin  &  Kruckman.  This  continued  for  five  years,  when  Mr.  Sabin  pur- 
chased Mr.  Kruckman's  interest,- the  latter  then  forming  a  partnership  with 
John  D.  Conrad,  running  a  hardware  store  for  one  year.  At  the  end  of  this 
time  they  bought  out  the  store  of  Haythorne  &  Sax,  and  continued  together 
for  several  years  in  the  general  merchandise  business.  Mr.  Kruckman,  at  the 
end  of  this  time,  bought  out  Mr.  Conrad's  interests  and  continued  the  business 
alone  for  two  years.  At  the  end  of  that  period  he  took  as  partner  Henrv  H. 
Rice,  with  whom  he  continued  for  five  or  six  years,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  successfullv  continuing  the  business  alone. 

On  April  28.  1870,  Mr.  Kruckman  married  Miss  Mary  Elizabeth  Ander- 
son, daughter  of  William  and  Nancy  (McCleary)  Anderson,  and  nine  children 
were  born  to  this  union,  as  follows:  Birdella,  Feb,  20,  1871  ;  Alice,  July  10, 
1872;  Josephine,  Sept.  7,  1874:  Maggie,  Mav  27,  1876;  Nellie,  Dec.  30,  1878; 
William  H.,  Oct.  18,  1880.  Frank  A,,  Oct.  i.  1882:  Emma  L..  May  8,  1886: 
pnd  Elizabeth,  May  27,  1888.  Mrs.  Marv  E.  Kruckman  died  Julv  6,  1898. 
On  Feb.  20,  1901,  Mr.  Kruckman  married  (second)  Mrs.  Marv  E.  Neff,  of 
(  dnev.  111.,  daughter  of  Jacob  pnd  Marg-aret  (Rowland)  Halfacrer. 

Politically  a  Republican  Mr.  Kruckman  was  town  treasurer  for  sixteen 
years,  postmaster  for  about  eighteen  vears.  and  district  school  clerk  for  four 
years.  He  is  a  trustee  in  the  Methodist  church,  which  he  has  always  attended 
since  locating-  here,  but  of  which  he  is  not  a  member.  He  is  a  member  of  G. 
A.  R.  Post  No.  230.  of  Kenosha. 

WILLIAM  BAKER  BROWER.  a  prominent  resident  of  Wilmot, 
Salem  township.  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  and  sexton  of  the  cemeterv  at  Wilmot, 
also  follows  gardening.  He  was  born  Mav  20,  1834,  in  New  York  Citv.  and 
is  a  son  of  William  B.  and  Paulina  (Broadway)  Brower.  natives  of  New  York 
State. 

Adolphus  Brower,  grandfather  of  \Mlliam  Baker,  was  a  native  of  New 


COMMEINIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  429 

York  State,  of  Holland-Dutch  descent,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812. 
He  followed  various  occupations.  His  wife  bure  the  maiden  name  of  EHzaheth 
Baker. 

William  B.  Brower,  father  of  our  suh.ject,  was  a  grocery  merchant  in  New 
York  City,  afterward  following  carpentering  and  later  farming.  He  came  W6st 
to  Wisconsin  in  1837  landing  at  Southport,  whence  he  came  across  Fox  river 
in  a  row  boat.  He  immediately  settled  in  Randall  township,  Kenosha  county, 
where  he  took  up  160  acres  of  land  and  engaged  in  farming.  Here  he  died 
May  8,  1886,  aged  eighty-two  years,  seven  months.  His  wife  survived  him 
until  Feb.  12,  1888,  dying  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years,  seven  months.  Mr. 
Brower  was  prominent  in  local  matters,  was  at  one  time  supervisor  of  Randall 
township,  and  held  various  offices  there.  Three  of  his  seven  children  are  now 
living :  W' illiam  B. ;  Anna,  wife  of  Martin  L.  Hoffman,  of  ne:ir  Bassett  Station. 
Randall  township ;  and  Adolphus  W,  of  Sycamore,  Illinois. 

William  Baker  Brower  was  two  and  a  half  years  old  when  he  came  with 
his  parents  to  Wisconsin.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Randall 
township,  upon  which  he  lived  for  fifty-two  years,  he  and  his  brother-in-law 
working  the  farm  together  for  nineteen  years,  when  his  sister  Hannah  in- 
herited her  share  and  bought  out  the  other  heirs.  Mr.  Brower  came  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Wilmot  seventeen  years  ago,  and  was  married,  Nov.  15,  1888,  to  Miss 
Hattie  A.  Brott,  daughter  of  Francis  and  Amanda  P.  (Carey)  Brott.  Since 
that  time  Mr.  Brower  has  made  Wilmot  his  home.  He  was  drafted  into  the 
army  during  the  Civil  war.  but  was  successful  in  securing  a  substitute,  whom 
he  paid  $630.  Politically  he  was  originally  a  Democrat,  but  later  he  became  a 
Republican. 

Mrs.  Brower  was  born  Aug.  3,  1843,  in  Oswego,  Oswego  Co..  N.  Y..  of 
which  State  her  parents  were  natives.  Her  father  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1843, 
in  the  fall,  the  mother  following  the  next  spring.  Mr.  Brott  took  up  land  in 
Burton  township,  McHenry  Co.,  111.,  farming  120  acres  there  for  seven  years. 
He  then  sold  out  and  came  to  Wilmot,  where  he  built  a  home  and  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  He  died  in  January,  1889,  aged  eighty-two  years.  Mrs. 
Brott  had  passed  away  in  1880,  aged  seventy-four  years.  Mrs.  Brower  was 
the  only  child  of  this  good  couple. 

John  Brott,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Brower  was  a  native  of 
Holland,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  died  in  New  York 
State,  when  well  advanced  in  years.  His  wife,  Rebecca  Bennett,  also  attained 
an  old  age,  and  bore  her  husband  a  large  family.  Mrs.  Brewer's  maternal 
grandfather  Carey  was  of  New  York  State,  and  of  Scotch  descent.  He  mar- 
ried Margaret  Gurley,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  passed  away  about  1854. 
She  passed  away  a  number  of  years  later,  being  about  eighty  years  old  at  the 
time  of  her  death. 

DEACON  DANIEL  N.  COLLAR  is  one  of  the  successful  farmers  and 
universally  esteemed  citizens  of  Racine  county.  Wis.,  and  resides  upon  a  finely 
cultivated  farm  in  Section  27.  Dover  township.  Mr.  Collar  was  born  in  the 
town  of  New  Marlboro,  Berkshire  Co.,  Mass.,  Aug.  11,  1824,  son  of  Jared  and 
Rhoda  (Northway)  Collar,  the  former  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  the 
latter  of  Norfolk,  Connecticut. 

Moses  Collar,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of 


430  COMi\lEMORATl\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Massachusclls,  wliu  li\t'(l  in  Shetiield.  Berkshire  cuunty,  and  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  liis  death  uccurred  at  the  home  of  liis  son  Walter,  in  Aiadison 
count}',  N.  v.,  in  his  eightieth  year.  He  married  Rebecca  Hawley,  who  died, 
young,  and  he  afterward  married  her  sister.  The  first  wife  was  the  mother  of 
Jared  Collar,  and  they  also  had  a  son  Mile,  and  a  daughter  Lovina.  There 
were  two  sons  by  the  second  marriage,  Walter  and  Hiram,  and  a  daughter 
Mary. 

John  Collar,  Moses  Collar's  father,  lived  in  Berkshire  county,  Mass.,  and 
was  a  colonel  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

lared  Collar  followed  coopering  in  his  nati\e  State,  whence  he  removed 
to  Madison  county,  N.  Y.,  there  engaging  in  fanning.  In  the  spring  of  1836 
he  came  West  to  Wisconsin,  driving  through  from  New  York  in  company  with 
Isaac  G.  Northway,  and  two  of  his  sons,  Leander  and  Albert.  They  located  on 
farms  in  what  is  now  Yorkville  township,  Racine  county,  taking  up  Govern- 
ment land.  Jared  Collar  returned  to  the  East  in  the  fall  of  1836, 
and  spent  the  winter  there,  and  in  1837  brought  his  family  to 
Wisconsin  by  way  of  the  Erie  canal  and  the  Great  Lakes,  land- 
ing at  Southport  on  the  6th  day  of  July,  having  spent  the  4th 
in  Milwaukee.  He  fortunately  met  two  men  at  Southport  who  were  there 
with  wagons,  and  they  took  his  family  out  to  their  claim  the  same  evening. 
Mr.  Collar  took  up  160  acres  of  Government  land  which  he  improved,  and 
there  he  lived  for  eight  years.  He  then  sold  out  and  purchased  a  farm  of 
forty  acres,  in  what  is  now  Do\er  township.  Section  27,  then  still  known  as 
Yorkville  township.  This  fai'm  he  also  improved,  and  there  continued  to 
live  until  his  death,  in  1877,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years,  six  months,  having 
been  born  Jan.  13,  1791.  He  married  Nov.  29.  1815,  Rhoda  Northway,  who 
was  born  July  13,  1793,  daughter  of  Samuel  Northway,  a  native  of  Connec- 
ticut and  a  farmer  by  occupation,  who  died  well  advanced  in  years,  as  did  also 
his  wife.  Mrs.  Collar  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  but  both 
she  and  her  husband  united  with  the  Congregational  Church  in  New  York 
State.  They  were  charter  members  of  what  is  now  the  Congregational 
Chiuxh  in  Union  Grove,  organized  in  1844,  'I'l'^l  were  also  members  of  the 
Congregational  Sunday-school  there,  which  was  organized  in  1838,  services 
being  held  at  the  homes  of  Isaac  G.  Northway  and  Jared  Collar,  alternating. 
They  read  sermons  and  such  religious  literature  as  they  could  get,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  a  preacher.  Rev.  C.  C.  Cadwell,  a  son-in-law  of  Mr.  Northway,  or- 
ganized the  church,  and  preached  occasionally. 

Mr.  Collar  was  connected  with  an  independent  company  of  horse  or  cav- 
alry which  was  ordered  out  for  service  in  the  war  of  tRi2,  but  after  reporting 
for  service  they  were  discharged  and  allowed  to  go  home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jared  Collar  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  four  of 
whom  are  now  living:  Jared  A.,  of  Beloit,  Kans. ;  Daniel  N. ;  Rhoda  L., 
widow  of  P.  C.  Castle,  living  at  Longmont,  Colo.;  and  Harriet  L..  wife  of 
Steven  Northrup,  of  Thayer.  Union  Co.,  Iowa. 

Daniel  N.  Collar  wr>s  nearly  thirteen  rears  old  when  he  came  with  his 
narents  to  W^isconsin.  His  early  education  he  obtained  in  the  East,  and  when 
he  WIS  sixteen  years  old  arrangements  were  made  for  him  to  attend  a  school  at 
Southport.  but  he  was  taken  sick  and  for  five  vears  was  unable  to  work  or 
study.     He  attended  school  a  short  time  in  his  twenty-fifth  year.     Mr.  Collar 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  431 

■was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  lived  at  home  with  his  father  until  the  latter's 
death,  when  he  assumed  the  management  of  the  home  place  of  eighty  acres, 
which  he  has  continued  to  operate  with  success  ever  since.  On  June  9,  1857, 
Mr.  Collar  married  Miss  Letitia  Ginty,  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement,  who 
previous  to  her  marriage  engaged  in  teaching.  Four  children  were  born  to 
this  union :  William  G.,  Ella  M.,  Rhoda  Bell  and  Flora  G.  William  G.  is  in 
Tremont,  La.,  extensively  engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  being  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Tremont  Lumber  Company,  and  also  vice-president  of  the  Eros 
State  Bank;  he  married  Agnes  McGuire,  and  they  have  three  children,  George 
Creighton,  William  Dean  and  Madge.  Ella  M.  is  deceased ;  she  married  Vic- 
tor Richards,  and  they  had  one  child,  also  deceased.  Rhoda  Bell  died  aged 
fourteen  months.  Flora  G.  married  Rev.  Charles  R.  LaPorte,  and  they  now 
live  in  Kennewick,  Wash. ;  they  have  three  children,  Otho,  Rollo  and  Althea. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collar  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church  of  Union 
Grove,  in  which  church  he  has  been  deacon  for  fifty-five  years.  On  June  15, 
1900,  the  church  presented  him  a  silver  service,  consisting  of  pitcher,  goblet 
and  tray,  with  the  following  engraved  on  the  tray : 

1850.     June  15-1900. 
Presented    to    Deacon    Daniel    N.    Collar,    by    the    Union    Grove.    Wis.,    Congregational 
Church  in  commemoration   of  fifty  years  of  faithful   and   continuous  service,   during  which 
time   he  has  been   absent  but   four  sacramental  services. 

Since  1900  Deacon  Collar  has  not  been  absent  from  any  of  the  sacramental 
services. 

Mr.  Collar  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  serving  from  Feliruary,  1865, 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  and  belonged  to  the  47th  Regiment,  Wis.  V.  I.  He 
is  connected  with  George  B.  Lincoln  Post,  G.  A.  R.  Politically  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  served  as  town  clerk  for  a  number  of  years,  and  as  superintendent 
of  the  common  schools  when  that  office  was  in  vogue.  Mr.  Collar  is  an  hon- 
ored pioneer,  having  lived  in  Racine  county  since  1837,  and  among  the  valued 
citizens  of  the  community  none  stand  higher  in  the  estimation  of  his  fellow- 
men  than  Daniel  N.  Collar.  He  is  known  to  be  a  man  of  strict  integrity  and 
reliability,  and  besides  being  a  practical  farmer  is  an  excellent  business  man. 

James  and  Mary  Ann  (Clay)  Ginty.  Mrs.  Collar's  parents,  were  natives 
of  Ireland,  and  emigrated  thence  to  Canada,  Mrs.  Collar  having  been  l^orn  in 
Toronto,  Sept.  10,  1836.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ginty  had  eleven  children,  five  sons 
and  six  daughters.  Of  the  sons,  Thomas  and  Henry  Ginty  were  killed  while 
serving  in  the  Civil  war.  George  C.  Ginty.  an  editor  of  note  in  Wisconsin,  was 
colonel  of  the  47th  Wis.  V.  I.  and  was  breveted  general  at  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  became  a  prominent  politician,  and  served  in  the  State  Asseml:)Iy  in  i860 
and  in  the  Senate  in  1S87.    William  and  John  are  now  living  in  California. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ginty  were  early  settlers  in  Racine,  and  until  after  the  Civil 
war  Mr.  Ginty  worked  as  a  tailor.  He  then  became  lighthouse-keeper  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  died  June  30,  1887,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  His  wife 
survived  him,  and  died  at  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collar  in  1891,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-one  years. 

In  1863,  although  fifty  years  of  age,  James  Ginty  enlisted  in  Company 
A,  22d  Wis.  V.  I.,  and  served  with  same  until  June,  1865,  when  be  was  made 
second  lieutenant,  being  placed  in  Company  H,  47tli  Wisconsin  Infantrv.  He 
^vent  with  Sherman  on  bis  famous  march  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea.     During 


432  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.     . 

his  service  Mr.  Giiity  was  taken  prisoner  at  Brentwood,  and  was  held  a 
prisoner  at  Lihby  for  .some  time.  During  his  service  he  faithfully  performed  a 
soldier's  duties,  facing  dangers  and  entluring  hardships  with  a  courage  and 
heroism  which  brought  him  promotion  and  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his 
comrades  and  superiors. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Collar  was  William  Clay,  a  native  of 
Ireland,  and  an  engraver,  contractor  and  architect  by  occupation.  His  wife 
was  Anna  Duggan,  and.  like  her  husband,  she  was  born  and  brought  up  in  the 
vicinity  of  Dublin.  Both  attained  advanced  age.  They  reared  a  small  family 
to  maturity. 

Mrs.  Collar's  paternal  grandfather,  James  Ginty,  was  a  native  of  Dublin,, 
and  came  therefrom  to  Toronto,  Canada,  where  he  passed  away  at  an  advanced 
age.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  followed  that  calling  until  his  death. 
He  married  Betsy  Manning,  who  survived  her  husband  some  years.  They 
had  three  sons  and  one  daughter. 

HENRY  G.  BEIMER,  a  prominent  and  influential  farmer  of  Section. 
15,  Salem  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  W^is.,  was  born  March  28,  1850,  in  New 
IVIunster,  Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  county,  son  of  Rudolph  aad  Chris- 
tina (Elfers)  Beimer,  natives  of  Westphalia,  Germany.  Henry  and  Lydia 
Beimer,  his  paternal  grandparents,  both  died  in  Germany,  leaving  four  sons- 
and  three  daughters. 

Rudolph  Beimer,  father  of  Henry  G..  came  to  America  in  1849, 
and  settled  in  New  Munster,  Wheatland  township.  There  he  married  Chris- 
tina Elfers,  daughter  of  Gerhard  and  Catherine  (Flors)  Elfers,  both  of  whom 
died  in  Germany,  well  advanced  in  years,  leaving  two  children.  Mr.  Elfers, 
had  had  three  children  by  a  former  marriage.  Rudolph  Beimer  inherited 
eighty  acres  of  land  from  his  brother  John,  and  later  added  sixty  acres  thereto. 
There  he  reared  his  family,  and  died  in  1880,  aged  sixty-five  years,  his  wife 
passing  away  some  years  l:)efore,  in  her  forty-fifth  year.  Both  were 
Presbyterians  in  faith.  He  had  l^een  a  soldier  in  the  regular  army  in  Ger- 
many. His  children  were  eleven  in  number:  Henry  G. ;  Anna  (deceased), 
who  was  the  wife  of  Gerhard  Schreck.  of  Libertyville,  111. :  John,  of  Sac 
City,  Iowa;  Catherine,  wife  of  Hon.  W.  M.  Curtiss.  of  Salem  township; 
Rudolph,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa ;  Christina,  wife  of  John  Kester,  of  Beloit,  Wis. : 
Frank,  of  Beloit:  Dena,  the  wife  of  George  Bull,  of  Elgin.  111.;  William,  of 
New  Munster.  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis. ;  Louisa,  the  wife  of  \\'illiam  McGuire, 
of  Rockford,  111.;  and  Benjamin,  deceased. 

Henry  G.  Beimer  was  reared  in  Wheatland  township,  and  lived  at  home 
until  reaching  manhood,  attending  the  district  schools.  At  his  father's  death 
he  inherited  part  of  the  estate,  and  bought  out  the  other  heirs,  living  there 
until  1885,  in  which  year  he  sold  the  place  and  bought  his  present  home  farm 
of  160  acres  in  Salem  township.  On  June  29.  1881.  he  married  Miss  Anna 
C.  Kester,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Anna  (Memler)  Kester.  and  four  children 
were  born  to  this  union  :  Florence  M.,  Cora  M.,  Catherine  E.  and  George  H.. 
of  whom  Florence  M.  died  when  six  months  old;  the  other  children  reside 
at  home.  Mr.  Beimer  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Politi- 
cally a  Republican,  he  served  one  term  as  supervisor,  and  three  terms  (or 


^  ^  &t^^^^     ^.^^t^^<l.-M 


^  e^Juf    <^.     (^  €A^yrL^ 


COMME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  433 

nine  years)  as  school  director.  }ilr.  and  Mrs.  Beimer  have  an  up-to-date 
farm  and  .\Irs.  Beimer  is  well  known  as  an  excellent  housekeeper.  Both  are 
\  ery  charitable  people.     They  attend  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Beimer  were  natives  of  Westphalia,  Germany,  and 
came  to  America  in  1854,  settling  in  New  Munster,  Wheatland  township, 
Kenosha  county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  There  Mr.  Kester  died  ni 
1861,  aged  thirty-four  years,  and  his  widow  married  again,  her  second 
husband  being  Herman  Elfers,  who  lives  in  New  Munster.  Mrs.  Elfers 
survived  until  1899,  ^"^  ^^'^^  sixty-eight  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death. 
By  her  first  husband  she  had  five  children:  Henry  J.,  deceased:  Anna  C, 
Airs.  Beimer;  John  H.,  deceased;  William  J.,  and  a  daughter  who  died  in 
early  childhood.  The  father  of  these  was  a  soldier  in  the  regular  army  in 
Germany.  In  religion  both  parents  were  Presbyterians.  By  her  union  with 
Mr.  Elfers  there  were  six  children:  Christina,  wife  of  Joseph  Qualman,  of 
Beloit,  Wis. ;  Herman,  of  Salem  township ;  Bernard,  of  near  Munster ;  Cathe- 
rine, wife  of  George  Feldcamp,  of  Salem  township;  Frederick,  of  New  Mun- 
ster, and  a  daughter  who  died  young. 

Mrs.  Beimer's  paternal  grandfather  was  Henrv  Kester,  a  nati\e  of  Ger- 
many, where  he  died  aged  over  eighty  years.  He  spent  his  life  in  farming. 
His  wife  was  Anna  Spellman,  and  they  had  but  one  child,  Henry,  the  fatlier 
of  Mrs.  Beimer.  Her  maternal  grandfather  was  John  Memler,  a  native  oi 
Germany,  where  he  died  aged  fifty-two  years.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth 
(Leigerink)  Memler,  and  they  had  six  children,  three  sons  and  three 
daughters. 

JOHN  H.  SCHLAX,  who  carries  on  a  blacksmith  business  in  Salem, 
Wis.,  is  one  of  the  highly  esteemed  citizens  of  that  village.  He  was  born  in 
Salem  township.  Kenosha  county,  June  22,  1869.  son  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth 
(  Spiegelhoff )  Schlax,  natives  of  Koehlen  and  Westphalen,  Germany,  respec- 
tively. His  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  conducted  a 
hotel.  He  died  at  an  advanced  age,  as  did  also  his  wife.  They  had  a  large 
family,  of  whom  six  still  survive:  Peter,  John,  Anton.  Agnes,  Michael  and 
Barbara.  The  maternal  grandfather  came  to  America  with  his  wife  and  fam- 
ily and  settled  in  Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  engaged 
in  farming.  He  died  there  in  middle  life,  while  his  widow  survived  him  some 
years,  and  married  again,  her  husband  being  Henry  Brueggeman.  She  had  five 
children  by  her  first  hu.sband,  William.  Theodore.  Elizabeth,  Mary  and  Henry. 

Peter  Schlax,  father  of  John  H.,  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Salem 
township,  one  mile  north  of  the  village  of  Salem,  and  there  he  has  carried  on 
bJacksmithing  ever  since,  with  the  exception  of  a  short  time  spent  in  Burling- 
ton. He  owns  a  farm  of  120  acres,  and  has  a  house  and  lot  and  shop  at  Brass 
Ball  Corners.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mr. 
Schlax  was  a  soldier  in  the  German  army,  and  was  twice  drafted  -into  the  Civil 
war  in  this  country,  but  hired  a  substitute  after  six  weeks'  service.  He  and 
his  wife  had  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living:  Mary,  the  wife  of 
Matthew  Britz,  of  Minnesota;  Henry,  of  Kenosha;  John  H.,  our  subject;  Ida 
M.  the  wife  of  John  Muenzer.  of  Milwaukee;  Michael  M..  of  Kenosha;  and 
Rosa,  the  wife  of  Alexander  Huck.  of  Kern,  California. 


434  COM.ME-MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Julin  11.  Schlax  was  reared  in  Salem  to\vn,ship,  and  attended  the  district 
scliGuls.  He  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  with  his  lather,  and  remained  at 
home  until  twenty-three  years  of  age,  when  he  followed  journeyman  work  in 
various  places  for  some  time,  returning  home  after  this  experience.  He  started 
a  shop  in  Antioch,  111.,  in  1893,  remaining  there  five  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  he  returned  to  Salem  and  bought  out  his  brother  Henry.  Here  he  has 
conducted  a  shop  ever  since,  meeting  with  much  success.  Besides  his  shop 
Mr.  Schlax  owns  a  good  house  in  Salem. 

On  June  22,  1900,  Mr.  Schlax  married  Miss  Theressa  Ludwig,  daughter 
of  William  and  Maggie  (Paradise)  Ludwig,  and  three  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union,  Raphael,  Maggie  and  Emma.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schlax  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  and  politically  is  a  Democrat. 

Mrs.  Schlax's  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  came  to  America 
about  1852,  settling  in  Brighton  townsliip,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where  they 
engaged  in  farming.  There  the  father  died  in  1880,  aged  about  sixty-five  years, 
while  his  widow  survived  until  1900,  and  was  about  sixty  years  old  at  her 
<leath.  They  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  those  besides  Mrs.  Schlax  being : 
Annie,  the  wife  of  Hubbard  Frost,  of  Ashton,  Iowa,  John,  of  Brighton  town- 
ship; Eva,  the  wi'fe  of  Frank  Gegan,  of  Chicago:  Jacob,  of  Kenosha;  Maggie, 
the  wife  of  Hubbard  Zion,  of  Brighton  township;  Catherine,  who  is  unmar- 
ried; Peter  and  Nicholas,  who  died  in  December,  1905. 

Mr.  Schlax  has  lived  in  Salem  township  nearly  all  his  life,  and  has  a  large 
acquaintance.  He  has  accumulated  a  nice  property  through  his  own  industry 
and  good  management,  and  has  the  respect  of  the  entire  community. 

CHARLES  LITZEXBERGER,  a  prominent  retired  farmer,  who  until 
1904  operated  an  120-acre  farm  in  L'nion  Grove  township,  was  born  in  Rhein 
Province,  near  Meisenheim,  Germany,  Sept.  18,  1834,  son  of  Peter  and  Cath- 
erine ( Litzenlierger )  Litzenberger,  natives  of  the  same  province. 

Peter  Litzenberger.  the  father  of  Charles,  followed  milling  in  his  native 
country  until  his  marriage,  after  which  he  took  up  farming,  in  which  oc- 
cupation he  was  very  successful.  He  died  in  Germany  in  1842,  aged  fifty- 
eight  years,  while  his  wife  survived  him  some  time,  and  died  in  her  seventy- 
fourth  year.  Both  were  Lutherans.  Mr.  Litzenberger  served  in  the  Napole- 
onic wars.  He  and  his  wife  had  nine  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  now 
living:  xAnna,  the  wife  of  Philip  Biehler,  of  the  Rhein  Province,  now  Prussia; 
and  Charles. 

Charles  Litzenberger  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Germany,  re- 
ceived a  common  school  education  there,  and  in  1856,  when  twenty-two  years 
old,  came  to  America,  settling  in  Ohio  for  six  months.  He  then  came  to  Wis- 
consin, and  settled  in  the  town  of  Paris,  Kenosha  county,  where  he  purchased 
a  forty-acre  farm,  two  miles  east  of  Paris  Corners.  This  he  improved  and 
added  to.  and  lived  there  seven  years,  selling  it  to  purchase  120-acres  in  the 
same  township,  two  miles  south  of  LTnion  Grove.  This  he  sold  in  1904,  and 
has  since  been  living  retired  in  Cnion  Grove. 

On  Dec.  26,  1856.  Mr.  Litzenberger  married  Miss  Kathrina  Mohr,  who 
was  born  near  Meisenheim.  Germany,  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Kathrina 
(Dietrich)  Mohr,  natives  of  Germany.    She  died  July  15,  1905,  aged  seventy- 


COMME}.IORATlVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  435 

two  }ears,  four  months  and  six  days.  Nine  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and 
Airs.  Litzenberger :  Kathrina,  who  married  Edward  Youk,  is  now  deceased, 
as  is  also  her  husband ;  Charles,  a  farmer  of  Brighton  township,  married  Nina 
Wadsworth,  and  they  Jiave  two  daughters,  Nettie  and  Vera ;  Charlotte  married 
William  John  Payne,  lives  in  Dover  township,  and  has  four  children,  Myra, 
Howard,  Elsie  and  Edna ;  Henry,  a  farmer  of  Yorkville  township,  married 

Mary  Gohr,  and  has  three  children,  Victor,  Alma  and ;  .\nn_a 

married  Charles  Myers,  and  they  live  in  Colusa,  Cal.,  with  their  four  children, 
Adelaide,  Floyd,  Mildred  and  Wesley,  the  latter  two  being  twins ;  Jacob  mar- 
ried Lillian  Coling,  and  they  live  in  Union  Grove,  and  have  one  daughter, 
Bernice ;  Peter  is  single,  and  lives  in  California ;  Caroline  married  Jabez  Payne, 
of  Dover  township,  and  has  one  child,  Dorothy ;  and  Louisa  died  when  not 
quite  two  years  old. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Litzenberger  were  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith,  but  he  is 
now  connected  with  the  Congregational  Church,  of  which  his  wife  was  also  a 
member.     Politically  Mr.  Litzenberger  is  a  Republican. 

NICHOLAS  C.  THELEN,  a  prominent  and  enterprising  farmer  of  Sec- 
tion 31,  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  was  born  in  Caledonia  town- 
ship, that  county,  Feb.  20.  1857,  son  of  Leonard  and  Lucy  (  Fuhrman  )  Thelen, 
natives  of  Germany. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  our  subject  were  Christopher  and  Mary  Eva 
(Siegel)  Thelen,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  middle  life  in  Germany.  His 
widow  came  to  America,  and  died  at  the  home  of  her  son  Gerhard  at  the  age  of 
eighty-four  years.  She  and  her  husband  had  a  family  of  seven  sons.  The  ma- 
ternal grandfather  of  our  subject,  Peter  Fuhrman,  was  a  native  of  Germany, 
and  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Caledonia  township  at  an  early  day,  en- 
gaging in  farming.  There  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  His  first 
wife  died  in  middle  life,  leaving  a  good-sized  family,  and  he  was  married 
again. 

Leonard  Thelen.  father  of  Nicholas  C,  recei\-ed  his  education  in  the 
parociiial  schools  of  his  native  country,  and  became  a  drayman  there.  He  came 
to  America  in  1842  and  settled  in  Caledonia  township,  where  he  followe(t 
farming  for  a  time,  and  later  ran  a  grocery  store  in  the  town  of  Raymond. 
He  resumed  farming  later  in  Somers  township.  Kenosha  county,  purchasing 
a  farm  of  170  acres.  He  died  there  in  1903.  aged  eighty-three  years,  ten 
months.  His  wife  still  survives,  and  is  now  seventy-nine  years  old.  Both 
were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  In  his  native  country  Mr.  Tlielen 
was  a  soldier  in  the  regular  army.  He  and  his  wife  had  the  following  fam- 
ily :  Mary,  who  lives  in  Somers  township  with  her  mother ;  Peter,  who  died 
aged  fifty-one  years:  George,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-four;  Nicholas  C. ; 
Agatha,  wife  of  Fred.  Klanz.  of  Milwaukee,  and  John  Peter,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty  years. 

Nicholas  C.  Thelen  was  reared  in  Caledonia  township  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  attended  the  district  and  parochial  schools.  He  lived  at  home  until  he 
reached  manhood  and  then  married  and  worked  for  one  year  for  Hugh  Gorton, 
on  his  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  receivina:  therefor  $250.  He  then 
rented  "P.illv"  Smith's  farm  in  Somers  townshiu  for  one  year,  after  which  he 
located  on  a  fifty-acre  farm  which  his  father  had  willed  to  him.  in  Somers 


436  COMME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

township,  and  there  he  spent  one  year,  lie  then  went  to  work  as  foreman  on 
the  farm  of  J.  i.  Case,  in  Mt.  I'leasant  township,  remaining  there  nine  years, 
the  next  two  years  being  spent  as  a  renter  on  H.  S.  Durand's  farm.  He  then 
rented  a  place  of  Daniel  Bull  for  two  years,  and  then  took  Judge  Doolittle's 
place  for  three  years.  He  then  purchased  his  present  place,  of  thirty-tive  acres, 
which  is  finely  improved,  and  here  he  does  general  farming  and  gardening.  He 
is  also  well  known  as  an  expert  dealer  in  horses.  As  a  citizen  and  a  man  his 
integrity  is  unquestioned. 

On  Sept.  7,  1880.  Mr.  Thelen  married  Miss  Matilda  Hennecke,  daughter 
of  John  and  Carolina  (Biex)  Hennecke.  and  one  son  was  born  to  this  union. 
Leonard  J.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thelen  are  members  of  St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church 
in  Racine.     Politically  he  is  independent. 

The  parents  of  [Sirs.  Thelen  were  natives  of  Germany,  where  the  father 
was  a  contractor.  .  They  came  to  America  in  1854,  settling  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  where  he  bought  thirty  acres  of  land  and  later  added  twentv  thereto 
making  fifty  acres  in  all.  In  connection  with  his  agricultural  pursuits  he  did 
considerable  masonry  work.  Here  he  spent  the  balance  of  his  life,  and  died  in 
1885,  aged  seventy-five  years,  his  wife  passing  away  in  1903.  aged  eighty-two 
years.  They  had  seven  children,  two  sons  and  five  daughters :  William,  who 
is  on  the  old  iKimestead ;  Pauline,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  William 
Cramer  of  Iowa :  Christina,  the  wife  of  Frank  Fischer,  of  Mt.  Angel,  Oregon ; 
Henry,  on  the  old  homestead;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Carl  Behr,  of  Racine:  ]\Ia- 
tilda,  Mrs.  Thelen;  and  Theresa,  the  wife  of  Adam  Funk,  of  Mt.  Pleasant 
township. 

William  Hennecke.  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Thelen,  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  occupation,  and  a  native  of  Germany,  where  he  died  well  advanced 
in  years.  He  and  his  wife  had  eight  children.  On  the  maternal  side  Mrs. 
Thelen's  grandfather  was  Henry  Biex.  also  a  native  of  Germany,  who  con- 
ducted a  small  farm  in  that  country.  He  died  there  aged  sixty-five  years.  His 
wife  was  Anna  Maria  (Druecke)  Biex.  and  they  had  four  children,  all  of 
whom  are  now  deceased. 

ADAM  KARCHER,  an  enterprising  and  progressive  business  man  of 
Kenosha  county.  Wis,,  who  is  carrying  on  a  successful  general  merchandise 
business  at  Bassett,  Wis.,  was  born  in  Burlington  township,  Racine  county, 
Aug.  18,  1854,  son  of  Henry  and  Magdalena  (Heckert)  Karcher.  The  pa- 
ternal grandfather,  John  Karcher,  came  to  America  and  settled,  with  his  fam- 
ily, in  Burlington  township,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  his  eightieth  year.  His  wife,  Agnes  (Runkel)  Karcher,  also 
attaincfl  advanced  years.  They  had  three  sons:  John,  who  still  lives  in  Bur- 
lington township,  and  two  deceased.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Adam 
Karcher  went  from  Germanv  to  Brazil,  South  America,  and  his  history  is 
lost. 

Henry  Karcher,  the  father  of  .A-dam,  was  a  baker  by  trade.  He  came  to 
America  among  the  early  settlers  of  Burlington  township,  and  there  purchased 
a  160-acre  farm,  which  he  improved,  and  where  he  died  in  i86t.  aged  forty- 
two  vears.  His  widow  survived  him  until  1884.  being  sixty-seven  years  old  at 
the  time  of  her  death.     Both  were  Methodists.     Thev  had  children  as  follows : 


COMMEMORATR^E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  437 

John,  of  Buiiington;  Eliza,  wife  of  John  Berger,  of  Genoa  Junction;  Henry, 
of  Walworth  county ;  Adam ;  Agnes,  wife  of  Paul  Erickson,  and  Magdalena, 
wife  of  Henry  Henspeter,  of  Bloomfield  township,  Walworth  county. 

Adam  Karcher  was  reared  in  Burlington  township  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  there  attended  the  district  schools.  He  began  learning  blacksmithing  when 
se\'enteen  years  of  age,  and  followed  same  for  thirty-three  years,  in  1878  es- 
tablishing a  shop  of  his  own  in  Bassett,  Wis.,  which  he  operated  until  1905, 
being  still  the  owner.  He  started  a  general  store  in  1902  in  Bassett,  and  now 
devotes  his  attention  to  that  exclusively.  He  also  owns  a  beautiful  home  in 
Bassett. 

On  May  6,  1880,  Mr.  Karcher  married  Miss  Lydia  KerkhotT,  daughter 
of  Gerhard  and  Mary  (Yaegermann)  Kerkhoff,  and  three  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union :  May :  Stella  and  Adda.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Karcher  are  Pres- 
byterians. Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Mr.  Karcher  has  many  warm 
friends  in  this  vicinity,  and  he  has  won  the  confidence  of  his  patrons  through 
his  straightforward  business  methods  and  strict  integritv  and  honesty.  He 
is  one  of  Kenosha  county's  representative  citizens. 

Gerhard  and  Mary  (Yaegermann)  Kerkhoff,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Adam 
Karcher,  were  born  in  Westphalia,  Germany,  he  on  Sept.  18,  1826.  and  she 
on  March  29,  1824.  There  they  were  married.  They  came  to  Kenosha  county 
in  1855,  and  settled  in  Wheatland  township.  Later  coming  to  Randall  town- 
ship, they  purchased  land  at  different  times  until  they  had  accumulated  270 
acres.  They  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  in  politics  i\Ir. 
Kerkhoff  is  a  Democrat.  Thev  now  reside  on  their  old  farm  in  Randall  town- 
ship, and  are  living  retired.  Children  as  follows  were  born  to  their  union: 
Rudolph,  wdio  is  deceased;  Lydia,  wife  of  Adam  Karcher:  John,  a  farmer  in 
Randall  township:  Henry,  deceased;  Bernhardt,  on  the  old  homestead:  Mary, 
unmarried,  at  home;  and  Anna,  of  Brimfield,  III.  who  married  Herman 
Memler. 

JOHN  DUNKIRK,  who  owns  and  cultivates  a  fine  farm  in  Section  32, 
Yorkville  township,  is  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  Racine  county.  Wis. 
He  was  born  Oct.  2.  1866,  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county,  son  of  Marinus 
and  Martha  (Russen)  Dunkirk,  natives  of  Holland.  His  grandfather,  Peter 
Dunkirk,  lived  in  both  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties,  dying  in  the  former 
county  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years;  his  wife  survived  him  some  time,  pass- 
ing away  when  eighty-three  years  old. 

Marinus  Dunkirk  came  to  America  in  1852  and  located  in  ■Milwaukee. 
where  he  remained  one  year.  He  then  settled  in  Yorkville  townshi]5,  Rpcine 
county,  and  later  in  Kenosha  county,  finally  returning  to  Yorkville  townshio. 
and  purchasing  a  farm  of  fifty  acres  upon  which  he  lived  until  his  death,  in 
1893.  His  wife  survived  him  one  year,  being  sixty-nine  at  the  time  of  her 
death.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Peter  Russen.  a  native  of  Holland,  who  came 
to  America  and  settled  in  Dover  township,  Racine  county,  dving  there  aged 
seventy  years.  His  wife  had  passed  away  in  Holland,  and  Mr.  Russen  cime  to 
America  to  be  with  his  children.  In  religious  faith  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dunkirk  were 
Lutherans  in  their  native  country,  but  after  comine  to  .\merica  usnnllv  attended 
the  Methodist  Church.  Mr.  Dunkirk  had  served  in  the  army  in  Holland.  He 
and  his  wife  had  nine  children,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living:    Peter  W.  and 


43S  COALMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

jNlarv  Ann,  of  Uniun  Grove;  Nellie  B.,  wife  of  Closes  ^tlurgatroyd,  of  Union 
Grose;  Jennie,  deceased;  William,  deceased;  John;  Lillian,  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam AL  Smidi,  of  Alberta,  Canada;  Lucy  M.,  wife  of  William  Alinton,  of 
Union  Grove;  and  Frank  A.,  of  Union  Grove. 

John  Dunkirk  has  li\-ed  in  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties  all  of  his  life, 
having  spent  the  last  eighteen  years  on  his  father's  old  farm,  which  he  and  his 
sister,  Mary  Ann,  now  own.  On  Nov.  15,  1898,  Mr.  Dunkirk  married  Miss 
Marie  Leavy,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Ann  (Riley)  Leavy,  and  two 
children  were  born  to  this  union,  Grace  and  Leslie.  Politically  Mr.  Dunkirk  is 
a  Republican. 

Tliomas  Leavy,  father  of  Mrs.  Dunkirk,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and 
coming  to  America  first  settled  in  Racine  county,  east  of  Waterford.  In  \Va- 
terford  he  married  Mary  Ann  Riley,  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  and  they  subse- 
quently moved  to  Nebraska,  where  she  died.  He  is  still  living  and  is  carry- 
ing on  farming  operations  at  Tilden,  Nebr.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leavy  had  four 
children:  Edward;  Winnie,  wife  of  Jacob  Terry,  of  Kenosha  county;  Marie, 
\vife  of  John  Dunkirk;  and  Thomas,  of  Norway  township. 

John  Dunkirk,  or  "Jack."  as  he  is  familiarly  and  affectionately  called  by 
his  old  friends  and  associates,  is  one  of  the  best  know-n  young  men  of  York- 
ville  township,  and  is  popular  with  all.  He  is  a  successful  farmer,  which  his 
fine  farm,  one  mile  and  a  half  from  the  village  of  L^nion  Grove,  will  attest. 

DR.  CHRIST^NIAS  E.  EVANS,  a  very  successful  veterinary  surgeon  of 
Racine,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  New  York  State,  Ixirn  in  Utica  Nov.  2,  i860,  son 
of  Dr.  Evan  R.  and  Margaret  (Roberts)  Evans. 

Christmas  Evans  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city  until  four- 
teen years  of  age  and  then  came  with  his  parents  to  Racine,  where  he  has 
lived  ever  since.  He  attended  the  McMynn  Academy,  whence  he  went  to  the 
American  Veterinary  College.  New-  York,  graduating  in  the  class  of  1883. 
He  returned  to  Racine  and  has  practiced  here  up  to  the  present  time  in  partner- 
ship with  his  father,  the  firm  name  being  Dr.  E.  R.  Evans  &  Son. 

On  March  11.  1891,  Dr.  Evans  married  Miss  Franc  Jones,  daughter  of 
Capt.  Owen  D.  and  Fannie  (Roberts)  Jones,  and  to  this  union  two  children 
have  been  born,  Russell  C.  and  Lillian  F.  Mrs.  Evans"  father  was  a  native 
of  Wales,  whence  he  came  to  the  United  States,  settling  in  Racine.  By  occu- 
pation he  was  a  sailor,  and  he  sailed  the  Great  Lakes  for  many  years  serving 
as  captain  of  several  vessels.  He  died  March  1 1,  1892.  Her  mother  was  born 
in  Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to  Racine  in  her  early  childhood.  Capt.  and  Mrs. 
Jones  had  three  daughters :  Lillian,  the  wife  of  S.  C.  Hall  of  Jewett,  N.  Y. ; 
IMarguerite,  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Wires,  of  Racine;  and  Franc,  the  wife  of  our 
subject. 

Dr.  Evans  is  a  member  of  Rncine  Lodge.  No.  18.  F.  &  .\.  M. ;  Orient 
Chapter.  No.  12.  R.  A.  M. ;  Racine  Commandery.  No.  7,  K.  T. ;  is  a  32d- 
degree  Mason  and  a  Shriner ;  and  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pvthias.  Po- 
liticallv  he  is  a  Republican,  and  is  serving  as  alderman  of  the  Second  ward. 

Dr.  Evans  also  belongs  to  the  Wisconsin  \"eterinary  Societv.  and  was  its 
president  in  looi.  He  owns  a  fine  residence  at  No.  719  Wisconsin  street,  and 
he  and  his  father  own  the  brick  livery  and  boarding  stable  on  the  corner  of 
Seventh  and  Wisconsin  streets.    He  does  the  inspecting  of  herds,  stables,  feeds. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  439 

etc.,  for  the  Horlick  Food  Company  and  the  Racine  Pure  Milk  Company.  He 
and  his  father  have  a  large  practice  extending  throughout  Racine,  Kenosha 
and  Walworth  counties,  and  are  well  known  as  successful  vetermarians. 

WILLIAM  SEARS,  a  retired  carpenter  and  builder  of  Wilmot,  Salem 
township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in  W^ayne 
county  July  22,  1833,  son  of  John  and  Betsey  Elizabeth  (Arnold)  Sears,  also 
natives  of  that  State  and  county. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  William  Sears  was  Josiah  Sears,  a  farmer 
and  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  twice  married,  and  to  the  second  union 
were  born  two  children,  Archibald  and  Amanda.  Josiah  Sears  died  in  In- 
diana, aged  ninety-one  years.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  was  known  as  "Captain"  Arnold.  He 
made  his  home  in  Wayne  county,  Pa.,  where  he  died  well  advanced  in  years. 
He  and  his  wife  had  six  or  seven  children. 

The  parents  of  William  Sears  removed  to  Indiana  in  1S67,  settling  in 
Porter  county,  where  they  engaged  in  farming.  There  Mr.  Sears  died  in  1894, 
aged  over  eighty  years,  while  his  widow  survived  until  1902,  and  was  about 
ninety  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  In  religion  she  was  a  Baptist,  while 
he  adhered  to  the  faith  of  the  Universalists.  Seven  children  were  born  to 
them:  William;  Olive,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  E.  C.  Porter;  Rosina, 
who  died  young;  Jane,  widow  of  Harvey  Deming,  of  Chicago ;  John,  of  Hanna, 
Laporte  Co.,  Ind. ;  and  Charles  and  George,  also  of  Hanna. 

William  Sears  was  reared  in  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  attended  the  common 
schools,  and  there  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  followed  for  many 
years.  In  1859  he  located  in  Indiana,  settling  in  Valparaiso,  Porter  county, 
where  he  lived  for  twenty-one  years.  He  enlisted  during  the  Civil  war  in  the 
59th  Regiment,  Ind.  V.  I.,  in  Company  H,  and  served  from  1864  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  During  the  Atlanta  campaign  he  was  with  Sherman  on  his 
famous  march  to  the  sea. 

In  1861  Mr.  Sears  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Smith,  who  died  the  same 
year.  During  1870  Mr.  Sears  removed  to  Wilmot,  Wis.,  and  he  has  been  a 
resident  of  that  place  ever  since.  On  Nov.  17,  1871,  he  married  Miss  Mary 
Mclntyre,  the  adopted  daughter  of  Hugh  Mclntyre  and  wife,  old  residents  of 
Wilmot.  Mr.  Sears  belongs  to  Fred  Lovell  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Kenosha.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Republican. 

JOHN  MURDOCH,  a  well  known  and  highly  respected  farmer,  living 
retired  in  Union  Grove,  was  born  in  Argyllshire,  Scotland,  Aug.  22,  1830,  son 
of  Archibald  and  Frances  (McCullusky)  Murdoch,  also  natives  of  that  county. 

Archibald  Murdoch  was  left  fatherless  when  quite  small.  Mrs.  Marion 
Murdoch,  his  mother,  brought  him  up,  and  she  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  She 
had  but  two  children,  Archibald  and  a  daughter,  Mr.  Murdoch  was  a  mill- 
wright in  Scotland  and  came  to  America  in  1843.  settling  in  Kenosha  county, 
"Wis.  He  took  up  government  land  in  Brighton  township,  and  later  bought 
other  land,  until  he  owned  120  acres.  He  died  there  in  1866,  aged  about  sixty- 
five  ye?rs.  His  wife  died  about  1871,  aged  seventy-five  vears.  She  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The  maternal  grandfather,  McCulluskv.  also 
died  in  Scotland  at  an  advanced  age.     He  had  two  children. 


440  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Iiihn  .Murdoch  was  two  vcars  old  wlien  his  parents  emigrated  from  Scot- 
land "to  Juigland,  where  he  lived  till  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age  in  York- 
shire, and  there  received  his  first  schooling.  He  care  to  America  with  his 
mother  in  1844.  his  father  having  preceded  them  one  year.  He  grew  t(_)  man- 
h(K)d  on  his  father's  farm  in  Brighton  township,  remaining  at  home  till  grown. 
He  then  hegan  for  himself  by  renting  a  farm  for  several  years.  At  his  fath- 
er's death  he  came  into  sole  possession  of  the  old  homestead  of  eighty  acres,  as 
he  bought  his  sister's  interest  in  it.  He  lived  on  that  farm  till  1895.  w^hen  he 
rented  it  out  to  his  son  Albert  and  moved  to  Union  Grove,  where  he  has  since 
lived  retired. 

Mr.  Murdoch  married,  in  May,  1853,  Miss  Sophia  Beckel,  born  Feb.  25, 
1825,  daughter  of  Caspar  and  Catherine  (Soim)  Beckel.  Seven  children  were 
born  to  tlus  union:  (i)  Charles,  a  blacksmith  in  Bristol,  married  Miss  Sarah 
Gunther  and  has  three  children,  Edith,  FVed  and  Roy.  f  2 )  .\rchibald  was 
formerly  a  blacksmith,  but  is  now  engaged  in  teaming,  in  Bristol.  He  married 
Miss  Lillian  \'an  Way,  and  has  three  children,  Nettie,  Eugenia  and  Florence. 
(3)  Maria  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen.  (4)  Caroline  resides  in  Bristol,  Wis. 
(5)  Jeannette  married  John  T.  Asby,  of  Union  Grove.  (6)  William  M.  is  in 
business  in  Union  Grove.  (7)  Albert  operates  the  old  homestead.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Edith  Hockings  and  has  three  children,  Harold,  Leslie  and  Alva. 
Mrs.  Murdoch's  parents,  Caspar  and  Catherine  Beckel,  were  natives  of  Ger- 
manv.  and  her  mother  died  there  when  a  young  woman.  Her  father  died 
there,  but  when  well  advanced  in  years.  They  had  three  children,  Philip, 
Sophia  and  Elizabeth. 

Mr.  and  ^'Irs.  John  Murdoch  are  both  members  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  and  are  much  esteemed  for  their  upright  characters,  and  for  their  use- 
ful and  helpful  lives  in  the  community.  Politically  Mr.  Murdoch  is  a  good 
Republican  and  served  for  a  year  as  school  clerk. 

William  M.  Murdoch  was  born  in  Kenosha  county,  Aug.  26,  1862.  He 
grew-  up  on  his  father's  farm,  attending  the  district  schools.  As  he  grew  older 
he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  followed  it  in  Kenosha  county  for  ten 
years,  but  finally  gave  it  up  to  enter  business.  He  moved  to  Union  Grove  in 
1893.  and  formed  a  partnership  with  George  Hancock,  buying  out  U.  C.  Hum- 
phrey's interest  in  the  hardware  business.  The  firm  of  Hancock  &  Murdoch 
continued  from  1894  up  to  February,  1900,  when  the  junior  partner  bought 
Mr.  Hancock's  interest  and  ran  the  business  alone  for  four  vears.  He  then 
associated  with  him  ]\Ir.  J.  J.  Jones,  and  the  firm  has  since  been  Murdoch  & 
Jones.  They  carry  a  well-selected  stock  of  general  hardware  and  do  a  good 
business.  Both  are  members  of  old  families  who  were  early  settlers  in  the 
two  counties. 

On  Sept.  14,  1893.  ^Ii'-  iMurdoch  married  Aliss  Eveline  Goldsworthv, 
daughter  of  Richard  and  !\Iarv  (Russell)  Goldsworthv.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren, Gladvs  IM.  and  Forest  G.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  IMurdoch  attend  the  Congre- 
gational Church.  Fraternallv  he  belongs  to  Purity  Lodge.  No.  30,  I.  O.  O.  F. 
Politically  he  is  Republican  in  his  views  and  rather  active  in  local  affairs,  hav- 
ing served  as  village  trustee  several  terms.  Mr.  Murdoch  bears  a  very  high 
character  in  the  community  and  is  one  of  its  substantial  business  men. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  441 

GEORGE  C.  PETERSEN,  of  the  well  known  Racine,  Wis.,  firm  of 
Petersen  &  Burroughs,  dealers  in  farm  implements,  machinery,  vehicles,  twine 
and  oils,  is  a  native  of  Denmark,  born  near  x^alborg,  Sept.  17,  1853,  son  of 
Peter  and  Mary  Ann  (Thompson)  Petersen,  natives  of  that  country. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Peter  Simmonsen,  who 
died  in  Denmark,  when  nearly  eighty  years  of  age.  He  was  a  school  teacher 
from  his  youth,  and  at  his  death  left  three  children :  Simmon,  Peter  and 
Ruth.  On  the  maternal  side,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  Thomas  Thomp- 
son, died  in  Denmark  when  upwards  of  sixty  years  of  age.  He  was  a  butcher 
by  occupation.  His  wife,  who  was  Cecelia  Thompson,  died  when  about 
ninety  years  old. 

Peter  Petersen,  father  of  George  C,  was  a  farmer  in  Denmark,  where 
he  died  in  1884,  aged  about  seventy-five  years,  while  his  widow  survived  him 
until  1895,  when  she  passed  away  in  her  seventy-seventh  year.  Both  were 
Lutherans.  Mr.  and  I\Irs.  Petersen  had  nine  children :  Thomas ;  Marn, 
wife  of  Andrew  Sorensen,  of  Denmark;  Cecelia,  the  wife  of  Ole  Andersen, 
of  Denmark;  Stine,  the  wife  of  Christ  Andersen,  of  Fremont,  Neb.;  Peter  S.. 
of  Deuel  county,  Neb. ;  George  C. ;  Maria,  single,  of  Denmark ;  Christ,  of 
•Sanpete  county,  Utah;  and  Martin,  also  of  Utah. 

George  C.  Petersen  resided  in  Denmark  until  nineteen  years  of  age, 
and  received  his  schooling  there.  In  1872  he  came  to  America  and  stopped 
in  Chicago  for  six  months,  after  which  he  went  to  Homewood,  Cook  Co.,  111., 
working  for  a  doctor  there.  The  next  two  years  were  spent  in  railroad  labor- 
ing, after  which  he  came  to  Racine,  and  became  connected  with  farm  work 
for  some  time.  After  his  marriage  he  purchased  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in  Mt. 
Pleasant  township,  which  he  worked  three  years,  and  this  he  sold  to  pur- 
chase the  house  and  lot  which  he  now  occupies.  He  then  purchased  a  sixty- 
acre  farm,  which  he  later  sold  to  a  syndicate,  which  platted  it  and  sold  it  off 
in  town  lots.  For  the  past  ten  years,  Mr.  Petersen  has  been  in  the  agricul- 
tural implement  business  and  for  five  years  has  been  associated  with  Mr. 
Eben  Burroughs. 

In  April,  1876.  Mr.  Petersen  married  Miss  Anna  Olson,  daughter  of 
Ole  Olson,  and  she  died  about  six  weeks  after  marriage.  Mr.  Petersen  was 
again  married,  Dec.  31.  1879,  to  Mrs.  Anna  Christ  Johnson,  daughter  of 
Christ  and  Mariah  (Christiersen)  Nelsen,  and  five  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union:  William  C,  Chester  P..  Roy  M..  Nellie  and  Charles  G.  Wil- 
ham  C.  married  Mary  Roberts,  while  the  other  four  children  are  at  home. 

Although  not  members.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Petersen  attend  the  Baptist  Church 
and  contribute  liberally  to  its  support.  Politically  a  Republican,  Mr.  Peter- 
sen was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  two  years,  was  at  one  time  trustee  of  the 
Racine  county  asylum,  and  has  also  served  a  number  of  terms  on  the  school 
board. 

JOSEPH  A.  ]\rAYER.  farmer  and  dairyman  as  well  as  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial and  representati\-e  citizens  of  Kenosha  county,  resides  on  his  fine  farm 
in  Section  23.  Pleasant  Prairie  township.  He  was  born  in  Milwaukee.  Wis.. 
Jan.  4,  1866.  son  of  William  and  Pauline  CHuebschle)  Mayer. 


442  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

William  Mayer  was  born  in  German}-  in  the  neighborhuod  of  Wittenberg, 
as  was  also  his  wife.  They  had  two  children,  Paulme.  wife  of  John  Teuten, 
of  Milwaukee;  and  Joseph  A.,  our  subject.  The  father  was  a  skilled  machinist 
and  a  mechanical  engineer.  He  came  to  America  between  1845  ^"'J  1850,  and 
worked  for  some  years  in  New  York  City,  afterward  spending  a  season  at 
Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  thence  going  to  Pennsylvania  and  working  with  the  New 
York  &  Erie  Railroad.  He  then  removed  to  Detroit,  Mich.,  following  his 
trade,  and  was  later  made  gang  boss  of  the  great  railroad  shops  there.  Sub- 
sequently he  came  on  to  Milwaukee,  where  he  spent  some  years  aigaged  in  the 
building  of  locomotives,  a  class  of  work  that  commands  large  wages,  and  thus 
he  became  possessed  of  considerable  property.  He  invested  in  land,  buying 
first  a  farm  in  Sauk  County,  Wis.,  which  he  sold,  and  bought  a  farm  of  350 
acres  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  where  he  lived  with  his 
son  for  ten  years.  His  death  occurred  there  Aug.  3,  1902,  when  he  was  aged 
eighty-one  years.  His  wife  died  in  1868.  aged  thirty-seven  years.  Both 
were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

John  Mayer,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
W'ittenberg,  Germany,  and  emigrated  to  America  at  an  early  day  in  the  set- 
tlement of  Wisconsin.  He  died  in  Sauk  county,  aged  sixty  years.  He  was  a 
man  of  artistic  talents,  and  by  profession  was  a  sculptor.  He  was  in  the 
German  war  of  1848,  and  was  wounded  four  times.  He  married  Johanna 
Lang,  and  of  their  five  children,  the  only  survivor  is  Johanna,  who  lives  in 
New  York.  On  the  maternal  side  the  grandfather  was  also  a  soldier  in  the 
German  army,  and  he  died  in  his  own  land.  One  of  his  four  children  still  sur- 
vives, Fannie,  the  widow  of  Michael  W'iener,  who  lives  in  Milwaukee. 

Joseph  A.  Mayer  was  reared  in  Milwaukee,  and  was  educated  in  the  public 
and  parochial  schools.  He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  followed  same 
for  ten  years,  and  then  came  to' Kenosha  county,  since  following  farming,  own- 
ing his  father's  homestead.  He  also  conducts  a  very  extensive  dairy  business, 
keeping  seventy  cows. 

]\Ir.  Mayer  was  married  June  6.  1S93,  to  Magdalena  Schaufel.  daughter 
of  John  and  ^lary  (Miller)  Schaufel,  and  they  have  four  children,  viz. :  Pau- 
line, William.  Edna  and  Johanna  Antoinette.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mayer  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church.    In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 

John  Schaufel,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Mayer,  was  a  native  of  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many, and  his  wife  of  Prussia.  Both  came  to  America  in  childhood.  The 
father  remained  some  years  in  New  York,  but  the  mother  came  as  far  west  as 
Chicago,  in  girlhood.  They  were  married  in  Kenosha,  and  they  had  seven 
children,  three  sons  and  four  daughters,  namely :  Peter,  near  Russell,  111. ; 
John,  who  died  in  Evanston,  111.:  Henry  (deceased):  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Charles  Bain,  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township:  Mary,  wife  of  Edward  Letson,  of 
Kenosha :  Mag-dalene.  wife  of  Mr.  Mayer :  and  Annie,  wife  of  John  I\Iilligan, 
of  Kenosha.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Mayer  still  resides  in  Pleasant  Prairie  town- 
ship, where  he  was  an  early  settler,  and  he  now  owns  ninety-seven  acres  of 
fine  land.    His  wife  also  survives. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Mayer  and  his  wife  were  both  natives  of 
Germany  where  they  died,  and  many  of  their  descendants  and  kindred  still 
live  in  their  native  vicinity.  On  the  maternal  side  the  grandfather  was  Peter 
Miller,  who  was  born  in  Germanv.     He  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Mc- 


COMMEMORATIVE  .BIOGKAl'llJCAL    RECORD.  443 

Henry  county,  111.,  where  he  cunducted  a  vineyard  for  some  years,  that  ha\'ing- 
been  his  occupation  in  his  native  land.  Before  his  death,  however,  he  came 
to  Kenosha  county  where  both  he  and  wife  passed  their  last  years.  The  Mayer 
family  as  well  as  the  others  mentioned,  have  long  been  looked  upon  as  among' 
the  most  representative  and  respected  residents  of  this  county.  For  the  most 
part  they  have  been  agriculturists,  and  have  been  noted  for  the  admirable  quali- 
ties which  make  Germans  of  their  class  the  best  of  American  citizens. 

KNEELON  C.  PUFFER,  one  of  Racine  county's  well-known  and  highly 
esteemed  farmer  citizens,  is  engaged  in  cultivating  his  fine  farm  on  Section  i, 
Mt.  Pleasant  township.  He  was  born  in  Chautaucjua  county,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  2, 
1838,  son  of  Daniel  and  Althea  (Wright)  PufYer,  the  former  a  native  of  Mass- 
achusetts and  the  latter  of  New  York. 

Ezra  Pufifer,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
and  was  a  surveyor  of  prominence.  He  was  married  four  times,  but  had  a 
small  family. 

On  the  maternal  side  Mr.  Puffer's  grandfather  was  Edmund  Wright,  a 
native  of  New  York  State,  who  lived  in  Chautauqua  county,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming.  He  was  born  Oct.  13,  1763.  and  died  Aug.  25,  1804.  His  wife, 
Sophia  Wright,  was  born  April  14,  1765,  and  died  June  25,  1840,  aged  seventy- 
five  years.  They  had  a  family  of  ten  children :  Daniel,  James,  Charles,  Au- 
gustus, Flora,  Polly,  Charlotte,  Sylvanus,  Lewis  and  Althea. 

Daniel  Puffer  was  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  after  coming  to  Wisconsin, 
in  the  fall  of  1842,  purchased  227  acres  of  land,  which  he  improved,  and  here 
spent  the  balance  of  his  life.  He  continued,  however,  to  work  at  his  trade.  His 
death  occurred  in  1881,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  years,  while  his  wife  died 
June  6,  1886,  also  when  eighty-one  years  old.  They  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church  for  over  fifty  years'  Mr.  and  Mrs.^  Puffer  had  a  family  of 
four  children:  Ezra,  of  Mt.  Pleasant:  James  W.,  deceased;  Olive,  wife  of 
Henry  Hunter,  of  Tabor,  Iowa  ;  and  Kneelon  C. 

Kneelon  C.  Pufifer  was  but  four  years  old  when  he  came  with  his  jiarents 
to  Wisconsin,  and  he  has  lived  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  ever  since  "1842,  a 
period  of  sixty-four  years,  residing  now  on  a  part  of  the  farm  which  his  father 
settled.  He  attended  the  old-fashioned  subscription  schools  and  the  district 
schools,  and  remained  at  home  until  grown.  He  then  rented  his  father's  farm 
and  purchased  a  threshing  machine.  A  few  weeks  thereafter  his. horses  ran 
away  with  him,  and  smashed  his  leg  with  the  separator,  the  injured  member 
having  to  be  amputated.  This  was  in  i860.  He  gave  up  farming  and  learned 
photography,  and  for  four  years  made  daguerreotypes,  ambrotypes  and  pho- 
tographs. For  two  years  he  busied  himself  among  the  soldiers  at  Camp 
Utley.  He  then  returned  to  farming,  and  he  and  his  wife  have  since  Ii\-ed  in 
their  present  house,  which  his  father  built  o\-er  fifty  years  ago. 

On  Nov.  30,  1862,  Mr.  Puffer  married  Miss  Mary  Ann  Calary,  daughter 
of  John  and  Margaret  Ann  (Lynum)  Calary,  and  there  -were  five  children 
born  to  this^union:  James  Kneelon,  Lizzie,  Edmund  W.,  Althea  and  Alvin 
R.  James  K.  was  a  telegrapher  for  some  years,  but  is  now  a  traveling  sales- 
man for  a  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  shoe  house,  and  lives  in  Nashua,  Iowa  :  he  married 
Josie  Owens,  and  they  have  one  son,  Herbert.  Lizzie  married  John  Parker, 
and  they  live  at  Mygatt's  Corners,  Mt.  Pleasant  township :  they  have  one  child'. 


444  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Ethel.  Edmund  W.,  a  farmer  near  Lansing,  Mich.,  married  Rena  Hogle,  and 
ihey  have  five  children,  Loren,  Byron,  Adeline,  Kneelon  and  Gilbert.  Althea 
married  Roy  Phelps  and  they  live  in  Racine,  and  have  one  son,  Clayton.  Alvin 
R.,  a  tinner  by  trade,  lives  in  Chicago;  he  married  Eva  Blodgett. 

Politically  Kneelon  C.  Puffer  is  a  Republican.  His  farm,  which  is  situ- 
ated on  Section  i,  is  well  improved,  and  comjjrises  one  hundred  acres. 

Mrs.  Puft'er's  parents  were  natives  of  New  York  State,  near  Hoosick 
Falls,  and  died  at  Johnsonville,  Rensselaer  county,  that  State,  her  father  in 
1 89 1,  aged  eighty-six  years,  and  her  mother  a  few  months  later,  when  in  her 
eighty-iourth  year.  They  had  eight  children:  Mary  A.,  the  wife  of  Kneelon 
C.  Puffer ;  Sarah  Julia,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Henry  Van  Vechten,  of 
Racine:  John  Calary,  of  Johnsonville,  N.  Y. :  Caroline,  the  wife  of  William 
G.  Luce,  of  Jamestown,  N.  Y. :  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Charles  McKenna,  of 
Albany.  X.  Y. ;  William,  of  Pittsburg,  I'a. ;  Margaret,  of  Troy,  N.  Y. ;  and 
Edward,  of  Lansingburg,  New  York. 

PATRICK  MEALY.  In  the  death  of  Patrick  Mealy,  in  January.  1S97, 
Racine  county,  lost  one  of  its  best  citizens,  and  whose  place  will  be  hard  to  fill. 
He  was  born  in  County  Roscommon,  Ireland,  in  1827.  son  of  Patrick  and 
Elizabeth  (Hand)  Mealy,  also  natives  of  Ireland.  The  father  came  to  Amer- 
ica when  a  young  man,  and  followed  railroading  until  1842,  when  he  came  to 
Racine  county  and  took  up  200  acres  of  land  in  Dover  township.  He  died  in 
1876.  aged  seventy-nine  years,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  January,  1854, 
in  her  sixty-first  year.  They  had  seven  children,  only  two  of  whom  grew  to 
maturity,  James  and  Patrick. 

Patrick  Mealy  came  to  iVmerica  about  1832.  and  lived  in  the  Eastern 
States  until  1842,  when  he  came  to  Racine  county.  Wis.  He  lived  with  his 
father  for  some  years,  after  his  marriage  moving  to  Minnesota,  where  he  took 
up  land  in  Mower  county,  near  Austin,  spending  twelve  years  there.  He  then 
again  became  a  resident  of  Racine  county,  purchasing  160  acres  in  Yorkville 
township  and  later  eighty  in  Dover  townshi]).  There  the  remainder  of  his  life 
was  spent. 

On  Feb.  21  1854.  Mr.  Mealy  married  Miss  Alice  M.  Hankinson,  daughter 
of  Peter  and  Mary  (Cross)  Hankinson,  and  to  this  union  nine  children  were 
born :  James,  Elizabeth.  Frank.  Irwin.  Edward.  Henry.  Mary.  Walter  and 
Jerome.  James  died  aged  sixteen  years.  Elizabeth,  married  to  James  Quinn. 
lives  in  Clark  county.  Wis.,  and  has  four  children,  Mabel,  Frances,  Alice  and 
Christopher.  Frank,  who  died  aged  thirty-one  years,  left  a  widow.  Alice 
(Noble),  and  one  child.  Frences.  Irwin  lives  in  Waters  Meet,  Mich.,  where  he 
follows  railroading:  he  married  (first)  Matilda  Sheridan,  now  deceased,  by 
whom  he  had  one  daughter,  Matilda  and  (second)  Sarah  Noble,  who  bore  him 
three  sons,  Edward.  James  and  Walter.  Edward,  who  is  a  barber  of  Burling- 
ton, married  Jane  Mutter,  and  has  two  sons.  Leslie  and  Russell.  Henry,  man- 
ager of  a  lumberyard  at  Storm  Lake,  Iowa,  married  Jessie  Tidgewell.  and  has 
five  children.  Sylvester.  Margaret.  Robert,  Mary  and  Vivian.  Mary  died  aged 
nineteen  years.  Walter  married  Blanche  Bnx^ks.  Jerome,  who  is  uniuarried, 
works  the  home  farm. 

Mrs.  INIealy  continued  to  live  on  the  old  home  pbce  until  her  death.  Jan. 
15,  1906,  at  the  age  of  seventy-tw-o.     She  was  born  Dec.  21,  1834,  in  Lanca- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  445 

shire.  England,  and  lier  parents  were  natives  of  that  cuuntry,  wliere  her  mother 
died.  Her  father  came  to  America  in  1842,  locating  in  Dover  township,  where 
he  died  in  April,  1884,  aged  seventy-three  years.  He  married  again,  his  second 
wife  being  Ann  Noble,  and  they  had  one  son,  Robert.  There  were  three  chil- 
dren born  to  the  first  marriage :  One  who  died  in  early  childhood ;  I\Irs.  Mealy; 
and  Elizabeth,  who  married  William  Heaiy  and  lived  at  East  Troy,  where  she 
died,  leaving  eleven  children. 

Mrs.  Mealy 's  paternal  grandfather,  Peter  Hankinson,  came  to  America 
when  eighty  years  old,  and  settled  on  the  homestead  w-here  Mrs.  ]\lealy  now 
lives,  in  Section  18,  Dover  township.  Although  advanced  in  age  he  walked 
from  Milwaukee  in  one  day,  through  the  timber  and  sloughs,  and  took  up 
eighty  acres  of  Government  land.  He  died  aged  ninety-three  years.  His  wife, 
Mary  Tickle,  died  in  middle  life.    They  had  two  daughters  and  four  sons. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Mealy  was  Irvin  Cross,  a  native  of 
England,  where  he  died  well  advanced  in  years.  He  was  married  four  times, 
but  his  wife  Elizabeth  Taylor  was  the  only  one  to  bear  him  children. 

RICHARD  RUSSELL,  for  many  years  identified  with  the  business  life 
of  Union  Grove,  belongs  to  one  of  the  earliest  settled  families  of  that  section 
of  the  State,  and  was  himself  born  there  Jan.  3,  1845,  in  Paris  township,  Keno- 
sha county,  son  of  James  and  Mary  Ann  (Goldsworthy)  Russell,  natives  of 
England. 

The  paternal  grandfather.  James  Russell,  died  in  England  in  1844.  lieing 
thrown  from  a  horse  and  killed.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Susan 
Reed,  bore  him  a  large  family.  The  maternal  grandfather,  Richard  Golds- 
worthv,  came  from  England  to  Kenosha  county  among  the  pioneers,  located 
in  Paris  township,  and  died  there  in  old  age..  His  wife.  Joan  (Bennet)  Golds- 
worthv,  lived  to  be  an  old  woman.     They  had  a  large  family  of  children. 

James  Russell,  father  of  Richard,  was  always  a  farmer,  and  after  coming 
to  America  located  in  Wisconsin,  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county,  among 
the  pioneers.  He  bought  a  farm  of  176  acres,  living  there  until  he  retired  from 
farming,  and  raised  his  family  there.  He  then  moved  into  the  village  of  Union 
Grove,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  founders,  and  is  now  the  oldest  continuous 
resident  of  the  village.  His  wife  clied  in  1865,  aged  forty-five  years.  They 
were  formerly  members  of  the  Church  of  England,  but  after  coming  to  this 
country  identified  themselves  with  the  Congregational  Church.  Mr.  Russell 
has  been  a  public-spirited  man,  and  in  his  active  years  held  various  town  offices, 
being  supervisor  and  also  treasurer  of  the  town  of  Paris  several  terms.  He 
and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  five  children,  viz. :  James,  of  Yorkville  town- 
ship; Richard,  of  Lmion  Grove;  Mary,  deceased  wife  of  D.  M.  Jones:  Char- 
lotte Ann;  and  Susan,  wife  of  J.  C.  Drury.  of  Union  Grove. 

Richard  Russell  was  reared  in  Paris  township  and  lived  at  home. till  he 
was  grown.  He  attended  the  district  schools  during  his  boyhood  and  later 
took  a  commercial  course  in  Racine,  after  which  he  came  to  Union  Grove  and 
engaged  in  the  livery  business  for  twenty  years  or  more.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  sold  his  stable  and  embarked  in  general  merchandising,  which  he  has 
followed  for  the  past  eight  years  with  most  encouraging  success. 

On  Nov.  22.  1871,  Mr.  Russell  married  Miss  Catherine  Hughes,  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Catherine   (Kearns)   Hughes,  and  there  are  two  children  by 


446  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

this  union,  IMarion  and  Laura.  The  former  married  James  E.  Graham,  of 
Union  Grove,  and  they  ha\e  one  daughter,  Elva.  Mrs.  Russell  is  a  member  of 
the  Catholic  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Russell  is  a  Republican,  and  takes  much 
interest  in  public  affairs.  He  was  town  treasurer  of  Yorkville  township  for 
one  term,  and  town  clerk  four  years,  filling  both  offices  with  much  satisfaction 
to  his  constituents.  He  is  a  popular  and  highly  respected  citizen  of  Union 
Grove. 

JOHN  NOBLE,  a  most  highly  esteemed  resident  and  successful  agri- 
culturist of  Dover  township.  Racine  Co..  Wis.,  carrying  on  operations  in  Sec- 
tion 17.  was  born  Feb.  22,  1823.  in  Yorkshire.  England,  in  the  parish  of  Hali- 
fax. His  parents,  John  and  Martha  (  Dyson )  Noble,  were  also  natives  of  Eng- 
land, and  his  grandparents  on  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  sides  died  in 
that  country. 

John  Noble,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  manufacturer  of  cloth  in 
Yorkshire.  England.  He  came  to  America  with  his  wife  and  family,  and  land- 
ing in  New  York  in  the  month  of  September  left  his  family  there  and  came 
West  in' search  of  a  home.  He  purchased  a  farm  in  Waterford  township,  Ra- 
cine Co.,  Wis.,  consisting  of  120  acres,  and  returned  to  New  York  for  his 
family,  bringing  them  to  their  new  home,  in  the  spring  of  1842  and  in  that 
fall  purchasing  another  farm  in  Dover  township.  Meanwhile  he  had  purchased 
two  eighties  in  Waterford  township,  in  addition  to  his  original  120  acres, 
and  in  1843  he  traded  his  land  in  that  township  for  five  eighties  in 
Dover  township,  in  Section  17.  Here  he  spent  the  balance  of  his  life.  He 
died  in  1849,  aged  fifty-seven  years,  while  his  wife  survived  until  1852.  being 
also  fifty-seven  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  He  was  a  Baptist,  while 
she  was  connected  with  the  Methodist  Church.  They  had  ten  children,  four 
of  whom  are  now  living:  Joseph,  of  Paterson,  N.  J.:  John;  Henry,  of  Ro- 
chester township,  Racine  county;  and  Lewis,  of  Dover  township. 

John  Noble,  our  subject,  lived  in  England  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  and 
was  reared  in  a  manufacturing  district.  In  1841  he  came  to  America  with  the 
family,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  Dover  township  since  1842.  He  lived  at 
home  until  grown,  when  his  father  gave  him  forty  acres,  as  he  did  each  of 
his  children.  John  erected  a  house  on  his  forty  acres  in  Section  17,  and  lived 
therein  until  1886  when  he  replaced  it  with  his  present  fine  home  which  he  has 
since  occupied. 

On  Dec.  25,  1844,  Mr.  Noble  married,  at  Yorkville.  Miss  Sarah  Bancroft, 
daughter  of  James  and  Ann  Bancroft,  pioneers  of  Yorkville  township,  who  re- 
turned to  their  native  country.  England,  in  1845.  James  Bancroft  was  a  drug- 
gist in  Halifax.  England,  where  he  died  in  middle  life.  His  wife  also  died 
there  leaving  a  small  familv.  Seven  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Noble,  as  follows:  Joseph  (deceased)  married  Mary  Ann  Dobson.  and  they 
had  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living.  Otis  Eugene.  Elsworth  and 
Clarence  Henry;  James  B..  who  is  in  the  employ  of  the  Government  in  Minne- 
sota, among  the  Indians,  married  Catherine  Barrett,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren. Sarah.  John  and  Maude :  Frederick,  a  traveling  salesman  of  Manistee, 
Mich.,  married  Elizabeth  McMillen.  and  they  have  four  sons.  Frederick.  Cuth- 
bert.  Harry  and  Jay  Alvin;  Dyson,  a  butcher  of  Rochester.  Wis.,  married 
Sarah  Ann  Sharp  and  they  have  three  daughters,  IMyrtle.  Ruby  and  Edna; 


COMME2^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  447 

Mary  Ann  married  Tony  Lieber,  of  Burlington,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Sarah  and  Lewis ;  Caroline  married  James  Edwards,  a  farmer  of  Dover  town- 
ship, and  they  have  four  children,  Frank,  William  J.,  Louisa  and  Robert;  and 
Alvin,  a  farmer  of  Dover  township,  married  Cora  Choak,  by  whom  he  had 
three  sons,  Francis,  Leslie  and  Elden.  Mrs.  Sarah  (Bancroft)  Noble  died  in 
February,  1882,  aged  tifty-four  years. 

On  Aug.  II,  1886,  Mr.  Noble  married  again,  his  second  wife  being  Mrs. 
Mary  Morris,  widow  of  James  M.  Morris,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  A. 
(Ridgeway)  Appleton.  No  children  were  born  to  this  union,  but  Mrs.  Noble 
had  eight  children  by  her  former  marriage,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  The 
others  are:  Mary  A.  married  Andrew  Boyd  (now  deceased)  and  had  three 
children,  Clarence  W.,  Ida  Belle  and  Francis  A. ;  John  J.,  a  farmer  near  Escan- 
aba,  Mich.,  married  Mary  Kanaly,  and  they  have  four  children,  John  J.,  Lor- 
etta  C,  Edward  W.  and  Roy;  Jennie  D.  married  Herman  Goldamer,  and  they 
live  in  Chicago:  Ella  F.,  who  is  unmarried,  lives  in  Racine;  William  J.,  in  the 
book  business  in  New  York,  married  Ella  Samuels;  Francis  T.,  also  in  fne 
book  business  in  New  York,  is  unmarried. 

Mrs.  Mary  (Appleton)  Noble  was  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  twelve 
miles  from  Liverpool,  Oct.  10,  1838.  Her  parents  were  also  natives  of  Lan- 
cashire, her  father  being  born  at  St.  Helens  and  her  mother  in  Warrington. 
They  had  fourteen  children,  ten  of  whom  are  now  living:  Jane,  the  wife 
of  Joseph  Nearman,  of  Escanaba.  Mich. ;  Ellen,  the  wife  of  Henry  Nearman, 
of  Elk  Point,  S.  Dak. ;  Henry,  of  Ostorn,  who  married  Mary  Hackle ;  Eliza- 
beth, wife  of  Lewis  Wilson,  of  Black  Creek.  Outagamie  Co.,  Wis. ;  Joseph,  of 
Chicago,  married  to  Ann  Cannon;  Sarah  A.,  the  wife  of  Victor  Fish,  of  Escan- 
aba, Mich. ;  Matilda,  the  wife  of  John  Sullivan,  of  the  same  place;  Amelia,  the 
wife  of  James  Wilkinson,  also  of  Escanaba;  Thomas  J.,  a  physician  of  Wash- 
ington State,  who  married  Minnie  Strong;  and  Mary,  Mrs.  Noljle. 

John  Appleton,  father  of  Mrs.  Noble,  died  in  1866,  aged  fifty-two  years. 
His  wife  still  survives,  being  now  eighty-eight  years  old,  and  makes  her  home 
in  Escanaba,  Mich.  She  has  forty-three  grandchildren,  and  forty-six  great- 
grandchildren. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Noble  was  Henry  Appleton,  who  came 
to  America  when  an  old  man,  settling  in  Dover  township,  where  he  died.  He 
was  buried  at  Waterford.  His  wife  was  Jane  Leland,  who  also  died  at  an  old 
age.  They  had  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Mrs.  Mary  Noble's  maternal 
grandfather  was  John  Ridgeway,  a  native  of  England,  who  died  in  that  coun- 
try, aged  ninety-two  years.  His  wife,  Ellen  Ashton,  was  about  ninety-one 
years  old  when  she  died.  They  had  four  daughters  and  five  sons.  Mrs. 
Noble's  people  were  all  adherents  of  the  Catholic  faith. 

JAMES  RUSSELL,  of  Union  Grove,  Racine  county,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  settlers,  and  probably  the  oldest  resident  of  that  village,  has  resided 
in  Racine  county  for  over  sixty  years.  He  was  born  Sept.  16,  181 6,  in  Corn- 
wall, England,  a  son  of  James  and  Susan  (Reed)  Russell.  The  father  w.as 
born  in  1781,  was  a  farmer  and  miller  through  life,  and  was  looked  up  to  with 
respect  and  esteem  in  his  native  locality,  where  he  died  in  1844. 

James  Russell  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm,  worked  in  the  mill,  and  went 
to  school  with  his  boyish  comrades,  in  those  days  little  thinking  how  changed 


44S  COMAIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

w  uuld  lie  his  condition  and  surroundings  in  later  life.  He  remained  at  home 
until  his  marriage,  on  March  15,  1842,  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Goldsworthy,  who 
was  born  in  Cornwall.  Nov.  4,  1819.  The  few  weeks  preceding  the  departure 
of  the  young  couple  for  America  were  taken  up  in  preparations  for  the  long 
voyage  and  in  parting  visits,  and  on  April  3d  they  left  Ealmouth  on  a  sailing 
vessel  bound  for  New  York.  Their  objective  point  being  Southport,  Wis., 
they  made  their  way  there  via  the  Erie  canal  and  the  Great  Lakes,  coming 
eventually  to  the  little  village  which  then  represented  what  is  now  the  busy 
city  of  Kenosha. 

In  partnership  with  his  father-in-law.  James  Russell  invested  in  a  large 
body  of  land,  some  320  acres,  which  at  a  later  date  they  divided.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Russell  had  expected  and  cheerfully  accepted  the  hardships  incident  to 
pioneering.  On  many  occasions  their  thoughts  turned  to  the  comforts  they  had 
left  behind  in  their  native  land,  but  they  persevered,  overcame  all  obstacles, 
and  as  time  passed  Mr.  Russell  accomplished  the  clearing  and  cultivating  of  his 
land.  He  sold  the  farm  in  1868  and  moved  to  Union  Grove,  where  he  still 
resides.  Troubles  and  bereavements  came  to  our  venerable  subject  and 
his  wife,  but  they  were  also  wonderfully  blessed  in  many  ways.  Of  their  five 
children  three  survive,  viz. :  James  G.,  who  is  a  prominent  farmer  of  Yorkville 
township;  Richard,  a  general  merchant  of  Union  Grove;  and  Susan,  wife  of 
J.  C.  Drury.    The  beloved  mother  of  these  children  passed  away  in  1865. 

Although  for  forty-three  years  Mr.  Russell  has  suffered  the  affliction  of 
blindness,  caused  by  an  accident  while  blasting  stone,  he  has  by  no  means  lived 
retired  from  active  interests  until  within  the  last  few  years.  In  early  life  he 
was  a  Whig,  became  a  Republican  on  the  formation  of  that  party,  and  has 
frequently  served  in  various  offices.  For  eight  years  he  was  chairman  of  the 
board  of  supervisors  of  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county,  for  one  term  was 
town  treasurer,  and  for  six  years  was  clerk  of  the  board  of  education. 

HON.  WALKER  II.  CURTISS.  a  prominent  citizen  and  well-to-do 
farmer  of  Salem  township,  located  in  Section  22,  is  representing  Kenosha 
county  in  the  Wisconsin  Assembly.  He  was  born  on  the  farm  upon  which  he 
now  resides  Nov.  i.  1852,  son  of  Charles  and  Mary  (Orvis)  Curtiss,  the 
former  of  Virgil,  Cortland  Co..  N.  Y.,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  BrattleIx)ro, 
Vermont. 

Nehemiah  Curtiss,  grandfather  of  Walker  ^I.  Curtiss,  was  born  July  28. 
1782,  and  was  one  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  his  four  brothers  and  three  sis- 
ters being  as  follows;  Elijah,  who  was  a  farmer  of  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.; 
David,  of  Monroe  county,  N.  Y. ;  John,  a  farmer  of  Exter,  Otsego  county, 
N.  Y. ;  Samuel ;  Ruth :  Hannah,  and  Polly.  Nehemiah  Curtiss  died  July  24, 
1845.  He  married  Lucina  Hubbell,  who  was  born  Oct.  4.  1784,  and  died  May 
13-  ^^73-  She  had  one  brother,  Louis,  and  one  sister,  Mary.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Curtiss  were  natives  of  New  York,  of  English  descent,  and  the  ancestors 
of  Mrs.  Curtiss  came  over  in  the  "Mayflower."  Nehemiah  and  Lucina  Cur- 
tiss had  eight  children,  namely:  Laura  M..  born  Nov.  27,  1805.  married  Asa 
Reed,  and  died  March  17.  1856;  Saline.  Mrs.  Sanford.  was  born  Dec.  8.  1807: 
Sophronia.  born  Feb.  2,  181 1,  married  Hiram  Sherman,  and  after  his  death  be- 
came the  wife  of  James  Otis;  Salmon,  was  born  Nov.  15.  1812;  Marv.  born 
!March  6,  181 7,  married  Thomas  Benton,  and  after  his  death  married  Barrett 


/^.  A/.Aa^u^^^ 


COMlMEiNIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  449 

Elster;  Charles  was  born  March  22,  1820;  Lucinda,  born  Aug.  9,  1822,  who 
married  Sanford  Branch  (now  deceased),  and  is  a  resident  of  Cortland 
county,  N.  Y.,  is  the  only  survivor  of  the  family;  and  Matilda,  born  Jan.  i, 
1830,  died  June  10,  1834.  All  this  family  but  Charles  remained  in  their 
native  state,  New  York,  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  early  life, 
later  living  retired. 

Charles  Curtiss,  father  of  Walker  M.,  was  always  a  farmer.  He  was 
born  March  22,  1820.  and  came  West  to  Wisconsin  among  the  early  settlers, 
making  the  journey  from  New  York  by  way  of  the  Erie  canal  and  the  Great 
Lakes,  and  landing  in  Kenosha  (then  called  Southport)  in  October,  1843. 
On  April  i,  1844,  he  bought  160  acres  of  land  (now  included  in  the  home- 
stead) for  $2.50  an  acre,  giving  a  mortgage  on  same  for  $341.  As  he  pros- 
pered he  added  to  this  tract  until  he  owned  440  acres,  and  he  died  < m  his  farm 
March  31,  1872,  aged  fifty-two  years.  On  June  17,  1847,  he  married  Mary 
Orvis,  who  was  born  Oct.  3,  1821,  and  who  died  Jan.  24,  1902.  when  in  her 
eighty-first  year.  They  had  four  children,  Walker  M.,  our  subject,  being  the 
second  child  and  the  only  son,  the  three  daughters,  all  of  whom  live  in  Salem 
township,  being  as  follows:  Anna  L.,  born  Sept.  29,  1850.  married  John 
Sheen,  and  they  have  had  six  children.  Clarence  J..  Mary.  Wray.  Grace.  Leora 
and  Willis.  I\iay  B.,  born  Nov.  5,  1854,  married  John  Turnock.  and  has  had 
two  children,  Charles  and  Reuben.  Grace  S.,  born  Dec.  4.  1863.  married 
Frank  F.  Smith,  and  has  two  children,  Elvira  and  Rachel. 

Walker  M.  Curtiss  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Salem  township, 
attended  the  district  schools,  and  for  a  short  time  was  a  student  in  Beloit  Col- 
lege. Several  years  after  the  death  of  his  father  he  bought  out  the  other  heirs 
to  his  father's  farm,  on  which  he  has  continued  to  the  present  time.  He  also 
owns  a  iio-acre  farm  near  Trevor.  Since  1880  Mr.  Curtiss  has  been  engaged 
in  handling  vehicles.  Piano  binders  and  shredders  and  various  farm  imple- 
ments, is  agent  for  the  American  Field  fence,  and  deals  in  hay  and  grain,  baling 
hay  as  a  specialty. 

On  Feb.  17.  1878.  Mr.  Curtiss  married  Miss  Catherine  Beimer.  daughter 
of  Rudolph  and  Christina  (Elfers)  Beimer.  and  four  children  were  born  to  this 
union:  (i)  Charles  H..  born  June  i,  1879.  is  employed  in  the  Chicago  Brass 
Works  in  Kenosha.  He  married  Clara  Norris,  and  they  have  had  one  son, 
Lloyd,  who  died  after  a  severe  attack  of  pneumonia.  May  27,  1906.  (2)  Wil- 
liam R..  born  Sept.  19,  1881,  is  on  the  home  farm.  He  married  Hattie  Nor- 
ris, and  they  have  a  daughter,  Olene.  (3)  Mark  W..  born  Sept.  3.  1885.  is  at 
home.  (4)  Jessie,  born  in  September,  1893,  died  in  February,  1894.  All  of 
the  children  have  been  well  educated,  Charles  H.  l^eing  a  graduate  of  Sac 
City  high  school,  and  the  College  of  Commerce  in  Kenosha :  W^illiam  R.  at- 
tended the  high  school  at  Sac  City,  and  for  two  terms  was  a  student  in  the 
agricultural  department  of  the  State  LTniversity  at  Madison :  Mark  W.  at- 
tended the  Beloit  high  school  and  the  College  of  Commerce  of  Kenosha. 

Politically  Mr.  Curtiss  is  a  Republican,  and  in  1904  he  was  elected  to  the 
Wisconsin  Assembly,  to  represent  Kenosha  county,  entering  upon  the  duties 
of  that  office  in  January,  1905.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  town  board 
of  supervisors  for  one  year,  and  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  many 
years.     Mr.  Curtiss  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  farmers  of  Salem  township, 


450  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  his  many  friends  enjoy  his  poHtical  prominence  and  business  success.  He 
is  one  of  the  representative  men  of  KenosJia  county.  He  is  a  member  of  Trevor 
Lodge,  yi.  \V.  A.,  of  Trevor,  Wisconsin. 

Mrs.  Curtiss's  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  from  which  country  they 
came  to  America,  setthng  in  Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  count}-.  Nine 
survive  of  their  eleven  children,  namely  :  Henry  G.,  of  Salem  townshiia ;  Anna. 
deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Gerhard  Schreck,  of  Libertyville,  111.;  Jnhn,  of 
Sac  City,  Iowa;  Catherine,  wife  of  our  subject;  Rudolph,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa; 
Christina,  wife  of  John  Kester,  of  Beloit,  Wis. ;  Dena,  wife  of  George  Bull, 
of  Elgin,  111.;  Louisa,  the  wife  of  William  McGuire,  of  Rockford,  111.;  Frank, 
of  Beloit;  William,  who  lives  on  the  old  homestead,  in  Wheatland  town- 
ship; and  Benjamin,  deceased.  Rudolph  Beimer  died  in  1880,  aged  sixty-five, 
while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1872,  in  her  forty-fifth  year.  They  were  mem- 
bers (if  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Orvis.  On  the  maternal  side,  tlie  first  ancestor  of  Walker  :\I.  Curtiss  in 
this  country  was  (I)  George  Orvis,  who  came  from  England  or  Wales.  He 
had  three  sons.  Gad,  David  and  Ebenezer.  Their  descendants  are  now  numer- 
ous and  scattered' all  over  the  LTnited  States.  A  cane  presented  to  one  of  the 
Orvis  family  by  King  James  of  England  is  said  to  have  passed  into  the  posses- 
sion of  Eleazer  Orvis.  of  Oakfield.  Wisconsin. 

(II)  Gad  Orvis.  son  of  George,  is  ne.xt  in  the  line  of  descent  we  are 
tracing. 

ail)      Gad  Orvis,  Jr. 

( lY )  W^illiam  Orvis  ( the  maternal  great-great-grandfather  of  Walker 
M.  Curtiss)  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  had  seven  sons  and  two  daughters.  Wait- 
still,  Gershom,  William,  Charles,  Samuel.  Oliver.  Ambrose,  Ann  and  Mindle. 
The  mother  of  these  died  Oct.  31,  1806,  aged  eighty-nine  years,  and  is  buried 
in  the  cemetery  at  Brattleboro,  Vermont, 

(V)  Waitstill  Orvis,  the  maternal  great-grandfather  of  Walker  M.  Cur- 
tiss, was  born  Dec.  2,  1755.  in  Nortbfield,  Mass.,  and  on  Dec.  17,  1777.  in 
Brattleboro,  Vt.  (at  that  time  New  York),  married  Elizabeth  Church,  who 
was  born  Oct.  19,  1757,  in  Westfield,  Mass.  Ten  sons  and  one  daughter  came 
to  this  union,  all  born  in  Hinsdale,  Vt.,  but  the  youngest  two,  who  were  born 
in  Brattleboro,  Vt.  Joseph,  born  Dec.  30,  1778,  died  ^lay  30,  179^,  in  Brattle- 
boro. Josephus  Orvis,  born  Feb.  28,  1780,  was  married  in  Halifax,  Vt.,  to 
Rebecca  Barney;  he  died  Dec.  25,  1855,  in  Newfane,  Vt.  Malachi,  born 
March  6,  1782,  was  married  Jan.  9,  1809,  in  Dummerston,  Vt..  to  Clarissa 
Clark,  and  he  died  Oct.  19.  1834.  in  Dickinson,  X,  Y.  Waitstill,  Jr..  born 
June  26,  1784,  was  married  in  Januarv.  181 1.  at  Savannah,  Ga..  to  Susan 
Gremet;  he  was  drowned  on  the  coast  of  North  Carolina  Aug.  20.  181 5.  Billy, 
born  Sept.  14  1786.  was  married  in  Hinsdale,  Mass.,  in  March  180Q.  to  Lucv 
Thomas,  and  died  Aug.  25.  1855.  Elihu,  born  Oct.  25,  1788,  lived  in  Gran- 
ville, N.  Y..  about  1820-40.  soon  after  1840  removing  to  Troy.  N.  Y. ;  he  M-as 
married  Feb.  4.  1813.  in  Pawlet.  Vt.,  to  Cina  C.  LTpham,  and  thev  had  four 
children,  Joseph  Upham,  Ann  Eliza.  Philander  Denslow  and  Catherine  Uv- 
ham.  John  Mills,  born  Dec.  18,  1790,  died  Nov.  10.  1863.  Elizabeth,  born 
March  10.  1793,  was  married  Jan.  29.  1815.  in  Brattleboro.  to  Elisha  Flint,  and 
died  "March  i.  1826,  in  Brookline,  Vt.  Francis,  born  April  i;.  1795.  was 
marrieil  in  Brattleboro  in   August,    1813,  to  Levinah   ]\Iiller.      Simeon,  born 


COAIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  451 

j\la_v  30,  i7<;7.  was  marrieil  Jan.  20,  1824,  in  Marlboro,  Vt.,  to  Derexa  Camp- 
bell. Levi  Church,  born  ^lay  19,  1799,  married  Sophia  Purdy  in  January, 
1823,  in  Manchester,  Vt.,  and  had  seven  children,  Franklin  Henry.  Caroline 
Maria,  Columbus  Augustus,  Charles  Frederick,  Frances  Jane,  Frances  Eliza- 
beth and  Levi  Church.  Levi  Church,  Jr.,  died  Sept.  25,  1849,  '"  Philadelphia, 
Pa.  The  father  of  this  family,  Waitstill  Orvis,  died  Oct.  11,  1823,  in  Brattle- 
boro,  where  he  is  buried,  and  the  mother  passed  away  Sept.  12,  1832,  in  Dum- 
merston,  Vt.  [The  above  dates  are  all  taken  from  the  old  family  Bible  of 
A\'aitstill  Orvis.] 

John  iMills  Orvis.  son  of  Waitstill  and  Elizabeth  (Church)  Orvis.  was 
born  Dec.  18.  1790,  in  Hinsdale.  Vt..  and  was  married  Aug.  19,  181 1.  at  Guil- 
ford. \'t..  to  Anna  Larabee.  He  died  Nov.  19,  1863,  at  Salem.  Wis.,  and  Mrs. 
Orvis  lived  to  be  over  ninety,  dying  June  12,  1883.  at  Salem.  I\Ir.  Orvis  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  181 2.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  on  coming 
A\'est  visited  a  number  of  the  Western  States,  finally  settling  in  Salem  town- 
ship, Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.  John  M.  and  Anna  Orvis  had  six  children,  viz. :  Jane, 
married  John  Osgood,  a  farmer,  while  living  in  Salem  township ;  in  later  years 
they  moved  to  Delmar,  Iowa,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives, 
living  to  advanced  age.  Eliza  married  Capt.  John  Tuttle,  who  was  on  the 
lakes  about  sixteen  years  and  later  came  to  Salem,  Wis.,  locating  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  J.  H.  McVeigh,  where  he  ran  a  summer  resort;  Capt.  and  ^Irs. 
Tuttle  both  lived  to  advanced  age.  Mary  married  Charles  Curtiss.  Charles 
W..  a  farmer,  married  Bethiah  Selleck,  who  survives  him.  Two  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

Samuel  Larabee.  father  of  Mrs.  Anna  (Larabee)  Orvis,  was  born  Feb. 
7,  1758,  and  died  Feb.  7,  1844.  His  wife.  Polly,  was  born  May  27,  1756.  and 
died  Oct.  27,  1841.  They  had  six  children,  all  girls,  born  as  follows:  Abigal, 
Sept.  18,  1789;  Anna  (Mrs.  Orvis),  Dec.  24,  1791  ;  Susana,  May  23,  1794: 
Lepha.  Aug.  19.  1795;  Clarisa.  ]\Iarch  i,  1798.  Celinda,  June  28.  1800.  All 
were  of  Guilford,  Vermont. 

THEODORE  H.  ESSMAXX,  a  prominent  and  well-to-do  agriculturist 
of  Racine  county.  Wis.,  engaged  in  cultivating  the  soil  on  Section  24.  Water- 
ford  township,  w-as  born  in  Burlington  township.  Racine  county.  Sept.  21, 
1 85 1.  His  parents.  Henry  and  Angeline  (Waevering)  Essmann,  were  na- 
tives of  Germany.  Little  is  known  of  the  grandparents,  either  on  the  paternal 
or  maternal  sides,  except  that  they  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  that  thev 
died  in  that  country. 

Henry  Essmann,  father  of  Theodore  H.,  always  followed  farming  as  an 
occupation.  He  came  to  America  in  1847,  3"<^1  located  in  Burlington  township 
on  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  which  he  owned  in  partnership  with  Frank  Hetter- 
man,  later  selling  his  interest  therein  to  purchase  a  farm  of  120  acres  in  W^ater- 
ford  township  on  which  his  son  Theodore  now  lives.  Here  Henry  Essmann 
died  in  t886.  aged  eightv  years,  having  been  born  Dec.  24.  i8oS-  His  wife, 
born  Dec.  6,  1819,  died  Dec.  11.  1889,  in  the  faith  of  the  Catholic  Church,  to 
which  he  also  belonged.  In  his  native  land  Henry  Essmann  had  been  a  soldier 
in  the  armv.  He  and  his  wife  had  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  liv- 
ing: Theodore  H..  of  Waterford  township;  Joseph,  of  Alta  Vista.  Iowa; 
Mary,  the  wife  of  William  Peters,  of  Burlington,  Wis. ;  Josephine,  wife  of 


452  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Henry  Kcllar,  of  Kansasville,  Wisconsin;  and  Barney,  of  Waterford  town- 
ship. 

Theodore  H.  Essniann  has  lived  on  the  farm  which  he  now  owns,  and 
wliich  was  his  father's  old  homestead,  ever  since  he  was  four  years  old.  He 
attended  the  parochial  school  at  Waterford,  and  worked  on  his  father's  farm 
until  married,  after  which  he  purchased  the  place,  which  he  is  still  cultivating, 
and  which  now  consists  of  138  acres.  His  father  had  accumulated  268  acres 
of  land,  and  of  this  the  son  Barney  had  purchased  120  acres.  Mr.  Essmann's 
farm  is  in  excellent  condition,  due  to  his  faithful  work  and  good  business  ca- 
pacity, and  he  has  been  successful  in  raising  large  and  lucrative  crops. 

On  Oct.  18,  1881,  Mr.  Essmann  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Hegeman,  daugli- 
ter  of  John  and  Gertrude  (Schmitz)  Hegeman,  and  nine  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union :  Henry.  John,  Edward.  Alfred,  Rosa,  Mary,  Angeline, 
Gertrude  and  Louise.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Essmann  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  Mr.  Essmann  belongs  to  the  Catholic  Knights  of  Wisconsin.  Polit- 
ically he  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  served  as  school  director  for  twenty-one  years. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Essmann  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  early  set- 
tlers of  Burlington,  Wis.,  where  Mr.  Hegeman  followed  shoemaking  as  an 
occupation,  also  following  farming  in  a  small  way,  owning  a  tract  of  forty 
acres.  He  and  his  wnfe  were  the  parents  of  se\-en  children,  one  son  and  si.K 
daughters,  as  follows:  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  ]\Ir.  Essmann;  Henry,'  of  Ra- 
cine; Anna,  the  wife  of  J,  P.  Lossl,  of  Wisdom,  Mont.;  Minnie,  the  wife  of 
Christ  W^eins,  of  Racine,  Wis.;  Emma,  who  married  (first)  Thomas  Hal!  and 
(second)  Mr.  Lancaster,  of  Pioneer,  Mont. ;  Louise,  who  died  at  the  a_ge  of 
twelve  years;  and  Antoinette,  the  widow  of  Henry  Kline.  John  Liegeman, 
father  of  Mrs.  Essmann,  died  Jan.  9,  igoo,  aged  si.xty-five  years;  his  wife 
passed  away  June  20,  1894,  in  her  sixty -fifth  year. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Essmann  was  Henry  Hegeman,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany,  who  was  an  early  settler  of  Burlington  township,  Racine  Co., 
Wis.,  where  he  followed  agricultural  pursuits  and  died  when  well  advanced  in 
years ;  his  wife  also  attained  a  ripe  old  age.  They  had  a  family  of  four  sons  and 
two  daughters,  all  now  deceased,  namely:  Theodore;  Frederick;  Arnold; 
John ;  Margaret,  who  was  twice  married,  her  first  husband  having  been  Henry 
Fishman,.the  second  being  Joseph  Kikebush ;  and  Elizabeth,  who  was  the  wife 
of  Henry  Pferdesteller.    All  the  family  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Essmann,  Schmitz  by  name,  was  a 
native  of  Germany,  in  which  country  he  died,  all  history  of  him  or  his  family 
being  lost. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Essmann  and  their  family  are  verv  highly  regarded  in 
Waterford  township.  Mr.  Essmann  has  the  reputation  of  being  a  shrewd  busi- 
ness man,  a  good  citizen  and  a  Christian  gentleman. 

WILLI.AM  NATHAN  STOEL,  mason  contractor  and  farmer  and  stock- 
man of  Burlington  township,  is  well  known  to  the  citizens  of  that  part  of  Ra- 
cine county,  having  assisted  in  erecting  many  of  the  fine  residences  in  his 
section.  He  is  a  native  of  Burlington,  born  Aug.  17.  1850,  son  of  Nathan  and 
]\Iarv  Ann  (Smith)  Stoel.  the  former  a  native  of  \^ermont,  and  the  latter  of 
Ohio. 

Mr.  Stoel's  .grandfather  was  a  resident  of  Vermont  all  of  his  life.  /\fter 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  453 

his  death  his  witlow,  wliu  survived  him  many  years,  came  West  to  Wisconsin, 
locating  here  about  1840,  and  here  she  married  (second)  Lewis  Royce,  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  Wisconsin  Bar,  practicing  in  Burhngton.  He  died  at 
Elkhorn,  Wis.,  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  while  Mrs.  Royce  passed  away 
in  Burlington,  aged  eighty-eight  years,  seven  months.  There  were  two  chil- 
dren born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Royce :  Glacius,  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  who  was 
killed  in  a  skirmish ;  and  lone,  who  married  Fred  Flanders. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Aaron  Smith,  a  nati\e  of 
Ohio,  and  an  early  settler  in  Burlington  township.  By  occupation  he  was  a 
farmer,  and  he  followed  that  calling  until  his  death,  in  his  seventieth  year. 

Nathan  Stoel,  father  of  \Villiam  N.,  was  a  stonemason,  and  came  to  Bur- 
lington, Wis.,  at  an  early  day.  On  March  17,  1850,  he  started  for  California 
overland,  and  was  eight  months  on  the  road.  He  engaged  in  mining  there 
for  a  time,  and  later  started  a  marble  quarry  there  in  Oakland,  and  there  he 
died  in  1876.  His  wife  passed  away  in  Spring  Prairie  township,  Walworth 
Co.,  Wis.,  in  1850.  They  had  children  as  follows :  Oscar  A.,  of  Akron,  Iowa ; 
Almeda,  wife  of  Joseph  Dame,  of  Freeport,  111.;  Edgar,  of  Chicago:  William 
Nathan ;  Mary,  widow  of  Peter  Kelley;  of  Savanna.  111. ;  and  Edwin,  twin 
brother  of  Edgar,  who  died  aged  four  years. 

William  Nathan  Stoel  was  reared  in  Burlington,  and  there  attended  the 
pul)Iic  schools.  When  fourteen  years  of  age  he  began  learning  the  stonema- 
son's trade,  which  he  has  followed  ever  since,  with  the  exception  of  four  or 
five  years  when  he  was  in  the  West.  On  Jan.  i,  1879,  Mr.  Stoel  married  Miss 
Adda  L.  Rooker,  daughter  of  J.  C.  and  Eliza  (Trowbridge)  Rooker,  and  three 
children  were  born  to  this  union,  Walter  N.,  Bessie  A.  and  Laura.  Walter 
N.  is  express  agent  for  the  National  Express  Company,  in  Burlington ;  Bessie 
A.  married  Gaylord  Carpenter  Keyes,  and  they  live  in  Burlington.  Mrs. 
Stoel  attends  the  Congregational  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Stoel  is  a  Republi- 
can. He  and  James  Rooker  operate  a  farm  of  120  acres,  one  and  one-half 
miles  from  the  Burlington  post  office,  and  also  deal  considerably  in  stock.  Mr. 
Stoel  has  built  and  helped  to  build  many  of  the  substantial  buildings  in  Bur- 
lington, and  in  addition  to  being  a  first-class  mason  he  is  a  thriftv  farmer  and 
successful  stock  dealer.  Burlington  has  virtually  been  his  home  always,  and 
he  is  well  and  favorably  known  throughout  the  county. 

HENRY  VYVYAN.  one  of  the  favoraljly  known  business  men  of  Union 
Grove,  who  has  won  for  himself  an  enviable  reputation  for  strict  honesty  and 
fair  dealing,  was  born  in  Raymond,  Racine  county,  March  5,  1861.  son  of 
William  and  Matilda  (White)  Vyvyan. 

The  paternal  grandparents  passed  their  entire  lives  in  England.  On  the 
maternal  side,  the  grandfather  was  an  Englishman  and  died  in  England. 
William  Vyvyan  and  his  wife  Matilda  were  born  in  England  and  married 
there.  He  was  a  butcher  and  for  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  was  also  largely 
engaged  in  cattle  buying.  He  came  to  America  and  in  the  early  days  of  Ra- 
cine county  settled  on  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Raymond  township.  During  .the 
war  he  moved  into  Racine  and  engaged  there  as  a  butcher.  His  death  occurred 
when  he  was  aged  sixty-four  years,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1868.  In 
religious  belief  they  were  Primitive  Methodists.  Their  children  numbered 
eight,  five  sons  and  three  daughters,  viz. :  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Joseph  Hay,  of 


454  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Rayiiiund  township;  Grace,  deceased,  wife  of  :Matthew  Roe;  John,  of  York- 
vihe  township;  W  ilham,  of  Yorkville  township;  James,  of  Raymond  town- 
ship; Matilda,  deceased  wife  of  Thomas  Teed;  Henry,  of  Union  Grove;  and 
George,  of  Prospect  Hill,  Wisconsin. 

Henry  Vyvyan  was  raised  on  his  father's  farm  in  Raymond  township  un- 
tu  he  was  seventeen  years  old,  and  attended  the  district  schools.  In  1878  he 
left  the  farm  and  went  to  Union  Grove  to  learn  the  butcher's  trade,  which  ht 
has  followed  ever  since.  He  began  business  for  himself  in  1885.  starting  in 
partnership  with  Alfred  Giddings,  now  deceased.  .They  were  together  three 
or  four  years,  after  which  Mr.  Vyvyan  associated  himself  with  William 
Hardy,  the  firm  name  being  Vyvyan  &  Hardy,  but  for  the  past  twelve  years  the 
former  has  been  the  sole  owner  and  manager.  He  also  does  a  larg-e  business 
as  buyer  and  shipper  of  stock,  cattle,  hogs  and  sheep.  Mr.  Vyvyan  has  lived 
in  Racine  county  all  his  life,  and  is  well  known  in  all  parts  of  it,  as  an  honorable 
and  upright  business  man,  who  has  the  confidence  and  high  esteem  of  the  en- 
tire community. 

Politically  Mr.  Vyvyan  is  a  strong  Republican,  and  has  been  something 
of  a  worker  for  his  party.  The  confidence  in  his  honesty  which  his  fellow 
townsmen  feel  has  been  manifested  by  their  choice  of  him  as  one  of  the  village 
trustees  for  a  number  of  years.  He  has  also  been  quite  active  in  fraternal  work, 
and  belongs  to  Union  Grove  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  as  well  as  to  the  Eastern  Star! 
in  which  he  is  at  present  filling  the  chair  of  Worthy  Patron.  He  serve.l  one 
year  as  master  of  the  Blue  Lodge.     Mr.  Vyvyan  has  never  married. 

CHARLES  N.  CARSWELL,  foreman  of  the  equipment  department  of 
the  J.  L  Case  Threshing  Machine  Co.,  of  Racine.  Wis.,  is  one  of  that  city's 
most  highly  esteemed  citizens.  Mr.  Carswell  is  a  native  of  Racine,  born  April 
I,  1844,  son  of  John  A.  and  Sarah  A.  (Gary)  Carswell,  the  former  a  native 
of  New  York  and  the  latter  of  Vermont. 

Nathaniel  Carswell,  the  grandfather  of  Charles  N.,  lived  for  many  years 
in  New  York,  coming  to  Wisconsin  at  an  early  day,  where  he  died  well  ad- 
vanced in  years,  being  buried  at  Mound  cemetery.  He  and  his  wife  Margaret 
had  five  children. 

John-  A.  Carswell  followed  school  teaching  before  his  marriage,  after 
which  he  engaged  in  farming  and  hotel-keeping.  "He  came  to  Wisconsin  about 
1838  or  1839  on  a  scow,  locating  after  his  arrival  in  Racine.  In  1842  he  was 
elected  sheriff  and  served  until  1844,  and  in  1850  was  again  elected  for  a  term 
of  two  years.  He  was  later  supervisor  and  depiity  United  States  Marshal.  His 
death  occurred  in  1876.  in  his  sixty-ninth  year,  while  bis  wife  survived  him  un- 
td  1887.  Both  were  Presbyterians.  Mr.  Carswell  was  president  of  the  Old 
Settlers'  Club.  He  and  his  wife  had  three  children:  Emilv  M..  deceased; 
Charles  N..  our  subject ;  and  a  son.  who  died  in  infancy. 

Charles  N.  Carswell  attended  the  public  schools  of  Racine,  and  at  the  acre 
of  twenty-one  years  engaged  with  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Co.,  in 
whose  employ  be  remained  sixteen  years,  after  which  he  went  into  the  pineries 
of  Wisconsin  for  four  years,  then  removed  to  Dakota,  where  he  farmed  until 
1892.  and  in  that  year  returned  to  the  threshing  machine  company  with  whom 
he  has  remained  ever  since. 

On  Sept.  8.  1884,  Mr.  Carswell  married  Miss  Sophia  Peter,  daughter  of 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  455 

Henry  and  ^Margaret  (Hannard)  Peter,  of  Merrill,  Wis.,  and  to  this  union 
were  born  si.x  children :  Adeline,  Emily,  Juliet,  George,  Edward  and  Mar- 
garet. Mrs.  Carswell  is  a  member  of  St.  Rose's  Catholic  Church,  while  her 
husband,  although  not  a  member  of  any  particular  denomination,  attends  the 
Episcopal  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Carswell  is  a  Republican,  and  takes  a  great 
interest  in  the  success  of  his  party  in  this  section.  He  is  a  Master  Mason,  and 
belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. 

GEORGE  WALLIS,  sexton  of  the  city  cemetery,  Kenosha,  Wis.,  is  one 
of  the  highly  esteemed  residents  of  that  city.  He  was  born  in  Winfrith,  Dor- 
setshire, England,  June  28,  1852,  son  of  Th(jmas  and  ]\Iary  Ann  (Watts  j  Wal- 
lis,  natives  of  England. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  George  Wallis,  Thomas  Wallis,  was  a  native 
of  England,  and  a  local  Methodist  preacher.  Six  days  of  the  week  would  he 
work,  and  on  Sunday  walk  ten  or  twelve  miles  to  preach  several  times.  He 
died  aged  about  fifty-two  years,  while  his  wife,  Ann,  attained  an  advanced 
age.  Nathaniel  Watts,  our  subject's  grandfather  on  his  mother's  side,  was 
also  a  native  of  England,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the  English  army.  His  wife 
was  Elizabeth  Jane  Hulett  and  their  daughter,  our  subject's  mother,  was  reared 
by  her  aunt  and  grandmother,  Eliza  Hulett  Hellier  and  Diana  Longman 
Hulett. 

Thomas  Wallis,  the  father  of  our  subject  was  a  gardener  in  his  native 
country  and  came  to  America  in  1874,  landing  in  New  York  City  on  the  2nd 
day  of  May.  He  came  direct  to  Kenosha,  and  settled  on  Ashland  avenue,  where 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a  gardener  and  worked  twenty-four 
years  for  one  man — John  McCree — in  England,  and  the  last  nine  years  of  his 
life  for  H.  S.  Vanlngen  in  Kenosha.  He  died  in  January,  1897,  having  been 
sick  but  two  days.  He  was  a  little  over  seventy  years  old.  His  wife  still  sur- 
vives him,  being  a  little  over  eighty  years  old,  and  is  a  Methodist,  as  was  her 
husband.  They  had  four  sons  born  to  them,  all  now  living  in  Kenosha  :  James, 
George,  Albert  F.  and  Thomas. 

George  Wallis  was  reared  in  his  native  country,  and  there  attended  the 
common  schools.  He  learned  the  baker's  trade,  which  he  followed  for  five 
years,  Ixit  on  coming  to  America,  in  1874,  he  engaged  in  carpenter  work, 
which  he  followed  for  many  years.  For  the  last  eighteen  years  he  has  been 
sexton  of  the  city  cemetery,  having  been  appointed  each  year  by  the  city  council. 

On  April  14,  1874,  Mr.  Wallis  married  Miss  Emily  Jane  Barber,  who 
died  in  January,  1875.  They  had  one  child,  born  in  January,  1875,  who  lived 
but  seven  months,  when  it  passed  away.  On  Jan.  8,  1884,  Mr.  Wallis  married 
Miss  Emma  Louise  Smith,  daughter  of  John  and  Caroline  Smith,  of  Kenosha, 
and  to  this  union  were  born  two  children  :  Edith  Gertrude  and  George  Harry. 
Mrs.  Emma  Louise  Wallis  passed  away  March  20,  1897,  aged  forty-four  vears, 
in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  Church.  On  April  ly,  1898,  Mr.  Wallis  married 
(third)  Miss  Caroline  Josephine  Vollmer,  daughter  of  John  Conrad  and  Mar- 
garet Ann  (Smith)  Vollmer.  Mr.  Wallis  is  a  Methodist,  and  his  wife  an 
Episcopalian  in  faith.  Mr.  Wallis  belongs  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  is  past  master  of  the  lodge,  of  which  he  has  been  a  member  since 
1883.  He  is  also  connected  with  Park  City  Lodge  No.  103,  I.  O.  O.  F.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Repulilican  on  national  issues,  but  in  local  politics  is  independ- 


456  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

ent.  Before  Ijecoming  sexton,  ]\Ir.  Wallis  served  as  alderman,  but  since  tliat 
time  has  held  no  office.  He  owns  a  good  home  at  No.  557  Ashland  avenue. 
which  he  erected  himself  in  1883.     He  also  owns  some  city  property. 

Mrs.  Caroline  Josephine  Wallis'  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  who 
came  to  America  when  young,  being  married  at  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  where  they 
lived  for  a  number  of  years.  They  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Southport, 
now  Kenosha,  where  they  both  died,  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  and  seventy-five 
years,  respectively.  They  had  a  family  of  ten  children,  eight  of  whom  still 
survive:  Jacob;  Mary,  the  wife  of  George  C.  Limpert;  John;  Charles;  Caro- 
line T-.  Mrs.  Wallis;  George;  Emma,  wife  of  John  L.  Weyhe;  and  William. 
Jacob  was  an  artilleryman  during  the  Civil  war,  and  John  and  Charles  were  in 
the  infantry  ser\'ice.  George  L.  Limpert  was  also  a  soldier  and  he  and  Charles 
\'ollmer  were  in  the  26th  Wisconsin  Regiment,  participating  in  some  very 
se^•ere  battles. 

George  Wallis  has  been  a  resident  of  Kenosha  for  thirty-one  years,  and 
during  that  time  has  built  many  houses  here,  as  well  as  having  buried  hundreds 
of  people.  ]Mr.  Wallis  is  very  well  known  throughout  Kenosha,  where  so  manv 
3'ears  of  his  life  have  been  spent. 

JOHN  CALLENDER,  whose  memory  is  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  his 
fellow  citizens  of  this  locality,  was  a  resident  of  Racine  county  for  over  fifty 
years,  and  for  the  last  twenty-five  years  of  his  life  lived  retired  in  Union 
Grove.  As  one  of  the  early  farmers  of  Yorkville  township  he  did  his  share 
in  the  improvement  and  reclaiming  of  the  country,  and  he  was  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial citizens  of  his  day. 

Air.  Callender  was  born  in  Ireland,  the  family  hailing  from  the  northern 
part  of  that  country.  They  are  of  Scottish  origin.  Robert  Callender,  father 
of  John,  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1850,  and  engaged  in  farming  in  York\-ille 
townsliip  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  aged  seventv-f<iur.  His 
wife,  Jane  (MacAna)  Callender.  li\ed  to  be  ninety-eight  years  old.  She 
bore  him  six  sons. 

John  Callender  came  to  this  country  with  his  father,  and  he  also  bought 
a  farm  in  Yorkville  township,  and  made  farming  his  life  occupation,  cultivat- 
ing that  place  until  the  vear  1880,  when  he  moved  into  Union  Grove.  There 
he  lived  retired  until  his  death,  on  June  3,  1905,  when  he  was  eighty  vears  and 
three  weeks  old.  He  was  a  man  of  thrifty  and  industrious  habits,  and  thoueh 
he  led  a  quiet  life,  devoted  to  his  work,  he  deserved  to  be  called  one  of  the  best 
citizens  of  his  community.  Mr.  Callender  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Long- 
more,  who  was  also  born  in  Ireland,  and  they  had  four  children,  namelv :  Marv. 
deceased  wife  of  J.  H.  Smith,  of  Spencer.  Iowa;  Sarah.  Mrs.  Walter  Mere- 
dith, of  L^nion  Grove;  William  J.;  and  Eliza,  wife  of  N.  A.  Moe.  of  Union 
Grove,  Wis.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Callender  were  both  United  Presbvterians  in  their 
religious  belief.  George  Longmore,  father  of  Mrs.  Callender,  was  born  in  tlie 
North  of  Ireland  and  died  there.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  Lie  had  a 
large  familv. 

\\'iLLiAM  J.  Callender.  son  of  John,  now  a  prosperous  and  popular 
druggist  of  Union  Grove,  is  a  man  who  has  forged  his  wav  to  the  front  among 
the  business  men  of  that  place,  and  he  stands  anions:  its  substantial  citizens.  Lie 
is  a  nati\-e  of  \\'isconsin.  born  in  Yorkville  township,  Racine  county.  Julv  20, 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  457 

1S60,  and  has  spent  his  entire  Hfe  in  Yurkville  township,  where  he  grew  np  on 
his  fatlier's  farm.  He  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools.  In  1877 
he  left  home  to  become  a  clerk  in  a  drug  store  in  Union  Grove,  and  as  time 
passed  he  studied  pharmacy,  becoming"  an  e.xpert  druggist,  and  by  i8go  was 
enabled  to  start  in  business  for  himself.  He  bought  out  T.  G.  Buchan's  drug 
store,  and  for  fourteen  years  conducted  it  alone,  but  in  1904  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  F.  W.  Keuper,  under  the  firm  name  of  Callender  &  Keuper.  They 
have  a  good  patronage  and  do  a  large  business. 

Mr.  Callender  was  married  Feb.  19,  1885,  to  Miss  Jennie  Goldsworthy,  a 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Mary  (Russell)  Goldsworthy.  Their  preseut  hand- 
some home  was  erected  by  Mr.  Callender  in  1894.  Both  are  adherents  of  the 
Congregational  Churcli.  Mr.  Callender  and  his  wife  belong  to  the  Daughters 
of  Rebekah,  Lily  of  the  West  Lodge,  Racine,  while  he  is  connected  with  both 
the  Modern  Woodmen  and  Purity  Lodge,  No.  39,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Union  Grove. 
In  political  matters  he  is  a  good  Republican,  and  served  as  town  treasurer  for 
one  term.  He  has  many  friends  in  Union  Grove,  and  stands  high  in  the  esteem 
of  the  community. 

PETER  SCHMITT.  Among  the  well-known  residents  of  Burlington, 
Wis.,  may  be  mentioned  Peter  Schmitt,  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch.  He  was  born  Oct.  8,  181 6,  in  Bavaria.  Germany,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Catharine  (Kohl)  Schmitt,  natives  of  Germanv.  Peter  Schmitt  had  one 
brother,  Joseph,  w'ho  is  now  deceased.  Joseph  Schmitt,  the  father,  died  on  the 
ocean  while  coming  to  America  in  1856.  His  widow  came  on  to  America,  and 
settled  in  Walworth  county.  Wis.,  where  she  resided  for  several  years.  Making 
her  way  from  there  to  Burlington,  she  died  in  that  city  aged  eightv-eight  vears. 
Both  she  and  her  husband  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Peter  Schmitt  was  reared  in  Germanv  and  there  received  his  education, 
learning  the  stone  mason's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  for  some  time.  Mr. 
Schmitt  came  to  this  country  in  1846,  and  purchased  a  farm  in  the  town  of 
Lyons,  Walworth  county,  where  he  resided  for  twenty  years,  acquiring  240 
acres  of  land.  This  he  sold,  and  remo-\-ing  to  Burlington,  has  since  lived  there. 
On  locating  in  Burlington  Mr.  Schmitt  purchased  a  hotel  and  saloon,  which 
business  he  sold  in  1900,  and  has  since  lived  retired. 

In  1841  in  Germany  Mr.  Sclimitt  married  Miss  Theressa  Herlin^-er, 
daughter  of  Uhlrich  Herlinger,  and  children  as  follows  were  born  to  this  union  : 
One  died  in  infancy  in  Germany:  Michael,  a  farmer  in  Minnesota,  married 
Anna  Lick,  and  they  have  several  children :  Joseph  died  in  infancy  in  Germany ; 
Frank,  who  lives  at  Hot  Springs,  Colo.,  is  married  and  has  two  children; 
Henry  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years :  Martin  died  aged  eight  years ;  George, 
who  lives  in  Burlington,  married  Anna  Lieber,  and  they  have  five  children; 
Catherine  married  Martin  Germann  and  they  live  in  Minnesota ;  Barbara,  who 
married  Wilhelm  Dieselbredt,  lives  in  Minnesota.  Mrs.  Theressa  Schmitt  died 
in  igoo,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
as  is  also  Mr.  Schmitt,  who  helped  to  build  the  first  Catholic  Church  in  Bur- 
hngton.  Politicallv  he  has  always  been  a  Democrat.  He  is  the  owner  of  a 
good  home  in  Burlington,  built  bv  him  in  igoo,  and  also  owns  twenty  acres  of 
land  near  the  Chicago  &  Milwaukee  depot. 


458  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

OTTO  EDWARD  AHRENS,  an  eminent  nieniber  uf  the  legal  prufes- 
sion,  who  chose  for  his  field  of  practice  the  city  of  Racine,  \\is.,  was  born  xVlay 
14,  1855,  in  the  Province  of  Pomerania,  Germany,  son  of  William  and  Char- 
lotte Ahrens,  natives  of  that  country. 

William  Ahrens  followed  wagon  and  carriage  building  in  his  native  coun- 
try, and  on  coming  to  America  in  1856,  continued  that  occupation  in  Elgin, 
111.  There  his  wite  died  in  1857,  leaving  him  these  children:  William,  of 
Elgin,  111. ;  Otto  E.,  of  Racine ;  and  Caroline  Pauline,  wife  of  William  Smith, 
of  Chicago.  William  Ahrens^  the  father,  with  his  three  brothers,  enlisted  in 
the  Civil  war  in  Company  C,  127th  111.  V.  I.,  First  Brigade,  Second  Division, 
Fifteenth  (General  Logan's)  Army  Corps.  At  this  time  neither  he  nor  his 
brothers  were  naturalized  citizens.  He  participated  in  all  the  battles  of  his 
corps,  serving  three  years,  and  being  mustered  out  in  1865.  One  of  Mr. 
Ahrens'  brothers  was  killed  at  Vicksburg,  and  another  at  Corinth.  He  was ' 
with  Sherman  in  his  march  to  the  sea.  After  the  war  Mr.  Ahrens  returned  to 
Elgin,  where  he  carried  on  his  carriage  manufacturing  business.  He  married 
for  his  second  wife  Miss  IMartha  Taylor,  of  Dundee,  111.,  and  to  this  union  were 
born  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living:  Ernest  Ellsworth,  of  El- 
gin: Lulu,  wife  of  John  Taylor,  of  Montana,  and  Birdie,  wife  of  John  Rowe, 
of  Dundee,  Illinois. 

Otto  Edward  Ahrens  was  reared  in  Elgin.  111.,  from  infancy.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools,  and  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1871,  and 
then  went  to  work  for  his  father,  learning  the  carriage  and  wagon  making 
trade.  In  August,  1879,  Mr.  Ahrens  located  in  Racine.  Wis.,  and  followed  his 
trade  in  the  employ  of  Fish  Brothers  until  the  winter  of  1882-3,  when  he  en- 
gaged with  the  Mitchell  &  Lewis  Co.,  in  1886  l^eing  given  the  management  of 
the  Badger  Electric  Light  Company,  a  position  he  held  until  i88q.  He  then 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Racine  Wagon  &  Carriage  Co..  with  which  firm  he 
remained  until  Dec.  10,  1892.  On  Nov.  8,  1892,  he  was  elected  circuit  clerk 
on  the  Republican  ticket,  a  position  lie  held  for  four  two-year  terms.  He  then 
took  a  course  at  the  Northern  Indiana  Law  School,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  June,  1903,  having  Ijeen  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  Wisconsin  the  April 
previous.  At  the  examination,  out  of  a  class  of  sixty-seven  men,  Mr.  Ahrens 
stood  highest.  After  his  graduation  he  practiced  liis  profession  in  Racine,  with 
a  great  degree  of  success. 

On  July  17,  1880,  Mr.  Ahrens  married  Miss  Eleanor  Adams,  who  died 
Aug.  29,  1898,  in  the  faith  of  the  Baptist  Church.  On  Oct.  25,  1899.  Mr. 
Ahrens  married  (second)  Miss  Julia  D.  Currier  daughter  of  Arthur  Webster 
and  Amelia  (Snyder)  Currier,  and  to  this  union  one  son  was  born.  Edward 
George.    Mr.  A.  W.  Currier  was  a  descendant  of  Daniel  W^ebster. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ahrens  are  Baptists.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He 
is  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  82,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  of  Orient  Chapter  No.  12,  R.  A. 
M.;  of  the  Uniform  Rank  and  Subordinate  Lodge.  Knights  of  Pythias:  of 
R.acine  Lodge,  No.  8,  I.  O.  O.  F. :  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
No.  252:  of  the  Sons  of  Veterans:  the  Royal  Arcanum.  No.  20;  Beta  Council 
No.  2.  Royal  League,  and  the  Columbian  Knights.  Crescent  Lodge  No.  145. 
Mr.  Ahrens  has  his  residence  at  No.  1034  Park  .\venue.  and  he  erected  an- 
other house  at  No.  1028  Park  avenue. 

Mr.  Ahrens  was  always  active  in  musical  circles,  and  wlien  in  Elgin  was 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  459 

one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Elgin  Watch  Company  Band,  an  organization 
of  seventy  pieces.  He  was  later  a  member  of  Prichard's  Band  in  Racine.  Mr. 
Ahrens  has  a  line  tenor  voice,  and  for  about  fifteen  years  had  charge  of  both 
the  Congregational  and  Baptist  Church  choirs.  He  has  sung  in  many  con- 
certs and  private  entertainments,  and  competed  in  many  contests  of  the  Welsh 
National  Eisteddfod,  in  every  instance  winning  the  prize. 

JUDGE  CHARLES  E.  DYER.  On  Nov.  26,  1905,  at  Milwaukee.  Wis.. 
there  entered  into  rest  Judge  Charles  E.  Dyer,  for  nearly  eighteen  years  a 
trustee  of  the  Northwestern  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  former  United 
States  District  Judge,  an  eminent  jurist  and  advocate,  a  man  of  irreproach- 
able character,  of  courtly  bearing  and  of  thoughtful  kindness.  He  was  born 
in  Cicero,  Onondaga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  5,  1834,  son  of  Dr.  Edward  G.  and  Ann 
Eliza  (Morse)  Dyer.  Edward  G.  Dyer  was  a  successful  physician.  In  1839 
he  moved  his  family  from  New  York  to  Wisconsin,  and  at  Burlington,  this 
State,  practiced  his  profession.     His  wife  died  in  1880. 

Charles  E.  Dyer  was  but  five  years  old  when  brought  by  his  parents  to 
Wisconsin.  His  earlier  education  was  all  acc^uired  in  the  district  schools  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  this  he  supplemented  by  instruction  at  home  until  he  had  an 
unusually  good  foundation  for  the  superstructure  his  own  efforts  later  reared. 
His  studies  had  been  those  of  the  common  English  branches,  a  little  higher 
mathematics,  and  Latin.  All  his  life  he  was  a  diligent  student,  particularly  of 
history  and  general  literature.  In  [850,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  went  to  Chi- 
cago to  learn  the  printer's  trade,  engaging  as  an  apprentice  in  the  office  of  the 
IV  est  cm  Citizen,  an  anti-slavery  paper,  published  by  Z.  Eastman.  Not  gain- 
ing a  liking  for  the  work  by  the  end  of  a  year  he  abandoned  it.  and  as  he  had 
begun  the  study  of  shorthand  he  perfected  himself  in  that  line  and  became  an 
expert  reporter.  Going  in  1851  to  Sandusky,  Ohio,  he  entered  the  office  of 
Rice  Harper,  then  clerk  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Erie  county,  and  a 
family  friend.  While  in  this  position  he  took  a  private  course  in  the  classics 
and  higher  mathematics,  devoting  every  spare  moment  to  reading  and  study. 
A  love  of  history  made  him  familiar  with  the  stories  of  the  ages,  while  his 
analytical  mind  looked  deeply  into  the  causes  and  effects,  and  into  the  lives  and 
characters  of  the  great  makers  of  history.  He  became  familiar  with  the  great 
political  events  of  the  day,  and  accjuired  much  information  that  was  of  inesti- 
mable value  to  him  in  after  years.  While  in  Mr.  Harper's  office  he  became  ac- 
quainted with-Ebenezer  Lane,  then  an  eminent  Sandusky  lawyer,  and  former 
judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio.  Through  his  influence  Mr.  Dyer  began 
the  study  of  law,  being  given  the  free  use  of  Judge  Lane's  extensive  library. 
His  first  work  in  preparation  for  his  profession  was  the  humble  copying  of 
briefs  and  other  legal  instruments.  Soon  registering  as  a  student  with  Lane,' 
Stone  &  Lane,  of  which  firm  the  Judge  was  the  head,  he  studied  for  three 
years  under  the  personal  direction  of  the  Judge's  son,  W.  G.  Lane,  afterward 
judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Erie  county,  now  deceased,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1857.  Forming  a  partnership  with  Walter  F.  Stone, 
afterward  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio,  he  began  practice  in  San- 
dusky, where  he  continued  until  December,  1858.  He  had  early  assumed  man's 
independence,  and  now  at  the  outset  of  his  professional  career  he  was  ambi- 
tious to  succeed  on  his  own  efforts.     In  January,  1859,  he  came  back  to  ^^^is- 


46o  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

cousin  and  located  at  Racine,  which  place  continued  to  be  his  home  until  after 
he  had  quit  his  legal  practice.  As  soon  as, he  returned  to  Wisconsin  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State.  He  was  alone  for  several 
years,  and  then  formed  a  partnership  with  Henry  T.  Fuller,  which  continued 
until  January,  1875.  In  i860  and  1861  he  held  the  office  of  city  attorney,  and 
on  Feb.  10,  1875,  he  was  appointed  Judge  of  the  United  States  District  Court 
for  the  Eastern  District  of  Wisconsin. 

From  his  first  court  work,  when  clerk  at  Sandusky,  he  evinced  remarkable 
ability  as  a  reader  and  as  a  writer  of  the  journals  of  the  court,  and  his  memory 
proved  so  accurate  that  judges  and  lawyers  alike  appealed  to  him  for  infor- 
mation concerning  the  different  cases,  and  seldom  found  him  wanting  in  exact- 
ness. In  those  days  a  brilliant  future  was  predicted  for  him,  and  he  justified 
all  the  prophecies  of  future  attainments.  This  clerkship  at  Sandusky  did  much 
for  him  by  giving  him  a  practical  insight  into  legal  work  that  stood  the  test 
of  his  riper  years.  The  science  of  jurisprudence  satisfied  his  student  mind,  and 
he  absorbed  knowledge  lik?  a  sponge,  but  so  carefully  did  he  order  the  learn- 
ing he  acquired  that  it  was  invariably  ready  for  application  as  the  exigencies  of 
the  case  demanded.  During  his  early  years  at  the  Bar  he  was  an  advocate  so 
accomplished  in  oratory,  so  able  in  repartee,  so  erudite,  so  brilliant,  few  relished 
him  as  a  foeman.  His  high  ideals  of  morality  and  integrity,  so  faithfully  car- 
ried out  in  his  exemplary  life,  gave  confidence  to  all  who  knew  ihm,  and  no  one 
questioned  his  word  any  more  than  they  did  his  ability.  To  profession  and 
clients  he  was  faithful,  and  yet  so  modest  in  his  dwn  estimation  of  himself  that 
when  he  was  elevated  to  the  Bench  he  questioned  his  ability  to  fill  the  high 
office  w(irthily,  and  it  took  the  earnest  and  strenuous  endeavor  of  his  admir- 
ing confreres  to  persuade  him  to  accept  it.  That  he  g"a-ve  his  best  efforts  to  the 
faithful  discharge  of  the  duties  of  that  office  the  records  of  the  court  show. 
His  well-stored  mind,  his  fair  and  impartial  administering  of  justice,  his  dig- 
nified courtesy,  all  tended  to  raise  his  court  to  the  highest  plane.  His  decisions 
commanded  respect,  and  were  uniformly  the  result  of  his  comprehensive 
knowledge  and  careful  research.  As  a  master  of  English  he  had  few  peers ;  his 
sentences,  clear  and  stately,  were  almost  classic  in  construction,  and  the  rules 
of  perspicuity  were  never  violated ;  his  logic  was  without  fault.  With  an  almost 
marvelous  ability  for  systematizing  his  work,  his  court  performed  its  duties, 
and  kept  its  docket  clear  of  accumulated  work.  His  term  of  service  cn\-ered 
thirteen  years,  and  his  fame,  not  alone  as  a  great  lawyer  and  greater  judge, 
but  as  an  upright,  honorable  and  able  citizen,  spread  far  beyond  the  confines 
of  his  court,  and  he  was  sought  for  high  position  in  great  corporations. 

Early  in  1888  Judge  Dyer  resigned  from  the  Bench  and  began  his  con- 
nection with  the  Northwestern  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  being  ap- 
pointed its  counsel  on  April  13,  1888,  and  on  July  17th  following  he  was  elect- 
ed a  trustee,  a  position  he  held  until  his  death.  As  counsel  he  was  at  the  Iiead 
of  the  legal  department  of  that  great  company,  but  so  able  was  he  that  its  large 
responsibilities  never  overwhelmed  him,  and  he  was  the  same  calm,  earnest 
worker  as  when  his  time  was  more  his  own.  With  tact  and  efficiency  he  met  his 
duties  squarely,  and  won  the  approval  of  companv  and  patrons.  His  mental 
vigor  continued  to  the  last,  and  he  actively  participated  in  the  affairs  of  the 
company  until  obliged  by  ill  health  to  leave  the  office. 

A  man  of  Judge  Dyer's  ability  could  not  be  allowed  to  confine  himself  to 


CO^IMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  461 

one  line  without  an  effort  being  made  to  force  him  into  some  pubHc  position. 
While  always  a  public-spirited  citizen,  he  nevertheless  refused  steadfastly  to 
enter  official  life,  believing  it  would  interfere  with  his  usefulness  in  his  pro- 
fession. Though  prior  to  1875  he  made  many  political  speeches  in  Republican 
national  campaigns  his  political  career  began  and  ended  with  representing 
Racine  county  in  the  State  Legislature  in  1867-68,  and  his  career  there  but 
emphasized  his  superior  talents,  and  made  his  fellow-citizens  all  the  more 
reluctant  to  permit  him  to  keep  out  of  the  limelight  of  office. 

On  April  6,  1859,  Judge  Dyer  was  united  in  marriage  with  Aliss  Sarah 
E.  Root,  daughter  of  J.  M.  Root,  of  Sandusky,  Ohio,  in  his  time  a  distinguished 
lawyer  and  citizen  of  that  State,  and  for  several  years  a  member  of  Congress. 
To  this  union  came  children  as  follows:  Cornelia,  Mrs.  Thomas  L.  Parker; 
William  B.,  of  Chicago:  and  Joseph  R.,  of  Milwaukee.  For  some  years  after 
Judge  Dyer's  appointment  to  the  United  States  Bench  his  family  continued  to 
reside  in  Racine,  but  later  they  moved  to  ^Milwaukee,  where  they  had  apart- 
ments in  the  "Hotel  Pfister,"  and  there  the  Judge  died  in  the  "glory  of  a  life 
well  spent." 

The  following  historical  addresses,  delivered  by  Judge  Dyer  at  Burlington, 
Wis.,  Feb.  22,  1871,  before  the  Old  Settlers'  Society  of  Racine  County,  is 
given  a  place  in  this  volume  at  the  request  of  a  number  of  the  prominent  citi- 
zens of  Racine  County : 

EARLY   SETTLERS   OF   RACINE    COUNTY. 

I  am  commissioned  to  tell  the  story  of  the  first  settlement  of  white  mei> 
in  the  several  towns  now  comprising  the  county  of  Racine.  It  is  a  story  re- 
plete with  interest,  instruction  and  romance.  It  will  refresh  in  your  memories, 
the  energy,  genius,  adventures,  achievements  and  hardships  of  the  North- 
western pioneer. 

The  character  and  extent  of  this  task,  I  must  say  to  you  in  the  outset,  I 
did  not  sufficiently  appreciate,  when  I  accepted  the  invitation  of  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  of  your  Society  to  address  you.  You  would  have  been  more 
fortunate,  had  you  selected  one  to  relate  this  history  who  had  shared  with  you 
the  experiences  and  fortunes  of  a  frontier  life,  the  memorv'  of  which  vou  would 
now  recall.  Sketches  are  more  vivid,  and  narrative  is  more  truthful,  when  they 
proceed  from  the  pen  and  tongue  of  him  who  was  a  witness  of  the  scenes  de- 
scribed, and  a  participant  in  the  events  related.  To  such  an  one,  the  past  re- 
turns again  as  a  reality  of  life ;  the  days  of  thirty  years  ago  come  back  at  his 
bidding,  and  the  story  of  the  wilderness,  of  storm  and  flood,  of  vicissitude  and 
trial,  is  clothed  with  an  interest  as  fresh  and  inspiring,  as  the  native  forest  and 
prairie  where  western  civilization  began  its  work. 

I  must  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  and  express  my  thanks  to  those,  who 
have  so  kindly  aided  me  in  collecting  facts  and  data  connected  with  the  original 
settlement  of  the  county.  I  have  been  supplied  with  every  source  of  informa- 
tion at  the  command  of  the  first  settlers  who  yet  survive,  and,  snatching  such 
time  as  I  might,  from  professional  labor.  I  have,  as  faithfully  as  possible, 
aimed  at  accuracy  and  method  in  obtaining  and  arranging  the  materials  for 
this  address.  Doubtless,  inaccuracies  and  omissions  will  be  observed,  names 
may  be  overlooked,  and  dates  may  be  imperfect.    If  so,  I  trust  that  such  errors 


462  COMMEMORATR^E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD 

will  be  attrihutotl  t<i  llie  (iifficulties,  at  this  late  day,  of  obtaining  information 
which  all  men  who  took  part  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  county  will  concur 
in  pronouncing  exact.  Many  of  the  first  settlers  have  either  died  or  gone  to 
other  regions,  and  the  recollections  of  such  as  remain  occasionally  differ.  It 
is  sufficient  to  say,  that  I  have  consulted  the  best  sources  of  information  within 
niv  knowledge  and  at  my  command. 

In  1832  there  were  but  four  white  men  in  that  part  of  what  is  now  Wis- 
consin, south  of  Green  Bay  and  east  of  Rock  Ri\er.  They  were  French  traders. 
During  that  year  the  Sac  war  broke  out  and  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
whole  country  to  this  region.  The  title  to  the  land  was  in  the  Indians.  Bv  tiie 
treaty  of  1833,  between  the  Pottawatomie  and  other  tribes  of  Indians,  all  the 
tract  of  country  now  comprising  the  southeastern  portion  of  Wisconsin  was 
ceded  to  the  United  States — the  Indians,  however,  to  remain  in  possession 
until  1836,  the  Government  reserving  the  right,  meantime,  to  survey  the  tract. 
In  November,  1834,  Captain  Gilbert  Knapp  came  to  the  mouth  of  Root  River, 
and  I  find  it  recorded  in  such  form  that  I  deem  it  worthy  of  implicit  credit,  that 
he  was  the  first  permanent  American  settler  upon  any  portion  of  that  tract  of 
country  now  included  in  the  counties  of  Racine.  Walworth  and  Rock. 

On  the  20th  of  April.  1836,  the  act  of  Congress  was  passed  establishing 
the  Territorial  Government  of  Wisconsin.  Severed  from  Michigan,  it  em- 
braced all  its  present  territory,  with  that  of  Minnesota  and  Iowa,  and  a  portion 
of  Nebraska  and  Dakota.  There  were  then  six  counties  in  the  Territorv — Mil- 
waukee. Brown,  Dubuque,  Iowa,  Des  Moines  and  Crawford. 

Under  proclamation  of  Henry  Dodge.  Governor,  the  first  election  of  mem- 
bers of  the  house  of  representatives  and  council  of  the  Territory  was  held  on 
the  2(1  :\Ionday  of  October,  1836.  Gilbert  Knapp  and  Alanso'n  Sweet  were 
elected  from  Milwaukee  county  to  this,  the  first  council  in  the  organized  Ter- 
ritory. The  election  of  Captain  Knapp  was,  as  we  shall  hereafter  see.  signal- 
ized by  demonstrations  of  satisfaction  which  must  have  surpassed  all  modern 
political  jubilees. 

The  first  session  of  the  Territorial  legislature  was  held  at  Belmont,  in 
the  county  of  Iowa,  on  the  25th  day  of  October,  1836.  On  the  3d  of  Decem- 
ber, 1836,  the  seat  of  Territorial  government  was  located  at  Madison,  but  it 
was  provided  that  until  the  4th  day  of  March,  1839,  the  sessions  of  the  legisla- 
tive assembly  should  be  held  at  Burlington,  in  the  county  of  Des  Moines. 

On  the  7th  of  December,  1836,  the  county  of  Racine  was  created  by  the 
passage  of  an  act  at  the  Belmont  session,  and  the  seat  of  justice  was  located  at 
the  town  of  Racine.  The  county  then  included  its  present  territory  and  that 
of  the  present  county  of  Kenosha,  with  the  counties  of  Walworth  and  Rock 
attached  for  judicial  purposes.  In  January,  1850,  the  county  of  Racine  was 
divided,  and  the  county  of  Kenosha  created  and  organized. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  passed  January  2d,  1838.  the  three  original 
towns  in  the  present  territory  of  Racine  county  were  established,  and  their 
limits  prescribed,  namely:  Racine,  with  the  polls  of  election  established  at 
the  hotel  of  John  M.  :Myers,  in  the  village  of  Racine;  Mount  Pleasant,  with 
the  polls  of  election  at  the  house  of  George  F.  Robinson,  and  Rochester,  with 
the  polls  of  election  established  at  the  house  of  Stebbins  &  Duncan,  in 
the  \-illage  of  Rochester,  and  also  at  Moses  Smith's  in  Burlington. 

In  the  imperfect  narrative  I  have  prepared.  I  have  thought  it  most  meth- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  463 

odical  and  satisfactory  to  take  up  the  settlements  of  the  different  towns  of  the 
county,  according  to  their  present  names  and  hmits,  beginning  with 

RACINE. — As  already  indicated,  Captain  Gilbert  Knapp  was  the  first 
white  settler  at  Racine.  He  came  in  November,  1834,  on  horseback  from  Chi- 
cago. At  Skunk  Grove  there  was  an  Indian  settlement  and  trading  post,  at 
the  head  of  which  was  Jambeau,  the  name  of  a  French  trader,  with  an  Indian 
wife,  and  well  remembered  by  many  of  the  earliest  settlers.  The  route  from 
Chicago  at  that  time,  and  for  a  considerable  period  thereafter,  was  upon  an 
Indian  trail,  via  Grose  Point,  and  thence  to  the  trading  post  at  Skunk  Grove. 
Captain  Knapp  came  by  that  route,  accompanied  by  two  men  in  his  employ,  one 
of  whom  was  William  Luce.  .\n  Indian  piloted  him  from  the  Grove  to  the 
mouth  of  Root  river.  With  the  assistance  of  his  men,  he  built  a  log  cabin  on 
the  south  bank  of  the  river,  and  at  about  the  spot  where  the  plaining  mill  of 
Miner  &  McClurg  now  stands — the  river  then  flowing  in  its  original  chan- 
nel, at  the  foot  of  what  may  yet,  with  close  observation,  be  discovered  to  be  its 
former  bank,  passed  around  to  the  southward  at  the  point  where  Captain  Knapp 
l(5cated  his  claim,  and  emptied  into  the  lake  between  the  present  east  termmus 
of  Second  and  Third  streets,  but  at  rare  internals,  on  account  of  new  and  tem- 
porary formations  of  the  beach,  discharged  its  waters  into  the  lake  near  the 
grounds  of  the  old  light  house. 

Captain  Knapp,  by  virtue  of  his  location,  made  claim  to  all  the  land  com- 
prised in  the  original  plat  of  Racine,  namely :  the  east  fractional  half  of  Sec- 
tion g,  subsequently  known  as  Lots  Nos.  i  and  2,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river, 
comprising  74  acres,  and  Lot  No.  6,  on  the  south  side,  comprising  66.98  acres. 
During  the  winter  of  1834-35  Captain  Knapp  went  away,  returning  again  fn 
March  or  April,  1835.  He  immediately  interested  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard,  of 
Chicago,  and  Jacob  A.  Barker,  of  Buffalo,  in  his  claim  at  Port  Gilbert,  on  Root 
river,  and  I  have  in  my  possession  the  letter  written  by  him  on  the  30th  of 
March,  1835,  to  Mr.  Barker,  setting  forth  the  value  of  his  claim,  and  solicit- 
ing his  co-operation  in  the  enterprise  of  founding  and  building  up  a  settlement. 

On  the  2d  dav  of  January,  1835,  Stephen  Campbell,  William  See,  Paul 
Kingston  and  Edmund  Weed  came  from  Chicago  to  Racine.  When  these 
persons  arrived,  they  found  William  Luce  and  another  man,  in  the  employ  of 
Captain  Knapp.  in  charge  of  the  Captain's  cabin.  Mr.  Campbell  immediately 
cleared  away  a  spot  in  the  dense  forest,  at  alxjut  the  place  where  the  home- 
stead of  Edwin  Colvin  is  now  located,  and  built  a  shanty.  He  soon  found  that 
he  was  within  the  limits  of  the  claim  of  Knapp,  Hubbard  &  Barker,  and  he 
thereupon  removed  farther  west  and  built  a  log  house,  on  what  was,  in  early 
times,  known  as  the  Campbell  fraction,  and  in  later  years,  as  the  harbor  ad- 
dition, to  the  village  and  city  of  Racine. 

William  See,  meantime,  had  located  at  the  Rapids ;  Edmund  Weed  had 
made  a  claim  where  Nicholas  D.  Fratt  now  lives,  and  Paul  Kingston  had. 
built  a  cabin  and  located  on  the  south  limits  of  the  lands  claimed  by  Captain 
Knapp.  After  some  conflict  he  was  obliged  to  yield  his  claim,  and  the  prem- 
ises he  occupied  became  the  homestead  of  Captain  Knapp. 

In  April,  1835,  Norman  Clark  with  five  companions  started  from  Chicago 
in  an  open  yawl  boat,  rigged  with  sails,  belonging  to  the  Government,  and 
which  thev  procured  at  Fort  Dearborn,  for  a  cruise  along  the  west  shore 'of 
the  lake.     L'pon  reaching  the  mouth  of  Root  ri\-er,  with  their  canvas  spread 


464  COMAIEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

before  a  favoring  breeze,  they  sailed  into  the  river,  "wing-  and  wing."  Alan- 
son  Sweet,  now  of  Milwaukee,  was  captain  of  the  craft,  and  quite  bewildered 
by  tlie  wild  and  beautiful  scenery  around  them,  almost  before  they  were  aware 
of  it,  they  had  reached  Captain  Knapp's  cabin  on  the  bank,  and  "hove  to"  with 
all  the  skill  and  pride  of  able  and  experienced  navigators.  Mr.  Clark  was 
prospecting:  looking  for  town  sites  and  corner  lots,  but  he  found  the  present 
site  of  Racine  a  dense  forest,  the  banks  of  the  river  lined  with  cedar  and  most 
luxuriant  foliage;  and  though  not  quite  pleased  with  the  results  of  his  adven- 
ture thus  far,  he  and  his  fellow  voyagers  again  spread  their  sails  and  went  to 
Milwaukee,  where  there  were  two  log  houses,  and  where  a  white  woman  had 
never  Ijeen.  He  looked  over  Solomon  Juneau's  muskrat  skins  and  returned  to 
Chicago. 

In  May,  1835,  Joel  Sage  arrived.  He  came  from  Chicago  on  a  pony  be- 
longing to  Captain  Knapj).  A  hoosier,  whose  name  is  unknown,  had  made  a 
claim  on  the  west  side  of  Root  river,  in  what  was  subsequently  (and  is  yet) 
known  as  Sage  Town.  Mr.  Sage  bought  the  hoosier's  claim,  and  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1835  went  into  occupation  of  a  log  house  which  stood  on  the  top  of  the 
bluff,  at  a  point  which  is  now  in  the  center  of  State  street.  One  day  in  the  fall 
of  1835  he  found  his  shanty  torn  down  to  the  bottom  log.  With  the  persever- 
ance and  courage  of  a  pioneer,  he  immediately  rebuilt  it,  and  with  renewed  de- 
termination asserted  his  claim  to  the  107  acres  of  land,  which  he  afterward 
as  we  shall  see,  successfully  pre-empted,  and  which  subsequently  comprised 
that  part  of  Racine  known  as  Sage  Town. 

At  this  point  in  our  history,  we  find  Knapp,  Hubbard  &  Barker  the  claim- 
ants of  the  original  plat  of  Racine ;  Stephen  Campbell  in  possession  of  the  har- 
bor addition,  and  Joel  Sage  settled  upon  the  tract  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 
The  warfare  which  they  were  obliged  to  wage  in  maintenance  of  their  titles, 
is  not  an  unimportant  or  uninteresting  feature  of  those  romantic  times.  Let 
me.  therefore,  give  you  a  brief  record  of  the  fortunes  of  these  pioneers  in  ac- 
quiring their  rights  to  the  lands,  upon  which  to  this  day,  valuable  muniments 
of  title  are  founded. 

In  1836  Captain  Knapp.  not  feeling  entirely  satisfied  with  his  rights  as  a 
settler  to  the  lands  to  which  he  made  claim,  procured  from  Jaques  Vaux  a  float 
title  to  lots  I  and  2,  Section  9,  which  was  the  receiver's  receipt  issued  June 
icj,  1834,  under  the  pre-emption  act  of  1834  and  on  the  25th  of  July,  1836, 
procured  its  assignment  to  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard.  At  the  same  time,  he  also 
obtained  from  Lewis  Vaux,  a  float  upon  Lot  6,  Section  9,  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river,  and  on  the  2Sth  of  T"lv,  1836,  procured  its  assignment  to  Gurdon 
S.  Hubbard. 

In  the  winter  of  1835  and  i83r)  the  city  of  Racine  was  laid  out  in  lots  and 
blocks. 

Subsequently,  Congress  passed  the  pre-emption  bill,  by  the  terms  of  which 
no  right  of  pre-emption  was  granted  to  actual  settlers  upon  lands  within  the 
location  of  any  incorporated  town,  or  to  any  portion  of  lands  which  had  been 
actually  selected  as  sites  for  cities  or  tow'ns,  or  specially  occupied  or  reserved 
for  town  lots. 

The  float  title  to  the  village  was  consec|uently  decided  to  lie  invalid.  But 
by  an  act  of  Congress,  approved  Mav  26th.  1824,  the  right  had  lieen  granted 
to  counties  of  pre-emption  to  quarter  sections  of  land  for  seats  of  justice  within 


COMAIEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  465 

the  same.  The  seat  of  justice  of  Racine  county  had  been,  in  1836,  located  at 
Racine,  and  so  on  the  211  day  o-f  January,  1838,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Ter- 
ritorial Legislature  authorizing  the  county  commissioners  to  sell  and  convey 
the  right  and  title  of  the  county,  under  the  act  of  1824,  in  and  to  the  east  frac- 
tional half  of  Section  9  to  Gilbert  Knapp,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  upon  his  pay- 
ing to  the  board,  within  two  years  from  the  date  of  conveyance,  at  the  rate  of 
ten  dollars  per  acre  therefor,  with  ten  per  cent,  interest;  and  providing  furthci, 
that  the  county  commissioners  should  immediately  enter  up  and  secure  the  pre- 
emption to  which  the  county  was  entitled ;  and  the  money  arising  from  the  sale 
by  the  county  to  Captain  ivnapp,  to  be  disposed  of  in  the  erection  of  county 
buildings,  for  the  county  of  Racine,  according  to  said  act  of  Congress. 

The  county  otficers  refused  to  carry  this  law  literally  into  effect,  and  the 
title  remained  uncertain  until  the  winter  of  1838  and  1839,  when  an  arrange- 
ment was  made  between  the  original  proprietors  and  the  county  officers,  by 
which  the  former  should  erect,  or  procure  to  be  erected,  county  buildings,  con- 
sisting of  courthouse  and  jail,  and  building  for  county  offices,  and  the  latter 
should  release  and  convey  their  interest  in  the  lands  to  the  first  claimants. 

On  the  9th  day  of  February.  1839.  Samuel  Hale,  Jr.,  and  John  Bullen, 
as  county  commissioners,  procured  a  duplicate  of  Lot  6,  east  fractional  half  of 
Section  9,  under  pre-emption  act  of  1834,  which,  on  the  i  ith  day  of  February, 
1837,  was  assigned  to  Captain  Knapp.  On  the  same  day.  Captain  Knapp 
gave  to  the  commissioners  his  mortgage  on  the  property,  conditioned  for  the 
performance  of  the  agreement  that  had  been  entered  into.  The  county  relin- 
quished all  of  its  interest  in  Lots  i .  2,  and  6,  in  Section  9,  and  the  contract  for 
the  construction  of  the  county  buildings  was  assigned  to  Roswell  Morris  and 
William  H.  Waterman,  who,  in  1839,  built  your  present  courthouse.  The 
jail  was  built  in  1841,  in  connection  with  and  as  part  of  the  log  jail  built  in 
1837,  and  the  brick  building  now  occupied  by  the  clerk  and  register  was  con- 
structed in  1842.  Thus,  after  adversities  and  sacrifices,  the  proprietors  of  the 
original  plat  secured  to  themselves  the  rights  which  they  originally  supposed 
they  had  acquired  by  virtue  of  settlement  and  possession,  and  the  county  of 
Racine  secured  the  construction  of  county  buildings,  which  it  is  high  time 
were  torn  down,  to  give  place  to  more  commodious  and  modern  structures. 

In  consequence  of  legislation  by  Congress,  which  I  have  already  alluded 
to,  Mr.  Campbell,  who  had  settled  on  the  harbor  addition,  found  himself  dis- 
possessed of  the  rights  which  he  supposed  he  had  acquired  by  virtue  of  original 
settlement.  The  village  of  Racine,  by  M.  B.  Mead,  its  president,  on  the  17th 
of  October.  1843,  obtained  the  title. to  this  property,  but  made  arrangements 
with  Mr.  Campbell  by  means  of  which  he  retained  a  quarter  interest,  the  vil- 
lage securing  a  three-quarter  interest.  This  three-quarter  interest  was  dis- 
posed of  by  the  village,  and  the  proceeds  were  expended  on  the  harbor,  which 
fact  gave  to  this  tract  of  land  its  name  as  the  harbor  addition. 

Joel  Sage,  in  retaining  his  claim  and  title  to  the  107  acres  upon  which  lie 
located,  was  spared  tiie  trials  and  troubles  which  Congressional  legislation  had 
brought  to  other  settlers.  But  he  had  a  long  and  discouraging  conflict  with 
fraudulent  float  holders,  who  sought,  by  all  means  that  were  not  honest,  to  oust 
him  from  his  possessions.  He  journeyed  to  Green  Bay,  and  there  resisted  their 
pretenses ;  he  went  to  Chicago  and  employed  lawyers  to  assist  him  in  his  war- 
fare, and  with  a  just  conception  of  the  first  great  right  and  duty  of  an  actual 


4()6  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

SLttler  he  todk  yx.iod  care  t(.>  maintain  the  actual  possession  uf  the  lands  upon 
which  he  had  located.  His  theory  was  that  his  cabin  was  his  castle ;  that  pos- 
session was  nine  points  in  the  law,  and  adhering  with  courageous  pertinacity 
to  his  position,  fraudulent  floats  and  bogus  titles  could  not  prevail  against  him, 
and  his  rights  culminated  in  actual  title  in  1838,  by  virtue  of  pre-emption. 

Having  thus  stated  the  manner  and  circumstances  under  which  the  first 
title  to  the  lands  embraced  in  the  original  plat  of  the  city  of  Racine,  and  in  the 
harbor  addition,  and  Sage"s  addition  to  Racine  was  acquired  and  perfected,  let 
xxs  return  to  the  history  of  the  original  settlement,  following  occurrences  as 
near  as  may  be  in  their  chi-onological  order.  Up  to  May,  1835,  we  have  found 
Capt.  Gilbert  Knapp.  Stephen  Campbell,  Paul  Kingston,  William  Luce  and  ' 
Joel  Sage  permanently  located  at  what  was  then  called  Port  Gilbert.  In  thie 
summer  of  that  year.  E.  J.  Glenn,  Levi  Mason  and  James  Beeson  arrived.  On 
the  1st  of  October,  1835.  .Alfred  Carey  came,  and  later  in  the  fall  Dr.  Bushnell 
B.  Cary.  Amaziah  Stebbins  and  John  M.  Myers  joined  those  settled  here. 
Dr.  Cary  was  the  first  physician  who  came  to  the  county  for  permanent  set- 
tlement. In  December,  1835,  Dr.  Elias  Smith  arrived,  and  found,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  persons  already  named,  Samuel  Mars,  Eugene  Gillespie,  Joseph 
Knapp,  Henry  F.  Cox,  Mr.  Stilwell,  and  Mr.  William  Saltonstall. 

During  this  year,  1835,  five  or  six  frame  buildings  were  erected,  one  of 
■which  was  a  two-story  tavern.  In  January,  1836,  William  H.  Waterman  ar- 
rived. On  the  7th  of  February,  1836,  Sidney  A.  and  Stephen  H.  Sage,  sons 
of  Joel  Sage,  joined  their  father,  and  in  August,  1836,  Mrs.  Bethiah  Sage,  wife 
of  Joel  Sage,  came  with  Rev.  Cyrus  Nichols  and  family.  Before  the  arrival 
of  Mrs.  Sage  Stephen  H.  Sage  and  his  father  kept  bachelor's  hall.  They  be- 
gan housekeeping  together  with  a  barrel  of  flour  and  half  a  barrel  of  beef. 
They  lived  on  beef,  bread  and  tea,  without  furniture,  crockery,  or  beds,  until 
after  the  opening  of  navigation  in  the  spring  of  1836. 

Albert  G.  Knight  came  in  the  spring  of  1836.  He  arrived  at  Southport 
on  the  1st  of  April.  1836,  and  remained  there  one  week.  He  traveled  from 
Wayne  county.  N.  Y.,  to  Chicago  on  horseback,  and  from  Chicago  to  Racine 
upon  foot.  He  made  a  claim  near  My.gatt's  Corners,  and  another  adjoining 
the  farm  now  owned  by  David  Wiltsie,  in  Caledonia. 

On  the.  1st  of  June.  1836,  Marshall  M.  Strong  arrived,  and  was  the  first 
lawyer  who  settled  in  Racine  county. 

During  the  same  month  Norman  Clark  came.  He  walked  from  South- 
port  along  the  lieach  of  the  lake.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  (1836)  his  family 
removed  to  Racine.  He  tells  me  that  on  his  arrival  he  found  the  following 
persons:  Amaziah  Stebbins,  Capt.  Knapp,  Alanson  Filer.  Dr.  Cary,  M.  M. 
Strong,  Alfred  Cary,  John  M.  Myers.  Edmund  Weed,  William  H.  Waterman, 
Jonathan  M.  Snow.  Paul  Kingston,  Stephen  Ives.  William  H.  Chamberlin. 
Albert  G.  Knight.  Joel  Sage,  Eugene  Gillespie,  William  Saltonstall.  Enoch 
Thompson,  Dr.  Elias  Smith.  Seth  Parsons,  and  in  all  about  twenty-fi\-e  or 
thirty  persons. 

Lorenzo  Janes  came  to  Racine  in  August  1836.  but  did  not  permanently 
locate  until  July,  1S37. 

Samuel  G.  Knight  came  in  August.  1836.  on  board  the  scliooner  "Paul 
Jones"   from  Oswego.     His  father,  Timothy  Knight,  came  with  him.     ^Ir. 


COMiMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  467 

Samuel  G.  Knight  took  up  his  residence  in  a  small  frame  house  which  was 
standing  where  the  drug  store  of  H.  &  W.  Smieding  is  now  situated. 

James  O.  Bartlett  came  in  November,  1836.  He  was  accompanied  by 
William  H.  Waterman,  who  had  been  after  a  stock  of  goods,  and  his  convey- 
ance was  a  horse  and  sulky.  The  next  day  after  his  arrival,  Air.  Bartlett  start- 
ed for  Fox  River.  He  went  first  to  Skunk  Grove,  thence  to  Rochester,  follow- 
ing the  Indian  trail,  from  Rochester  to  Burlington,  thence  seven  miles  below, 
to  a  place  called  Big  Bend,  where  he  made  a  claim.  At  that  time  there  was  not 
a  house  between  Call's  Grove  (now  known  as  Ives"  Grove)  and  Rochester.  He 
staid  at  Rochester  with  Levi  Godfrey,  and  at  Burlington  with  Lemuel  Smith. 
Mr.  Bartlett  erected  a  log  pen,  about  five  feet  high,  and  six  feet  square  on  his 
claim,  and  slept  in  it  through  a  long  and  rainy  night.  He  inscribed  his  name 
on  his  cabin  and  on  a  tree  near  by,  when  he  left  his  claim,  and  though  he  has 
never  since  returned  to  it,  he  supposes  it  to  be  there  still ! 

In  1S37  David  Wells  came,  and  it  is  recollected  of  him  that  while  hunt- 
ing along  the  Nippersink,  in  1843.  ^  ^''^  w^s  kindled  in  the  tall  grass  of  the 
prairie,  and,  unable  to  escape,  he  perished  in  the  flames. 

On  the  14th  of  May,  1838,  Eli  R.  Cooley  came  to  Racine,  but  remained 
only  a  short  time,  returning  again  in  December  1838.  to  make  it  a  permanent 
residence. 

In  1839  John  A.  Carswell  arrived.  He  came  on  the  steamboat  "Xew 
England",  and  thinks  there  were  two  hundred  people  at  Racine  and  in  its 
vicinity  at  the  time.  In  this  connection  I  owe  it  to  Mr.  Carswell  to  say,  that  to 
his  letters,  entitled  "Early  Sketches."  published  in  the  Racine  .-/tsj/ls-  a  few 
years  since,  I  am  indebted  for  many  facts  which  I  here  relate. 

S.  B.  Peck  settled  in  Racine  on  the  9th  day  of  June,  1839.  He  had  been 
here  before,  in  1837.  and  at  that  time,  in  passing  over  the  prairie  on  horseback, 
at  the  head  of  Blue  river,  southwest  of  what  has  long  been  known  as  the 
Wright  farm,  now  owned  by  Mr.  Francis  Holborn,  the  water  was  so  deej^  that 
his  horse  had  to  swim  where  now  roads  and  streets  have  been  opened  and  resi- 
dences established.  Charles  Smith  has  speared  musquelange  weig'hing  twenty 
pounds,  on  the  same  ground. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  at  Racine,  were  Benjamin  Pratt,  wdio 
came  in  March,  1835  ;  Charles  Smith,  who  arrived  on  the  2d  day  of  June.  1836, 
coming  with  his  father.  Lyman  K.  Smith,  and  with  Marshall  M.  Strong  and 
Stephen  N.  Ives,  on  the  steamboat  "Pennsylvania;"  Samuel  Lane,  who  came 
also  in  1836:  William  and  John  Chamherlin,  and  William  S.  Derby,  who  came 
in  '37:  Truman  G.  Wright;  and  Charles  Bunce,  who  came  in  1838.  Lucius 
S.  Blake  with  his  father  and  two  brothers  came  out  in  February,  183^.  but 
as  we  shall  see  located  in  Caledonia.  In  1839,  however,  Mr.  Blake  adopted 
Racine  as  his  home,  and  experienced  as  much  of  the  adventure  of  pioneer  life 
as  any  settler  in  the  county.    Samuel  Hood  was  also  one  of  the  settlers  of  1838. 

I  can  not  undertake  to  give  you  a  statistical  list  of  all  the  persons  and  their 
families  who  settled  in  Racine  prior  to  1840.  It  is  quite  impossible  to  do  so. 
Emigration  began  actively  in  1835.  and  through  the  memorable  year  1836 
it  increased  and  continued  beyond  expectation.  The  people  who  came  in  1835 
prolaablv  suffered  greater  privations  than  any  who  came  subsequently.  With- 
out the  products  of  agriculture,  without  mechanics,  and  without  roads  or  means 
of  ready  communication   with  other  parts  of  the  world,  together  with  the 


468  CO.MMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

absence  ut  society  and  protection  of  law,  the  dilficulties  uf  obtaining-  residences, 
food  and  clothing,  were  almost  insurmountable. 

Nevertheless,  the  earliest  settlers  concur  in  saying  that  with  all  their 
severe  experiences  they  had  much  enjoyment.  A  common  alliance  naturally 
sprang  up  between  them;  each  was  undtJitbtedly  inspired  by  the  thought  that 
he  was  doing  his  part  to  develop  and  open  up  a  wild  and  new  country  l^efore 
untrodden  liy  the  foot  of  civilized  man,  but  destined  even  in  their  lives,  to 
greatness  in  civilization,  growth  and  progress. 

As  early  as' 1835-36  the  village  of  Racine,  as  I  have  already  stated,  was 
laid  out  in  lots  and  blocks.  In  January,  1836,  Root  river  postoffice  was  estab- 
lished at  the  Rapids,  and  A.  B.  Saxton  was  appointed  postmaster.  In  May  of 
the  same  year,  however,  this  office  was  discontinued,  and  the  Racine  office 
establislied.  Dr.  B.  B.  Cary  was  appointed  postmaster.  The  amount  of  the 
first  quarterly  returns  to  the  Post  Master  General  was  $37.  At  the  time  this 
office  was  estal)lished.  the  mail  was  carriefl  from  Chicago  to  Green  Bay  on 
horseback  once  a  week. 

The  first  survey  of  that  part  of  the  village  north  of  the  river  was  made  by 
Milo  Jones,  and  of  that  part  south  of  the  river  by  Joshua  Hathaw-ay.  The  first 
established  store  was  opened  by  Glen  &  Mason,  though  Capt.  Knapp  had  pre- 
viously sold  goods  to  settlers  to  a  limited  extent.  Eugene  Gillespie  engaged  in 
the  same  pursuit,  and  on  the  arrival  of  Dr.  Smith  and  Mr.  Waterman,  or  soon 
after,  they  established  a  mercantile  business,  and  it  is  said  that  in  the  temporary 
absence  of  Dr.  Smith  the  location  for  their  store  was  selected  near  the  subse- 
quent site  of  the  store  of  Lee  &  Dickson.  This  was  then  a  spot  far  away  from 
the  river  and  far  up  in  the  woods,  and  there  are  old  settlers  who  distinctly  re- 
member the  dissatisfaction  with  which  Dr.  Smith,  on  his  return,  learned  of  the 
location  of  his  store  and  said  they  had  "got  so  far  up  in  woods  that  business 
wouldn't  reach  them  in  twenty  years!" 

Marshall  M.  Strong  and  Stephen  N.  Ives  upon  their  arrixal  also  opened 
a  store,  under  the  name  of  Strong  &  Ives. 

The  first  hotel  was  kept  by  Amaziah  Stebbins  and  John  M.  Myers,  and 
stood  in  the  center  of  what  is  now  Main  street,  just  north  of  Smith  &  Water- 
man's store.    It  was  built  by  John  Pagan. 

In  1837  the  "Racine  House"  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  over  ten  thousand 
dollars.  Alfred  Cary  built  it,  and  Albert  G.  Knight  hauled  the  lumber  for  its 
construction  from  the  Rapids.  A  clearing  was  made  in  the  woods  of  sufficient 
extent  to  enable  the  frame  work  to  be  done  and  the  raising  to  be  made.  It  was 
an  old-fashioned  raising.  Everybody  turned  out,  and  everybody  had  a  good 
time.  Lucius  S.  Blake  luirned  a  portion  of  the  lime  for  the  new  hotel  on  a  log 
heap  in  the  woods,  and  got  fiftv  cents  a  bushel  for  it,  which  was  more  than 
potatoes  were  worth.  Tom  O'Sprig,  whose  name  may  conjure  up  many  inci- 
dents and  traditions  in  the  minds  of  old  settlers,  had  the  job  of  plastering  the 
house.  He  was  a  man  who  always  put  off  until  to-morrow  wdiat  he  could  avoid 
doing  to-day,  but  when  he  was  fairly  started  in  an  enterprise  the  vigor  of  his 
exertions  was  unsurpassed.  He  was  a  mason  by  trade,  and  had,  as  I  have 
said,  engaged  to  plaster' the  "Racine  House",  but  procrastinated  his  job  until 
the  patience  of  the  people  who  were  waiting  for  the  "grand  opening"  was  quite 
exhausted.  He  finally  concluded  that  the  better  the  day  the  better  the  deed, 
and  so  that  Sunday  was  the  day  when  the  job  should  be  done.    Upon  begin- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  469 

ning  his  work  he  found  materials  were  wanting ;  tliey  must  be  had ;  but  for  that 
purpose  a  conveyance  was  needed  with  which  to  bring  them.  He  had  none. 
It  occurred  to  him,  however,  that  Stephen  CampbeU  and  Paul  Kingston  each 
had  a  yoke  of  oxen ;  they  were  probably  grazing  in  the  woods.  He  knew  it 
would  never  do  to  seek  the  owners  and  ask  their  permission  for  the  use  of  their 
oxen  on  that  day,  as  both  were  Sabbath  observing  men,  and  at  that  moment 
were  probably  attending  Divine  service;  and,  therefore,  Tom  O'Sprig  followed 
the  inclinations  of  his  nature,  and  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the  oxen  without  the 
leave  or  liberty  of  the  owners.  Wandering  alone  in  the  woods,  to  his  joy  he 
came  upon  them  quietly  grazing.  They  were  docile  and  submissive,  and  he 
soon  placed  upon  their  stalwart  necks  the  yoke  he  carried  with  him.  He  en- 
deavored to  drive  them  by  persuasive  "gee's"  and  "haw's,"  but  to  ]x  driven 
as  he  would  have  them  go  they  would  not.  It  is  said  th-at  Tom  woke  the  echoes 
of  the  forest  with  his  demonstrations  of  rage,  but  had  ultimately  to  abandon  his 
adventure  in  despair.  The  "Racine  House"  remained  over  Sunday  unplas- 
tered,  and  Tom  was  inconsolable,  until  he  found  that  the  unruliness  of  the  oxen 
was  attributable  to  the  unfortunate  fact  that  he  had  yoked  up  Stephen  Camp- 
bell's of¥  ox,  and  Paul  Kingston's  off  ox.  and,  therefore,  that  thev  pulled  a  con- 
trary way  from  that  desired  by  Tom  O'Sprig! 

The  "Racine  House"  was.  however,  in  due  time  completed.  A  celebra- 
tion was  had,  and  in  the  dancing  room  which  had  been  particularlv  prepared, 
from  the  close  of  day  until  early  morn,  a  happy  crowd  danced  away  the  night 
under  the  inspiration  of  music,  furnished  bv  a  hod  carrier,  on  a  three-stringed 
.fiddle! 

John  M.  Myers  was  the  first  landlord  of  the  "Racine  House."  He  sub- 
sequently removed  to  Milwaukee,  where  he  died,  and  the  following  nbituarv 
notice  was  published  in  a  Milwaukee  paper : 

"Died. — In  this  village,  of  pleurisy,  Mr.  John  M.  Myers,  aged  about 
thirty.  Mr.  Myers  was  keeper  of  the  'Milwaukee  House.'  He  was  taken  ill 
on  Sunday,  and  died  this  morning  at  five  o'clock.  In  him  the  wife  had  an  af- 
fectionate husband,  the  children  an  exemplary  father,  who  live  to  mourn  his 
loss,  and  the  community  an  enterprising  and  useful  man." 

His  son,  Henry  S.  Myers,  whose  lamented  death  occurred  nearly  two 
years  since,  was  the  first  white  male  child  born  in  Racine,  and  his  excellent 
mother,  wdio  has  experienced  all  the  adversities  and  hardships  of  a  pioneer  life, 
yet  survives. 

The  first  white  child  born  in  Racine  was  a  daughter  of  Levi  Mason. 

During  the  spring  and  summer  of  1836  common  labor  was  from  $1.50  to 
$2.00  per  day;  mechanics'  labor  from  $2.50  to  $3.00  per  day;  hardwood  lum- 
ber from  $20.00  to  $30.  per  M;  Flour  $12.00  to  $20.00,  and  pork  $20.00  to 
$30.00  per  barrel.  In  the  fall  of  this  year,  Messrs.  Strong  &  Ives  .sent  to  Chi- 
cago for  two  barrels  of  pork  at  a  cost  of  thirty  dollars  per  barrel.  It  arrived, 
and  a  crowd  of  hungry  customers  gathered  for  supplies.  Alas  for  their  appe- 
tites and  hopes !  The  first  barrel  opened  contained  nothing  but  brine  and  pig 
tails,  and  it  was  well  written,  at  the  time,  that  "no  Bashaw  of  ancient  history 
ever  had  more  tails  than  the  wonderful  hoosier  hog  that  had  been  packed  in 
that  barrel !" 

Joel  Sage  and  Alfred  Cary  were  the  first  Justices  of  the  Peace  at  Racine 
imder  legally  constituted  authority.    Mr.  Sage  did  not  desire  or  intend  to  qual- 


470  CO-MMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

ify  as  a  magistrate,  but  Mr.  Cary  wanted  to  get  married,  and  wanted  Esquire 
Sage  to  marry  him,  and  so  he  was  induced  to  quahfy. 

It  has  been  said  that  Rev.  Cyrus  Nichols  preached  the  first  sermon  ever 
heard  in  Racine.  This  is  a  mistake.  Mr.  Stephen  Campbell  tells  me  that  the 
first  sermon  was  preached  by  a  Rev.  Mr.  Robinson,  who  came  as  a  missionary. 
Jonathan  M.  Snow  and  William  See  also  preached  occasionally,  before  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Nichols.  Mr.  See  always  began  his  sermons  by  saying:  "In 
my  preface,  or  exordium,  I  will  make  but  very  few  remarks."  Rev.  Mr. 
Nichols  was  undoubtedly  the  first  clergyman  of  the  Presbyterian  denomina- 
tion in  Racine  or  the  vicinity. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1839,  the  first  Presbyterian  Society  was  organized 
and  its  members  were  the  following  persons :  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heman  Rice,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Benjamin  E.  Smith,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alfred  Cary,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Will- 
iam Smith,  Mr.  and  Timothy  Wells,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elias  S.  Capron,  Messrs. 
Julius  Colton,  Nelson  A.  Walker,  Joel  Sage,  Mrs.  Sylvester  Mygatt,  Mrs. 
J.  P.  Hurlbut,  Mrs.  Cyrus  Nichols,  Miss  L.  L.  Wells,  Miss  Susanna  Traljer 
and  Miss  Sarah  C.  Hall. 

The  first  schoolhouse  erected  at  Racine  was  a  structure  sixteen  feet  square, 
located  where  McClurg's  block  now  stands,  and  the  first  school  was  opened 
by  a  Mr.  Bradley,  in  the  winter  of  1836.  The  first  school  district  in  the  town 
was  established  in  1840,  and  included  all  the  district  of  country  north  of  the 
present  south  line  of  the  county,  and  extending  one  mile  north  and  west  of  the 
present  city  limits.  There  were  six  voters  present  at  the  organization  of  the 
district,  and  the  whole  number  of  children  in  the  district  at  that  time  was 
twenty-eight. 

Samuel  Lane  was  the  first  shoemaker,  and  William  Chamberlin  the  first 
blacksmith  at  Racine.  Lane  opened  his  shop  in  the  old  claim  house,  built  and 
first  occupied  by  Captain  Knapp,  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  Mr.  Benjamin 
Pratt  opened  the  first  brickyard  in  1836,  and  furnished  the  brick  for  the  chim- 
neys of  the  "Racine  House"  and  for  the  old  Lighthouse. 

At  times  there  was  a  great  scarcity  of  provision.  In  the  winter  of  1837- 
'38,  :\Ir.  Myers,  landlord  of  the  "Racine  House."  hired  L.  S.  Blake  to  go  to 
Chicago  to  buy  for  him  a  load  of  hams  and  a  barrel  of  flour.  ■  Mr.  Blake  was 
gone  ten  days;  when  he  returned  there  was  great  rejoicing  at  the  hotel-quar- 
ters, and  Mr.  Myers  is  remembered  to  have  said  on  the  occasion :  "Now,  boys, 
we  shall  live  again."  There  was  one  winter  when  families  got  entirely  out  of 
meat,  and  could  get  none  until  suckers  came,  in  the  spring.  In  tlie  fall  of  1835 
a  vessel  loaded  with  pro\'isions  arrived  from  Chicago.  In  order  to  facilitate 
the  discharging  of  the  cargo  the  vessel  was  by  some  means  pulled  up,  stern  on 
the  beach.  The  settlers  from  the  surrounding  country  came  in  to  assist  in  get- 
ting the  provisions  ashore.  It  was  an  exciting  time.  Captain  Knapp  super- 
intended the  business.  The  wind  was  freshening:  the  waves  were  beginning 
to  roll :  the  sky  was  dark  and  lowering.  Gulls  were  flying  over  the  waters  as 
if  to  admonish  the  wayfarers  on  the  beach  of  the  coming  storm.  One  who  was 
present  says  he  shall  never  forget  the  excitement  of  the  moment  when  Captain 
Knap]i.  with  the  clear  voice  of  a  mariner,  sang  out :  "Boys,  those  birds  indicate 
stormy  weather!"  But  so  faithful  and  vigorous  were  the  exertions  which  were 
made  that  before  the  st(irm  came  the  cargo  was  safely  landeJ  and  securely 
stored. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  471 

Lorenzo  Janes  was  the  second  lawyer  who  settled  at  Racine.  When  nc 
came  Gilbert  Knapp,  Henry  F.  Cox  and  Joseph  Knapp  were  carrying  on  a 
forwarding  business,  and  Heath  &  Parsons  were  conducting  a  general  dry 
goods  trade.  Albert  G.  Knight  was  keeping  the  public  house  previously  kept 
by  Stebbins  &  ]\Iyers.  ?^Ir.  Janes  went  first  to  Gardiner's  Prairie,  in  Walworth 
county,  and  made  a  claim.  The  prairie  was  a  garden  of  flowers,  and  presented 
a  scene  as  beautiful  as  the  eye  could  rest  upon.  The  hand  of  man  had  marred 
not  its  grandeur,  his  voice  had  scarcely  disturbed  the  solitude;  Nature  had 
planted  lilies  in  the  valley  "to  waste  their  sweetness  on  the  desert  air,"  and 
"Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these." 

All  the  land  within  the  present  limits  of  Racine  on  the  west  side  of  Root 
river  and  south  of  State  street,  between  Huron  and  St.  Clair  streets,  was  cov- 
ered with  a  dense  forest  and  was  cleared  off  by  hand.  The  lowland  just  west 
of  the  river  and  bordering  it  was  covered  with  maple  trees  in  1837,  and  con- 
verted into  a  sugar  camp.  It  was  the  abiding  place  of  deer  and  prairie  wolves, 
and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  Joel  Sage  discovered  a  nest  of  young  wolves  at 
the  spot  where  McGinnis'  tavern  now  stands. 

In  the  winter  of  1836-37,  it  was  extremely  cold,  and  the  snow  deep.  Mr. 
Norman  Clark  lived  that  winter  in  a  small  frame  house  he  rented  of  John  M. 
]\Iyers,  and  which  protected  him  from  the  inclemencies  of  a  rigorous  season 
only  by  its  oak  and  bass  wood  clapboards.  He  had  made  a  claim  of  160  acres 
which  is  now  the  farm  owned  by  Mr.  John  Carlin. 

In  ]\Iarch.  1837,  Peter  Wright,  who  had  been  living  with  ]\Ir.  Clark,  died 
of  consumption.  Consultation  was  had  among  the  settlers  as  to  the  place  that 
should  be  selected,  not  only  for  this,  but  for  other  burials.  Mr.  Clark  and  a 
deputation  of  settlers  went  in  search  of  a  suitable  locality,  and  wandering  far 
away  in  the  woods,  at  last  selected  the  spot  where  now  the  Racine  Third  ward 
school  house  stands  as  the  village  cemetery.  The  people  were  of  the  opinion 
that  the  location  had  been  made  in  too  wild  and  distant  a  region,  but  acquiesced 
in  the  selection,  because  it  was  a  spot  that  would  never  be  disturbed !  There 
was  at  the  time,  one  other  grave  east  of  the  river,  which  was  that  of  a  woman, 
buried  near  the  present  site  of  Hart's  mill. 

In  the  winter  of  1838  the  people  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mr.  Clark's  cabin 
on  his  claim,  got  out  of  salt.  They  were  placed  in  sore  extremity,  for  baked 
potatoes  and  salt  were  their  staples.  It  came  to  be  understood  that  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Mitchell,  who  lived  far  away  on  the  prairie,  in  what  is  now  Keno- 
sha county,  had  a  barrel  of  salt.  Mr.  Clark  was  commissioned  to  go  for  a  sup- 
ply, and  not  to  look  backward  until  he  had  found  it.  He  started  on  a  cold, 
winter's  day,  traveling  on  horseback,  through  deep  snow,  and  after  great 
search,  found  the  INIitchell  cabin  on  tlie  prairie  and  the  barrel  of  salt.  He 
bought  a  peck,  and  after  a  wearisome  two  days'  journey  returned  home,  the 
bringer  of  great  joy,  to  his  waiting  neighbors.  The  Mr.  Mitchell  referred  to 
is  Henry  Mitchell,  of  Racine,  now  eminent  as  a  prosperous  and  successful 
manufacturer  of  wagons. 

The  year  1836  was,  as  all  know  who  experienced  its  business  history,  a 
remarkable  year.  It  was  as  memorable  in  Racine  as  elsewhere.  The  mania 
of  speculation  raged  wildly.  Captain  Knapp,  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  pro- 
cured his  float  title  already  spoken  of.  Speculators  were  traversing  the  coun- 
try looking  for  water  owers  and  village  sites ;  farmers  and  mechanics  threw 


472  COMiMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPinCAL    RECORD. 

aside  their  work,  and  began  to  buy  and  trade  in  village  lots  that  were  located 
in  an  unbroken  forest.  Racine  was  to  be  a  great  city,  even  three  years  before 
the  land  sales,  and  1  have  in  my  possession  the  estimated  value  of  town  lots 
in  Racine,  made  Sept.  i/th,  1836,  which  discloses  the  interesting  fact,  that  at 
that  time,  the  value  of  the  property  in  what  is  now  the  original  plat  of  Racine 
was  $348,100.  Upon  the  strength  of  such  an  assessment  as  that,  what  a  pity 
they  didn't  issue  some  city  bonds  in  anticipation  of  a  railroad,  via  Balls  Bluff, 
a  charter  for  which  was  obtained  in  1838! 

The  first  law  suit  tried  in  Racine,  I  believe,  grew  out  of  a  squirrel  hunt. 
Norman  Clark  and  Marshall  M.  Strong  as  the  respective  leaders,  chose  sides. 
On  one  side  were  Mr.  Clark,  Dr.  Cary,  Eugene  Gillespie,  and  others :  and  on 
the  other  side  were  Mr.  Strong,  Charles  Smith,  Joseph  Knapp,  and  others.  It 
was  arranged  that  all  kinds  of  game  should  be  hunted ;  a  squirrel  to  count  a 
certain  numl)er,  a  muskrat  another,  a  deer  head  counting  three  hundred,  and 
a  live  wolf  one  thousand.  They  were  to  obtain  their  trophies  by  any  means, 
foul  or  fair.  Clark  and  Gillespie  heard  of  a  deer  hunter  on  Pleasant  Prairie 
who  had  a  good  collection  of  heads.  Appropriating  a  fine  horse  owned  by  one 
Schuyler  ]\Iattison,  who  was  a  stranger  in  town,  Messrs.  Clark  and  Gilles- 
pie traversed  the  snow^  drifts,  found  the  hunter,  and  obtained  their  trophies. 
Meanwhile,  Mr.  Strong's  party  had  heard  of  a  live  wolf  in  Chicago.  It  was 
sent  for.  Its  transportation  was  secured  in  a  stage  sleigh.  But,  while  at  a 
stopping  place  at  Wilis'  Tavern,  a  party  of  sailors  with  one  Captain  Smith  at 
their  head  came  out  from  Southport,  and  Captain  Smith  killed  the  wolf  with 
a  bottle  of  gin.  Meanwhile,  also,  Mr.  Strong  went  to  Milwaukee  and  got  a 
sleighload  of  muskrat  noses,  which  out-counted  everything.  The  squirrel  hunt 
was  broken  up.  Mr.  Clark  had  ruined  Schuyler  Mattison's  horse  and  had  to 
pay  seventy-five  dollars  damages ;  and  Mr.  Strong  brought  suit  against  Cap- 
tain Smith  for  killing  the  wolf  with  the  gin  bottle.  George  Vail  was  plaintiff. 
Esquire  Mars  was  the  justice,  Norman  Clark  was  on  the  jurv.  \'erdict.  six 
cents  damages  and  costs! 

The  first  newspaper  published  at  Racine  was  the  Racine  Ai\^us.  The 
first  number  was  issued  on  the  14th  day  of  February.  1838.  J.  'SI.  Mvers. 
Alfred  Cary,  Gilbert  Knapp,  Stephen  I\-es.  Lorenzo  Janes  anrl  ^Marshall  'M. 
Strong,  proprietors,  and  N.  Dela\-an  Wood,  editor.  Its  editor  announces 
that,  as  an  early  admirer  of  ]\Ir.  Jefferson,  and  recognizing  in  the 
Democratic  party  political  ])rinciples  of  a  close  afifinity  to  those  of  this  dis- 
tinguished man,  he  shall  yield  his  feeble  support  to  that  party.  A  feeble  sup- 
port it  was.  for  while  he  had  enlisted  the  settlers  in  his  newspaper  enterprise  to 
the  tune  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  he  had  provided  ink  and  paper  for  only  one 
copy  of  his  paper.  He  tried  to  take  from  them  five  hundred  dollars  more,  but 
something  was  saved  through  the  activity  of  Mr.  Strong,  who  pursued  him  to 
Chicago,  and  in  the  second  number  it  was  announced,  that  "all  connection  with 
this  paper  of  N.  Delavan  Wood,  its  former  editor,  has  ceased.  The  causes 
which  have  led  to  this  premature  separation  are  of  such  a  character  that  we 
feel  unwilling  to  disclose  them,  and  shall  not  do  so  unless  circumstances  re- 
quire it."  From  and  after  this  time  Mr.  Stron.'sr  and  I\Ir.  Janes  alternated  in 
the  managen^'ent  and  editorship  of  the  paper.  I  find  it  stated  in  the  Ar^its 
of  March  24th,  183S.  that  durine  the  year  previous  fiftv  thousand  dollars  worth 
of  goods  were  disposed  of  at  Racine.     In  June,  1838.  the  census  returns  for 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  473 

Racine,  Mt.  Pleasant,  and  Rochester,  as  posted  up  in  the  hotel  of  John  M. 
Myers,  showed  a  population  of  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  ten,  but  it  was 
ascertained  that  seventy-six  persons  had  been  omitted  from  the  list,  so  that  the 
population  in  those  towns,  at  that  time,  was  in  fact,  one  thousand  one  hundred 
and  eighty-six. 

At  the  July  term.  1838.  of  the  district  court.  Judge  Frazier  presiding,  the 
court  sat  but  four  days,  and  only  eight  days  had  been  occupied  by  court  in  the 
three  terms  held  during  eighteen  months. 

At  the  summer  term  of  the  district  court  of  Racine  county,  in  1839.  the 
revised  statutes  of  Michigan  were  administered  by  Hon.  Andrew  G.  Miller, 
successor  of  Judge  Frazier.  and  before  the  close  of  the  term  they  were  super- 
seded by  the  revised  statutes  of  Wisconsin.  Judge  ]\Iiller  first  went  upon  the 
Bench  November  8th.  1838. 

At.  and  before,  this  time  the  land  sale  was  advertised  to  transpire  on  the 
19th  day  of  November.  1838.  In  consequence,  however,  of  the  necessities  of 
the  settlers,  and  after  the  most  persistent  applications,  President  VanBuren 
postponed  the  sale  until  March,  1839.  Mr.  Norman  Clark  was  chosen  by  set- 
tlers in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  to  bid  off  their  lands,  and  did  so.  It 
is  said  that  there  were  but  three  men  left  in  Racine,  during  the  land  sales, 
which  took  place  in  ^Milwaukee.  At  this  time  there  were  twenty-two  families 
in  the  village. 

The  marine  lists  of  1839.  record  the  periodical  arri\'al  at  this  port  of  the 
steamboats  "Madison,"  "Columbus,"  "Dewitt  Clinton."  "Constellation,"  "Jef- 
ferson." and  others,  whose  names  are  associated  with  the  earliest  navigation  of 
the  lakes,  and  their  arrival  was  always  the  occasion  of  a  joyous  demonstration. 

In  the  settlement  of  the  country,  the  word  claim  was  used  to  denominate 
both  the  tract  claimed,  and  the  right  to  that  tract.  The  right  under  a  claim  was 
asserted  much  upon  the  same  principle  that  nations  claim  islands  or  continents, 
viz. — discovery  and  possession.  In  the  increase  of  emigration,  government 
lines  not  being  yet  established,  it  sometimes  happened  that  two  persons  would 
locate  upon  the  same  quarter  section.  Disputes  arose.  All  the  settlers  were,  in 
fact,  trespassers,  and  the  law  of  the  land  could  not  settle  these  conflicting  claims. 
Accordingly,  in  consequence  of  the  frequency  of  these  disputes,  a  "mass  meet- 
ing" of  the  settlers  of  Racine  and  of  the  county  was  held  on  the  6th  day  of  June, 
1837,  at  the  house  of  Benjamin  Felch,  to  organize  an  association  for  protec- 
tion, and  to  adopt  a  constitution  and  code  of  laws,  under  which,  conflicting 
rights  and  claims  could  be  adjusted.  Gilbert  Knapp  was  appointed  president : 
Eldad  Smith,  \\'alter  Cooley,  Zadock  Newman,  Marshall  M.  Strong,  Samuel 
]\Iars,  Isaac  G.  Northway,  Oren  Stephens,  E.  S.  Sill,  Jason  Lothrop.  John 
Co.ggswell  and  E.  G.  Ayer  were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft  a  code  of  laws 
and  constitution.  At  an  adjourned  meeting,  a  constitution  was  presented  and 
adopted,  which  provided,  amon,g  other  things,  that  if  a  person  claimed  one 
quarter  section  he  must  improve  and  culti\ate  at  least  three  acres  within  six 
months  from  the  time  of  entering  his  claim,  and  within  one  year  build  a  house 
suitable  for  a  family,  or.  instead  of  building  a  house,  cultivate  three  acres  more 
on  his  claim.  If  his  claim  was  situated  in  woodland,  improvement  and  cultiva- 
tion consisted  in  clearing  off  the  down  timber  and  brush,  and  all  trees  two 
inches  in  diameter  and  under,  and  enclosing  the  requisite  quantity  of  land  with  a 
good  fence.     If  his  claim  laid  on  a  prairie,  then  he  must  enclose  the  proper 


474  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

quantitN-  with  a  fence,  and  plough  and  put  in  a  crop,  or  plant  in  part  and  make 
hav  in  part.  .\  judicial  committee  or  court  was  created,  before  which  cases 
covild  l)e  tried,  and  by  which  questions  could  be  settled,  and  all  the  necessary 
machinery  put  into  operation  for  adjusting  disputes,  or  deciding  them  by 
means  of  the  arbitrament  provided.  The  scheme  w'as  as  successful  as  it  was 
sensible,  and  it  has  been  well  said,  that  "when  we  call  to  mind  the  number  of 
inhabitants  occupying  this  tract  at  that  time,  the  improvements  which  they  had 
made  upon  their  farms,  the  mills  they  had  erected  and  the  villages  they  had 
built,  and  recollect  that,  from  the  first  settlement  of  the  county  until  1839, 
there  had  been  no  legal  titles  to  real  estate,  and  that  most  of  them  had  invested 
their  all  in  improvements  upon  their  lands,  we  can  not  but  wonder  at  their 
security,  and  be  astonished  that  the  rights  of  a  community  so  extensive,  should 
be  so  long  and  so  well  protected  by  the  mere  force  of  public  opinion  of  right 
and  wrong." 

I  have  spoken  of  the  election  of  Captain  Knapp  to  the  Territorial  council 
in  1836.  Many  of  the  old  settlers  look  back  with  pleasure  to  the  jollification 
had  over  his  election,  at  Racine.  He  had  been  nominated  as  the  Racine  can- 
didate, at  the  first  political  convention  ever  held  in  the  county.  The  convention 
convened  at  Rochester,  and  was  ever  after  known  all  over  the  country  as 
"Godfry's  Convention."  Milwaukee  was  dissatisfied  with  the  nomination. 
William  See  joined  the  disaffection,  and  headed  the  opposition  ticket.  An  old- 
fashioned  campaign  was  had.  The  little  village  of  Racine  was  alive  with 
excitement ;  caucuses  were  held ;  electioneering  parties  traversed  the  county. 
Modern  "wide-awakes"  and  "tanners"  pale  their  ineffectual  fires  in  compari- 
son. On  the  evening  of  election  day  the  villagers  gathered  at  the  hotel  to  get 
results.  Returns  came  rapidly  in,  and  Captain  Knapp  was  found  to  be  tri- 
umphantly elected.  .Dignity,  staid  propriety,  and  temperance  pledges  were 
all  laid  aside.  At  the  foot  of  Main  street  a  tar  barrel  was  fired,  and  around 
it  a  crowd  was  gathered,  dressed  in  disguise,  dancing  an  Indian  pow-wow-. 
The  lurid  gleams  of  the  fire  lighted  up  the  tall  oaks ;  dinner  bells,  cow  bells 
and  sleigh  bells  made  music  in  harmony  with  the  whoops  and  yells  of  the  vil- 
lagers ;  stumps  and  anvils  were  loaded  with  powder,  salutes  and  minute  guns 
were  fired,  processions  were  formeil.  stump  speeches  were  made  from  stumps, 
and  for  five  joyous  hours — 

Captain  Knapp's  constituents  were  glorious, 
"O'er  all  the  ills  o'  life  victorious." 

I  am  told  that  at  this  time.  Dr.  Elias  Smith,  AVilliam  H.  Waterman, 
Eldad  Smith,  Samuel  Mars,  Alanson  Filer,  Charles  Smith  and  his  brother 
Lyman  K.,  constituted  the  Whig  party  in  Racine. 

The  Racine  Advocate  was  established  in  1842.  It  was  announced  as 
a  newspaper  devoted  to  politics,  foreign  and  domestic  intelligence,  mechanic 
arts,  education,  temperance,  agriculture  and  general  news.  The  name  of  the 
editor  was  not  given,  but  on  the  21st  of  October,  1842,  ^Marshall  M.  Strong 
took  the  editor's  chair,  and  raised  the  stirring  motto  at  the  head  of  his  col- 
tmins :  "Westward,  the  Star  of  Empire  takes  its  way."  No  better  newspaper 
has  ever  been  published  in  the  county  than  was  the  Advocate  while  under  the 
editorial  charge  of  Mr.  Strong. 

I  find  in  the  year  1844  another  newspaper,  which  may  Ije  remembered  by 
some,  devoted  to  the  cause  of  temperance  and  anti-slavery,  and  called  the 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  475 

ll'iscoiisiii  -Jt'^f.Vj  was  puhlisliL-d  at  Racine.  It  preaclied  a  doctrine  strong 
enough  on  the  slavery  (question  to  suit  the  most  radical  Abolitionist  in  the 
days  of  Holly,  Lovejoy  and  Birney. 

In  1840  the  temporary  work  on  the  harbor  was  begun.  A  survey  of  the 
same  had,  liowever,  been  made  in  1836,  for  which  the  citizens  paid  one  hun- 
dred dollars.  Subsequently,  the  mouth  of  the  river  was  dug  out  on  a  straight 
cut,  and  the  people  of  Racine  assessed  their  property  fifteen  per  cent,  to  build 
piers  and  to  keep  the  harbor  open,  so  that  lighters  could  come  in.  The  assess- 
ment was  made  at  a  public  courthouse  meeting,  and  Levi  Blake  is  remembered 
to  have  said  on  the  occasion:  "It'll  only  cost  each  of  us  another  lot;  let's 
have  a  hartor."  Mr.  Blake  furnished  and  hauled  the  first  load  of  stone  that 
was  used  in  the  harbor  work.  The  first  pier  work  was  commenced  in  1840, 
at  an  expense  of  three  hundred  dollars,  and  in  1841  it  was  continued  at  a 
cost  of  sixteen  hundred  dollars.  Up  to  1844,  six  thousand  dollars  had  been 
paid  by  citizens  in  endeavoring  to  secure  a  harbor  before  they  commenced 
building  a  permanent  one.  On  the  i6th  day  of  March,  1844,  the  citizens, 
learning  that  their  harbor  appropriation  had  been  lost  in  the  United  States 
Senate,  assembled  at  the  court-house  and  raised  a  subscription  of  ten  thousand 
dollars  to  build  a  permanent  harlwr.  On  the  next  day  the  work  was  com- 
menced, and  the  first  piles  were  driven  with  a  hand  pile-driver.  Where  the 
mouth  of  the  river  now  is,  and  where  the  water  is  fifteen  feet  deep,  at  the  time 
the  hartor  work  was  commenced  the  stream  could  be  forded  without  difficulty. 
On  the  2d  of  November,  1844,  the  people  again,  in  response  to  an  address 
from  Thomas  J.  Cram,  of  the  United  States  Topographical  Engineers,  voted 
without  a  dissenting  voice  to  raise  five  thousand  dollars  more  for  work  on  the 
harlxir.  From  this  time  forward,  by  means  of  taxation  and  private  subscrip- 
tion, the  village  of  Racine  prosecuted  their  great  enterprise.  Its  history  in 
detail,  with  the  thrilling  story  of  the  "Rock  in  the  Harbor,"  and  the  time  when 
Ira  Dean  traversed  the  streets  of  the  village,  ringing  a  bell,  and  shouting: 
"There's  a  rock  in  the  harbor!  turn  out,  turn  out!"  time  and  space  forbid  my 
narrating.  On  the  14th  day  of  July,  1844,  the  steamer  "Chesapeake,"  Kelsey, 
master,  entered  the  harbor,  and  passing  up  the  river,  tied  up  at  the  dock  before 
Taylor  &  Cather's  warehouse.  She  was  the  first  steamboat  that  entered 
Racine  harbor,  or  any  other  artificial  harbor  in  Wisconsin. 

In  1839  Congress  appropriated  ten  thousand  dollars  for  opening  a  road 
from  Racine  to  Green  Bay  and  $10,000  for  a  road  from  Racine  to  Janesville, 
and  these  appropriations  were  expended  in  1839-40,  under  the  supervision  of 
Col.  Thomas  J.  Cram. 

The  first  wheat  brought  to  Racine  to  be  imirkefed  was  in  1840.  Mr. 
Charles  Wright  purchased  it,  and  paid  fifty  cents  a  bushel  in  trade.  Mr. 
Eldad  Smith  purchased  the  first  wheat  for  shi])ment.  in  184T,  and  shipped  it 
in  August.  1842. 

In  1839,  the  old  lighthouse  was  built,  and  at  that  time  there  was  not 
more  than  half  a  dozen  buildings  on  the  school  section.  The  school  section 
was  laid  out  in  blocks  in  1838. 

On  the  8th  of  June,  1844,  a  great  commotion  was  created  in  the  village 
by  the  arrival  of  the  propeller  "Racine,"  and  the  ceremony  of  presenting  a 
stand  of  colors  took  place.  Thomas  Wright,  esquire,  presented  the  colors  and 
made  an  eloquent  speech,  concluding  it  by  saying :  "May  prosperous  winds  and 


476  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

favoring  waves  attend  her  fleet  career,  and  the  riches  uf  her  earnings  re- 
ward the  enterprise  of  her  projectors."  Captain  Hawkins,  of  the  vessel, 
made  a  felicitous  response. 

The  first  steam  dredge  used  in  the  harhor  arrived  from  Chicago  on  the 
17th  of  June,  1844.  It  was  welcomed  in  the  newspapers  as  "Mister  Steam 
Dredge"  and  created  a  sensation. 

The  first  celebration  of  the  National  anniversary  occurred  on  the  4th 
day  of  July,  1844. 

I  have  already  stated  that  Judge  Frazier  was  the  first  judge  who  ever 
held  a  Court  of  Record  at  Racine,  or  in  the  county.  Henry  F.  Cox  was  the 
first  Clerk  of  the  Court;  Edgar  R.  Hugenin  the  first  Sheriff;  William  H. 
Waterman  the  first  Register  of  deeds;  Eugene  Gillespie  the  first  Treasurer; 
Frederick  S.  Lovell  the  first  clerk  of  the  lx)ard  of  supervisors;  and  Alvin 
Raymond  the  first  coroner.     They  were  elected  on  the  first  Monday  in  April, 

1837- 

The  first  training  was  had,  or  attempted  to  be  had,  in  the  fall  of  1840. 
Albert  G.  Knight  was  captain  of  the  company.  He  had  been  ordered  by  his 
superior  oflicer  to  call  out  his  company  for  parade,  preliminary  to  general 
muster.  For  some  reason  the  new  militia  law  contained  no  authority  at  all 
to  call  out  the  companies  of  militia.  A  few  knowing  ones  were  aware  of 
this  omission,  and  thought  the  Captain  was  not.  But  he  was  well  advised 
of  the  fact  and  determined  to  act  accordingly.  Having  duly  warned  out  the 
company,  and  as  they  were  mustered  in  line  in  the  morning,  Capt.  Knight 
ordered  the  name  of  each  man  called  and,  as  he  responded,  said  to  him : 
"Sir,  you  are  excused  for  the  day."  The  Captain's  duty  was  done,  and  he 
retired  amidst  the  consternation  of  his  company.  But  Tom  O' Sprig  rallied 
and  re-organized  them.  The  ringing  of  a  steamboat  bell  at  the  head  of  the 
column  filled  up  the  ranks,  and  the  Racine  militia  gallantly  trained  till  noon, 
when  they  adjourned  to  the  "Fulton  House"  for  dinner,  where  they  all  got 
so  drunk  they  couldn't  muster  at  all  in  the  afternoon. 

On  the  8th  day  of  December,  1836.  authority  was  obtained  from  the 
Territorial  legislature  to  build  a  bridge  across  Root  river,  but  the  first  bridge 
was  not  built  until  1838.  It  was  constructed  by  George  Fellows  and  a  Mr. 
Pool.  It  crossed  the  river  at  the  foot  of  Main  street,  and  was  used  until  1843, 
when  it  was  carried  away  by  the  ice  in  the  spring. 

On  the  27th  of  December,  1837.  the  Racine  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Com- 
pany w-as  chartered,  and  on  the  nth  of  January,  1838,  an  act  was  passed 
incorporating  the  Racine  Seminary.  Both  of  these  institutions.  I  believe, 
were  actually  organized. 

I  may  appropriately  conclude  what  I  have  to  say  of  Racine,  l)y  adding 
that  on  the  13th  day  of  February,  1841,  it  was  made  a  chartered  village,  and 
on  the  5th  day  of  August.  1848,  an  incorporated  city. 

MT.  PLEASANT.— \N\\\\7\m  See  and  Edmund  Weed  settled  in  Mt. 
Pleasant  in  January,  1835.  Mr.  See  located  at  the  Rapids,  and  Mr.  Weed  on 
a  claim  which  now  comprises  the  farm  of  Mr.  Fratt.  At  the  time  of  their 
arrival  two  men,  one  by  the  name  of  Carpenter  and  the  other  Harrison  K. 
Fay,  were  at  the  Rapids.  In  the  fall  of  1835.  Carpenter  left  the  Rapids  and 
settled  within  the  limits  of  Captain  Knapp's  claim,  on  the  north  side  of 
Root  river.     After  his  death  his  widow,  who  was  the  first  white  woman  who 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  477 

came  to  Mt.  Pleasant  or  Racine,  removed  further  north,  and  continued  to 
occupy  what  was  long  known  among  the  old  settlers  as  "the  Widow  Carpen- 
ter's claim." 

In  January,  1835,  William  Smith,  now  of  Pike  Grove,  made  a  trip  from 
Chicago  to  ^Milwaukee.  George  Smith,  in  later  years  the  eminent  banker, 
accompanied  him,  and  they  came  through  to  Milwaukee  upon  an  Indian  trail 
via  Grose  Point,  Skunk  Grove  and  the  Rapids.  Mr.  Smith  tells  me  that  at 
that  time  See  was  the  only  white  man  living  between  Grose  Point  and  Mil- 
waukee on  the  route  which  they  traveled.  In  this  connection  it  may  not 
be  uninteresting  to  mention  that  on  the  13th  of  May,  1836  Mr.  William 
Smith  sold  eighty  acres  of  land  which  he  owned  or  claimed  in  Milwaukee 
for  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  re-purchased  it  in  1838  for  one  thousand  dol- 
lars. 

In  April,  1835,  James  Walker  came  to  Racine  on  a  vessel  with  Captain 
Knapp.  He  was  just  starting  in  life,  made  a  claim  in  Mt.  Pleasant,  built  a 
cabin,  purchased  at  the  land  sales  in  '39  the  lands  to  which  he  had  previously 
made  a  claim  and  has  ever  since  resided  on  the  same.  After  Mr.  Walker's 
arrival  Carpenter,  whose  cabin  was  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  died,  and 
was  buried  of  the  bank  of  Duck  creek  in  the  depths  of  the  forest.  Mr. 
Walker  made  the  coffin  in  which  Carpenter  was  buried,  and  this  was  the 
first  burial  of  a  white  man  within  the  limits  of  Mt.  Pleasant  or  Racine. 

During  the  same  year  William  See  built  a  sawmill  at  the  Rapids,'  and 
Mr.  \\'alker  establishe'd  a  turning  lathe  at  the  same  place.  Mr.  \Valker  also 
laid  the  original  foundation  for  the  dam,  in  the  river  at  the  Rapids. 

The  Pottawotomie  Indians  were  then  abundant  in  the  neighborhood. 
The  principal  Indian  trading  post  was  at  Skunk  Grove,  on  what  is  now  the 
farm  of  Benjamin  Reynolds. — Another  saw  mill  was  also  erected  at  the 
Rapids,  and  a  stock  of  goods  brought  in  b}-  James  Kinzie.  James  Walker 
was  a  member  of  the  jury  convened  at  the  first  term  of  court  held  by  Judge 
Frazier  in  Racine  county. 

In  July,  1835,  Thomas  Place  settled  in  T^It.  Pleasant.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  his  father,  Andrew  Place,  and  by  Alva  and  Zadock  Xewman. 
They  came  with  ox-teams  from  Chicago  to  Skunk  Grove,  overtaking  Daniel 
B.  Rorke  at  Grose  Point,  who  became  their  companion  the  remainder  of  the 
.  journey.  Andrew  Place,  Alva  and  Zadock  Newman  had  been  here  in  June 
before,  and  made  their  claims,  upon  which  they  now  permanently  located, 
and  which  comprise  the  farms  ever  since  respectively  occupied  by  the  fam- 
ilies. During  the  first  season  Air.  Andrew  Place  and  the  Newmans  had  to 
go  to  St,  Joseph,  Mich.,  for  flour.  They  went  in  the  winter,  with  ox-teams, 
and  were  gone  two  months.  In  1836  they  were  obliged  to  go  to  mill  at  a 
point  sixty  miles  distant,  on  Fox  River,  and  in  subsequent  years  they  had 
their  grinding  done  at  Geneva. 

Air.  Thomas  Place  lived  six  months  with  Jambeau  and  was  employed 
as  his  clerk.  Twice  a  year  the  Indians  had  their  great  corn  dance,  when 
prayers  were  vehemently  ofifered  for  a  good  crop  of  corn. 

Alound  Cemetery  was  an  Indian  burying-ground,  and  filled  with  large 
mounds.  Mr.  Place  remembers  the  burial  of  an  Indian  chief.  A  pen  was 
constructed  large  enough  for  the  reception  of  the  body,  and  chinked  up  with 
moistened    earth    and   other    material ;    the    Indians   then   placed    their    dead 


4/8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

chief  within  it,  in  a  sitting  posture,  surrounded  hy  some  of  the  rehcs  of  his 
race.  For  a  considerable  time  thereafter  the  survivors  habituaUy  visited 
llie  gra\-e.  where  they  moaned  and  wept,  pouring  whisky  on  the  body  of  tlie 
dead  as  their  offering  to  the  Great  Spirit. 

In  November,  1835,  Mr.  Alanson  Filer  made  a  claim  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
of  a  fractional  half-section,  and  subsequently  purchased  at  the  land  sales. 
His  premises  were  the  same  now  known  as  the  homestead  of  Judge  Doo- 
litt^e.  Mr.  Filer  came  first  to  the  West  in  the  spring  of  1833,  and  settled 
in  Chicago.  It  was  also  in  the  year  1835  that  Samuel  N.  Basye,  Mr.  Hague, 
Silas  Lloyd,  Orville  \V.  Barnes  and  Mr.  Cleveland  settled  in  Mt.  Pleasant. 

In  September.  1837.  William  Bull  and  Daniel  Slauson  came  together 
by  their  own  conveyance  from  Detroit.  They  had  previously  met  Jonathan 
M.  Snow,  at  Grand  Haven,  who  had  there  told  them  of  the  "promised  land" 
on  the  west  side  of  lake  Michigan.  Upon  their  arrival  here  they  stopped 
at  a  log  tavern  kept  by  Lewis  G.  Dole,  where  now  Orville  W.  Barnes  resides. 
They  then  learned  that  Mr.  Snow  held  a  claim  near  Dole's  tavern,  upon 
which  there  was  a  frame  house.  Mr.  Bull  immediately  located  in  Caledonia, 
and  Mr.  Slauson  purchased  a  claim  from  a  sister  of  the  wife  of  Samuel 
r^lars,  upon  which  he  planted  fruit  trees,  in  't,j,  and  which  ultimately  be- 
came the  noble  farm  upon  which  he  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  and  where  he 
died  after  a  career  of  usefulness  and  prosperity  unexcelled  by  that  of  any 
of  the  early  settlers  who  preceded  or  fijllowed  him,  in  the  journev  to  their 
last  home. 

In  the  spring  of  1839  ^^i"-  Bull  removed  from  Caledonia,  and  having 
purchased  the  claim  of  Jonathan  M.  Snow  settled  in  Mt.  Pleasant  and  has 
ever  since  occupied  the  farm  upon  which,  nearly  thirty  years  ago.  he  began 
his  career  as  a  successful  Racine  county  farmer. 

E.  D.  Filer,  June  27,th,  1837,  bought  a  claim  in  ]\It.  Pleasant,,  upon 
which  there  was  a  poorly  constructed  log  house.  Mr.  Filer  could  not  buy 
a  cook  stove  at  that  time  in  Racine,  and  the  cooking  had  to  be  done  in  the 
yard  by  the  side  of  a  log.  Mr.  Filer  assisted  Morris  and  Waterman  in 
building  the  courthouse  at  Racine,  and  was  also  for  a  considerable  period 
engaged  in  the  construction  of  Racine  harbor.  One  cold,  blustering  Sunday 
Mr.  Filer,  with  his  riile  on  his  shoulder,  while  in  pursuit  of  a  wolf,  en- 
countered an  elder  of  the  church,  and  after  considerable  discussion  per- 
mission to  pursue  the  hunt  was  granted,  on  condition  that  he  proved  himself 
a  good  shot,  and  gave  the  elder  a  good  dinner. 

Nathan  Joy  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Mt.  Pleasant.  He  came 
in  June,  1836,  by  the  lakes,  from  Buffalo  to  Chicago.  He  sailed  in  the  first 
three-master  that  made  a  \-oyage  around  the  lakes.  At  Chicago  he  took 
passage  on  a  little  schooner  called  the  "Llewellyn."  for  Racine.  He  bought 
the  claim  which  in  late  years  was  the  farm  of  Albert  DeGroat.  Wallace 
Mygatt  was  then  at  the  corners  named  for  him.  Mygatt  had  a  little  square 
frame  house  on  the  heights  at  the  corners,  which  on  a  clear  day  could  be 
seen  miles  aw^ay,  and  which  the  settlers  called  the  lighthouse.  Soon  after 
his  arrival  Mr.  Joy  and  his  brother  Orsamus  made  a  trip  on  foot  to  Fox 
ri\cr. 

They  took  with  tliem  a  piece  of  pork  for  food  and  a  compass  for  their 
guidance.      They    follo\\-e(l   Indian   trails,   going  by   the   way  of   Rochester. 


CO.AniEMORATIVE    mOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  479 

Returning,  they  traveled  by  night  as  well  as  by  day.  As  the  shadows  of 
evening  began  to  fall,  and  they  on  a  wild,  untrutlden  prairie,  they  set  their 
compass  by  the  stars,  and  far  into  the  night  they  journeyed  on  alone,  until  they 
were  worn  and  weary.  Pausing  to  rest  for  a  momait,  they  heard  in  the 
distance  the  murmuring  tinkle  of  a  cowbell — indicative,  surely,  of  a  human 
habitation.  They  listened  again,  then  turned  their  course  in  the  direction 
from  w'hich  the  sound  of  the  bell  seemed  to  come.  Pushing  on  in  the  same 
direction,  dismissing  compass  and  stars  from  their  thoughts,  they  soon 
found  themselves  in  Alva  Newman's  house,  where,  thanks  to  the  music  of  a 
cowbell  on  that  lonely  prairie,  they  rested  until  morning. 

In  1838,  as  the  expected  land  sales  were  approaching,  the  settlers  found 
themselves  without  means  to  make  their  purchases.  It  was  a  critical  time. 
Many  had  made  valuable  improvements,  and  there  was  danger,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  expected  sales  in  November  of  that  year,  that  many  would 
lose  all,  which,  through  many  hardships,  struggles  and  privations,  they  had 
hoped  to  secure.  A  plan  was,  therefore,  inaugurated  to  raise  money  at  the 
east.  A  public  meeting  was  held  and  it  was  determined  that  the  settlers 
of  the  county  should  execute  their  agreement  to  mortgage  all  their  lands 
after  getting  title  at  the  land  sale,  and  that  Nathan  Joy  and  Michael  Myers 
should  go  as  their  delegates  to  Eastern  cities  to  make  a  loan  of  $50,000. 
The  bond  was  executed,  giving  Messrs.  Joy  and  Myers  full  authority,  and 
promising  to  make  their  mortgages  as  mentioned.  Schedules  of  the  names 
of  the  subscribers  to  the  bond,  and  of  the  lands  claimed  by  each,  with  the 
improvements  they  had  made  upon  the  lands,  and  stating  the  amount  of 
money  each  settler  required,  were  also  prepared.  Messrs.  Joy  and  Myers 
proceeded  to  the  East  upon  their  great  enterprise,  and  after  months  of  absence 
returned  and  made  the  disheartening  report  that  not  a  dollar  could  be  bor- 
rowed upon  any  or  all  the  lands  in  the  county  of  Racine.  Fortunatelv, 
however,  the  postponement  of  the  land  sales  until  the  spring  of  1839,  re- 
lieved the  settlers  of  the  extremity  apprehended  and  banished  the  cloud 
that  appeared  to  be  darkening  their  fortunes. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  in  Mt.  Pleasant  whose  names  I  now 
recall,  are  two  wlio  are  members  of  your  society,  Augustus  B.  Crane  who 
came  into  the  town  May  15,  1839,  and  Seth  P.  Phelps  who  arrived  during  the 
same  year.  Joseph  Nixon  and  John  R.  Bassett  should  also  be  numbered  among 
the  earliest  settlers. 

CALEDONIA. — I  have  the  word  of  Mr.  Elam  Beardsley  for  saying 
that  he  was  the  first  actual  white  settler  in  Caledonia.  It  has  been  said  that 
John  Davis  preceded  him,  but  though  IMr.  Davis  may  have  first  asserted  a 
claim  in  the  towai,  I  think  that  Mr.  Beardsley  established  the  first  actual  set- 
tlement, and  that  ]Mrs.  Beardsley  was  the  first  white  woman  who  came 
into  the  county  for  a  permanent  home.  He  came  from  Michigan,  bringing 
with  him  his  familv.  and  on  the  third  night  after  he  set  out  on  his  perilous 
journey  he  anrl  his  hr)useho](l  jewels  slept  in  a  shantv  on  his  claim  in  Cale- 
donia. 

In  February,  183=;,  Levi  Blake  and  his  three  sons,  C.  H.  Blake,  E.  S. 
Blake  and  Lucius  S.  Blake,  set  out  from  their  home  near  Niles,  Michigan, 
for  some  obce,  they  scarcely  knew  where.  They  arri\-ed  in  Chicago  on  the 
loth   of   February,    where    they   provided    themselves    with   supplies    and    a 


48o  COM.ME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Mackinac  blanket.  They  left  Chicago,  and  at  night  arrived  at  Grose  Point, 
eighteen  miles  north,  and  were  hospitably  entertained  by  the  I^'rench  traders. 
The  next  morning  they  set  out  for  the  next  point  of  prominence,  which  was 
Skunk  Grove.  It  was  a  cold  winter's  day.  The  snow  obscured  the  trail  on 
which  they  were  traveling,  and  they  had  a  long,  long,  weary  day,  with  ap- 
prehensions of  a  still  more  dreary  night.  Night  found  them  in  a  grove 
about  three  miles  west  of  the  present  site  of  Waukegan.  The  cold  was  in- 
tense; they  kindled  a  fire  with  the  last  match  that  was  left  them.  Thev 
spent  the  night  standing  around  the-  tire  and  constructing  a  sled.  In  the 
morning,  leaving  behind  them  their  wagon,  they  proceeded  on  their  journey. 
At  noon  their  eyes  were  delighted  with  the  sight  of  a  human  being  leading 
a  pony. 

On  his  approach  he  informetl  them  that  he  and  that  pony  were  the 
United  States  Route  Agents  on  the  way  from  Chicago  to  Green  Bay  with 
the  mail.  He  gave  them  directions  and  informed  them  of  the  landmarks 
that  would  guide  tliem  to  Skunk  Grove,  which  they  reached  after  the  dark- 
ness of  night  had  fallen  upon  them,  and  after  much  suffering  from  tlie 
severity  of  the  weather.  Arrived  at  a  trading  post  at  Skunk  Grove,  they 
were  the  recipients  of  the  ho  spitality  of  Jok  Jambeau  and  his  squaw,  and 
remained  over  night.  On  the  next  morning  they  began  explorations  for 
a  place  to  locate.  At  a  point  on  the  river  three  miles  northwesterly  from 
Jambeau's  they  found  John  Davis,  who  had  entered  a  claim  and  was  resid- 
ing upon  it.  They  remained  with  him  several  days,  and  looked  over  the 
country.  The  representations  of  the  country  which  they  had  heard  from 
others  proved  truthful.  They  took  exception  only  to  the  climate,  but  Mr. 
L.  S.  Blake  thinks  the  winter  of  1835-36  the  coldest  he  ever  experienced 
in  Wisconsin. 

On  the  15th  day  of  February  they  made  their  claim.  They  staked  out, 
as  they  supposed,  enough  land  for  four;  but  when  the  survey  was  made  it 
was  found  that  they  had  only  secured  a  sufficient  quantity  of  land  tor  two 
claims.  They  then  visited  the  Rapids,  and  found  there  Mr.  See.  who  was 
building  his  mill.  Upon  returning  to  their  claim  they  built  a  log  shanty 
without  a  window  in  it.  They  soon  returned  to  Micliigan  and  removed  to 
Chicago,  where  the  family  lived  two  years.  Meanwhile  Lucius  S.  Blake  and 
his  brother  A.  H.  Blake  came  back  to  the  claim  and  resided  in  their  cabin  two 
seasons.  They  ploughed  a  portion  of  the  land,  made  some  fencing,  and  held 
the  claim  by  actital  occupancy  until  Mr.  Levi  Blake  removed  to  it  with  his  fam- 
ily in  the  fall  of  1837.  Captain  Blake's  capacious  log  house,  which  he  built 
on  his  premises,  was  a  landmark  in  the  country.  It  was  always  open  to  the 
settlers,  and  the  hospitality  of  its  proprietor  gave  it  the  appropriate  name  of 
"Our  House."  The  farm  now  owned  by  James  Wilson  constituted  part  of  the 
Blake  claim.  Early  in  1835  Edward  Bradley  and  his  brother  made  claims  in 
Caledonia,  and  during  the  summer  of  1835  and  spring  of  '36  other  settlers  ar- 
rived with  their  families :  among  them  were  Simeon  Butler,  Isaac  Butler, 
Thomas  Butler,  Joseph  Adams  and  Shintafer,  whom  Mr.  Blake  describes  as 
a  daring  specimen  of  a  borderer.  I  think  at  about  the  same  time  Ezra  Beard- 
sley,  the  father  of  Elam  Beardslev.  and  Ira  Hurll:)ut,  also,  settled  in  the  town. 
Ezra  Beardsley  was  known  as  a  sturdy  pioneer  of  great  heart  and  noble  hos- 
pitality. 


COM.MEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  4S1 

About  the  JJiid  of  September,  1835,  Walter  Cuoley  and  his  family 
came  to  Caledonia,  accompanied  by  Eldad  Smith  and  Air.  Elisha  Raymond, 
Sr.,  and  family.  Mr.  Cooky  came  first  to  Racine  alone,  in  Alay,  1835.  He 
settled  on  a  claim  southwest  of  the  Rapids,  but  afterward  located  about  one 
mile  north,  on  or  near  a  line  of  blazed  trees  which  at  that  point  marked  the 
route  from  Chicago  to  Milwaukee.  In  the  spring  of  1836  ]\Ir.  Cooley  re- 
moved to  the  premises  which  until  a  late  day  he  continued  to  own  as  his 
homestead,  and  as  his  country  resort  after  he  became  a  resident  of  Racine. 
His  removal  in  1836  was  occasioned  by  the  fact  that  he  one  day  disco\ered 
that  he  had  located  on  the  southeast  corner  of  another  man's  claim. 

Eldad  Smith  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Caledonia.  He  arrived 
in  Racine  on  the  22nd  day  of  September,  1835,  and,  remaining  there  a  short 
time,  went  into  Caledonia  and  purchased  the  claim  of  John  Davis.  It  was 
a  claim  covering  240  acres.  He  built  a  log  house  and  went  there  to  live, 
on  the  1st  day  of  November,  1835,  remaining  until  the  winter  of  1841,  when 
he  removed  to  Racine.  He  says  that  in  the  fall  of  1835,  in  addition  to  those 
already  named,  Trystam  Davis,  Mr.  Fowler.  Air.  Stillman,  Hugh  Bennett 
and  Hiram  Bennett  were  settled  in  Caledonia. 

Mr.  Smith  built  his  house  by  rolling  up  logs  and  putting  on  a  roof 
made  of  shingles  of  about  the  size  of  staves,  split  out  of  white  oak  logs. 
He  and  his  family  did  not  suffer  for  want  of  provisions  in  their  new  home. 
He  had  in  the  fall  of  1835  bought  two  barrels  of  flour  at  Chicago,  and 
enough  other  supplies  to  last  them  through  the  winter.  In  January  or 
February,  1836,  James  Kinzie  brought  in  a  drove  of  hogs  called  "prairie 
racers,"  and  the  settlers  supplied  themselves  with  pork. 

Prairie  wolves  and  Pottawotomie  Indians  were  equally  abundant.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  there  were  three  encampments  of  Indians  uncomfortably 
near  Mr.  Smith's  house.  In  1837  or  "38  the  Indians  were  removed  west 
of  the  Mississippi. 

Air.  Smith  says  that  in  those  days  they  had  neither  rats,  beggars  nor 
thieves ! 

As  early  as  December,  1835,  Sheridan  Kimball  settled  in  Caledonia. 
During  the  summer  of  that  year  Mr.  Kimball,  while  living  in  Chicago, 
heard  of  a  settlement  on  Root  river  in  Wisconsin,  and  in  the  month  of 
December,  in  company  with  Sandford  Blake.  Stephen  Sanford  and  a  man 
whose  name  he  cannot  now  recall,  he  set  out  for  the  Root  river  settlement. 
In  the  evening  of  their  first  day's  journey  the  party  arrived  at  Patterson's 
tavern,  about  eight  miles  from  Chicago,  where  they  spent  the  night.  On 
the  next  morning  they  resumed  their  journey  upon  a  new  wagon  road 
through  the  woods,  which  had  been  previously  an  Indian  trail,  one  of  the 
evidences  of  which  was  a  dead  Indian  child,  deposited  in  a  rude  coffin  and 
lodged  in  a  tree  which  stood  by  the  wayside.  On  the  second  night  of  their 
journey  they  arrived  at  Sunderland's  tavern.  In  the  evening  of  their  third 
day's  journey  Air.  Kimball  and  his  comrades  arrived  at  a  log  tavern  in  the 
edge  of  the  woods,  and  were  rejoiced  to  learn  that  they  had  reached  tbe 
Root  River  country.  Some  of  the  settlers  called  at  the  cabin  that  night- 
and  talked  cheeringly  of  the  richness  of  the  land,  the  future  prospects  of  the 
town  of  Racine,  and  the  general  development  of  the  countrv. 

The  proprietor  of  the  tavern   was  a   Air.   Strong  who  died  long  ago, 


482  CC^M.MIlMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  was  l)uried  near  his  cabin,  two  miles  mirth  of  IMygatt's  corners,  and 
the  crunililing  waUs  of  whicii  yet  stand.  Leaving  Mr.  Strong's  caljin  Mr. 
Kimball  and  his  companions  traveled  on  nntil  they  reached  the  cabin  of  John 
Davis,  where  they  breakfasted. 

.At  the  crossing  of  Skunk  creek,  where  Mr.  Hood  now  resides,  men 
were  building  the  first  bridge  across  the  stream.  Among  them  was  Symmes 
Butler,  who  had  located  near  what  is  now  called  Caledonia  Center.  Re- 
suming their  travels,  Mr.  Kimball  and  party  soon  reached  the  house  of  C. 
H.  Blake,  who  was  Hving  in  a  log  cabin  on  the  claim  which  was  afterward 
the  home  of  Captain  Levi  Blake.  Resting  there  until  toward  evening,  they 
continued  their  tramp  until,  at  night,  they  arrived  at  the  residence  of  Sym- 
mes Butler.  He  was  living  on  what  was  called  Hoosier  creek.  Several 
families  were  li\  ing  in  the  neighborhood,  among  them  Mr.  Janes,  the 
founder  of  Janesville.  They  were  cordially  welcomed.  The  next  morning, 
as  thev  were  preparing  to  depart,  Mrs.  Butler  remarked :  "\Mien  you  get 
out  in  the  woods,  you  will  know  the  reason  why  my  husband  is  so  ragged, 
he  has  been  running  through  the  woods  so  much  he  has  left  a  rag  on  every 
bush."  With  Mr.  Butler  as  their  guide,  they  rambled  through  groves  of 
timber  and  openings,  and  crossed  beautiful  prairies  and  meadows,  with 
only  here  and  there  a  claim,  and  greatly  exhilarated  by  the  thought  that 
all  this  goodly  land  could  be  bought  for  one  dollar  and  twentv-five  cents 
per  acre!  Mr.  Kimball  made  a  claim  at  that  time,  and  settled  on  it.  In  the 
latter  part  of  February.  1S36.  he  returned  to  Chicago,  and  immediately 
made  preparations  for  removing  to  Root  v'wer.  with  his  aged  parents.  His 
brother,  Leonard  Kimball,  preceded  them  to  make  preparations  for  their 
arrival.  About  the  middle  of  March  they  started  with  three  yoke  of  oxen 
and  a  wagon,  and  were  two  .weeks  making  their  jnurney.  Arrived  at  their 
destination,  they  found  an  unfinished  cabin  on  the  premises,  which  was  soon 
completed  with  its  shake  roof,  rude  stone  chimney  and  elm  bark  floors. 

During  the  first  four  or  five  years  of  his  adventurous  life  in  his  new 
home  ^Ir.  Kimball  was  compelled  to  struggle  against  hardships  and  desti- 
tution. He  had  in  store  a  small  quantitv  of  provisions  and  nine  dollars  in 
money.  Bereavement  soon  followed  in  the  death  of  his  brother,  which  oc- 
curred about  the  i6th  of  May,  1836. 

In  the  beginnin,g  of  '36  Mr.  Kimball  went  to  Chica.go.  and  delivered 
stone  for  Chicago  harbor,  continuing  through  the  summer  and  part  of  the 
fall.  In  the  summer  of  1837  Mr.  Kimball  conceived  the  idea,  also,  of 
getting  wheat  from  a  brother,  who  lived  west  of  Chicago,  and  taking  it 
to  a  mill  on  Fox  ri\er  to  be  ground  into  flour  and  then  hauling  it  to  Wis- 
consin to  be  sold  for  twelve  dollars  a  barrel.  He  began  hauling  soon  after 
harvest,  and  made  three  trips,  oftentimes  supplying,  on  his  journeys,  the 
necessuies  of  settlers  whom  he  met  and  who  were  witliout  bread  or  money. 

At  the  land  sale  in  1839  Mr.  Kiml)a]l  secured  the  land  which  he  had 
claimed,  and  continued  to  reside  upon  it  until  he  removed  to  Racine,  which 
has  since  been  his  home. 

In  1836,  W'illiam  Sears.  Luther  R.  Sears.  James  Bussev.  Joel  Horner. 
Fmanuel  Horner.  Daniel  ^^'ooster  and  his  sons,  and  .Mexander  Logan  and 
Thomas  Spencer  made  their  settlements. 

Daniel  Wooster  and  his  son  Adney,  on  the  ist  day  of  January,   1835, 


CO:\BIE^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  483 

started  from  the  town  of  Derby,  Conn.,  with  his  team  for  the  \Vest  in 
search  of  a  location  where  he  could  settle  and  make  a  home  for  himself  and 
family.  Traveling  through  the  States  of  New  York,  Michigan,  Indiana  and 
Illinois,  he  reached  Wisconsin  in  the  month  of  March  of  the  same  year, 
and  located  in  the  town  of  Caledonia.  The  spring  following  Mr.  Daniel 
Wooster's  son,  Julius  Wooster,  with  the  family,  came  to  Caledonia,  by  way  of 
Buffalo,  around  the  lakes.  Mr.  Wooster  remained  on  the  farm  where  he 
first  located  until  his  death,  which  occurred  about  four  years  since.  John 
\\'heeler  and  Joseph  Cannon  were  also  among  the  early  settlers,  but  the  ^■ears 
of  their  arrival  are  unknown  to  me.    Esek  Sears  came  in  1838. 

1836  is  remembered  as  the  year  in  Caledonia,  and  even  elsewhere,  when 
the  settlers  received  from  Michigan  an  importation  of  flour  which  nearlv 
cost  soifie  of  them  their  lives.  It  was  called  in  those  days  "sick  flour,"  and 
nobody  but  Shintafer  could  eat  it.. 

Samuel  Hood  located  in  Caledonia,  May  24th,  1838;  George  F.  Rnjjerts 
and  Henry  B.  Roberts  in  1837,  and  John  Trumbull  in  August,  1839.  Tim- 
othy D.  Morris  came  in  October,  1838,  and  made  a  claim,  which  he  sold 
in  1840.  In  1839  he  and  his  brother,  who  owned  land  adjoining,  broke 
up  twenty  acres,  which  was  the  first  land  plowed  on  the  north  side  of  the 
prairie.  During  the  following  winter  and  spring  Mr.  Morris  made  rails 
and  fenced  the  breaking.  He  procured  his  timber  for  rails  on  the  adjoin- 
ing section,  belonging  to  the  government.  Isaac  Place  thought  he  would 
make  rails  from  the  same  timber.  Each  tried  to  get  in  advance  of  the  other 
by  claim — marking  Uncle  Sam's  best  trees  with  all  the  speed  of  men  run- 
ning a  foot  race.  A  few  years  later  Mr.  Morris  sold  his  original  eighty 
acres  and  bought  the  tract  where  he  and  Isaac  Place  had  cut  the  timber  with- 
out leave  of  Uncle  Sam,  and  now  owns  and  resides  upon  it. 

Daniel  B.  Rork  settled  where  he  now  lives,  in  Caledonia,  in  June,  1837. 
He  bought  the  claim  of  Jok  Jambeau.  Jambeau  asked  him  $2,000  for  it 
but  finally  sold  it  for  $525.  It  was  fenced  in  1834,  and  was  probably  the 
first  claim  fenced  east  of  Rock  river.  Mr.  Rork  came  to  the  countv  in 
1835,  and  in  that  year  made  a  claim  at  Burlington.  Other  parties  jumped 
it,  but  he  succeeded  in  maintaining  it,  and  afterward  sold  it  to  Silas  Peck 
for  S200.  Mr.  Rork  knew  all  the  settlers  east  of  Rock  ri\-er,  and  assisted 
in  the  erection  of  the  first  frame  house  built  in  Milwaukee. 

Rev.  Cyrus  Nichols  settled  in  Caledonia  in  the  fall  of  1836.  He  Ijought 
a  claim  and  built  a  log  house,  about  forty  rods  from  his  present  residence. 
He  was  a  missionary,  and  traversed  the  country  preaching  to  the  settlers. 
On  one  occasion,  when  he  held  religious  services  at  the  trading  post  at  Skunk 
Grove,  the  settlers  attended — among  them  Mr.  Lucius  S.  Blake — armed  with 
guns,  and  he  administered  to  them  a  sharp  rebuke  for  carrying  firearms  to 
cluuxh. 

3.1r.  Nichols  and  family  were  victims  to  the  "sick  flour"  that  came  from 
Michigan,  although  it  cost  him  $22  a  barrel.  He  says  that,  although  the 
settlers  had  but  one  apartment  in  their  liouses,  there  was  alwavs  room  for 
all  who  came.  He  had  previously  lived  in  Missouri,  and  there  had  l)ut  one 
mom  in  his  house  and  that  the  kitchen.  On  coming  to  Wisconsin  he  re- 
solved he  would  have  a  parlor.  He  kept  his  resolution,  and  had  a  parlor, 
and  lived  in  it  ;  Imt  llmt  was  the  onlv  room  in  the  house! 


484  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

The  first  white  child  born  in  Caledonia  was  Mrs.  Maria  Bacon,  daugh- 
ter of  the  late  Joseph  Adams.  She  was  born  on  the  2d  day  of  September, 
1835,  and  it  is  an  unsettled  question  whether  she,  or  Helen  Mars,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Mars,  who  was  also  born  in  1835,  in  Mt.  Pleasant,  was  the  first 
white  person  born  in  the  county. 

BURLINGTON. — About  the  15th  day  of  December,  1S35,  :\Ioses 
Smith  and  William  Whiting  made  the  first  mark  at  Burlington,  Whiting 
claiming  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  Smith  on  the  west  side,  near  the 
spot  where  the  Perkins  mill  now  stands.  They  made  what  was  called  a 
"jack  knife"  claim,  by  putting  names  and  dates  on  a  tree. 

On  the  27th  of  December,  1835,  Moses  Smith,  William  \Miiting,  B. 
C.  Perce  and  Lemuel  Smith  built  a  shanty  in  the  little  grove  in  the  river 
bend  on  the  east  side  of  Fox  river.  They  cut  a  large  white  oak  tree  near 
where  Muth's  brewery  now  stands,  built  a  rude  log  hut  on  the  present  farm 
of  David  Bushnell,  spent  three  days  prospecting  and  surveying  on  both  sides 
of  the  river,  and  finally  constructed  a  cabin  on  the  west  side. 

In  January,  1836,  Enoch  D.  W^oodbridge  built  the  body  of  a  log  house 
on  the  east  side,  which  afterward  formed  part  of  the  ta\'ern  kept  by  Ruel 
Nims. 

In  February,  1836,  Nathan  -H.  Darling  made  a  claim  for  Nelson  R. 
Norton,  on  what  has  since  been  and  is  yet  known  as  the  Rooker  farm. 

In  April,  1S36,  IMoses  Smith  took  up  his  residence  in  a  shanty  nn  the 
west  side  of  the  river,  and  in  May  built  a  log  house  near  where  the  Perkins 
mill  is  situated. 

In  the  latter  part  of  May,  1836,  James  Nelson  built  a  log  house  and 
blacksmith  shop  near  what  is  now  the  south  end  of  Durgin's  bridge. 

In  June  of  the  same  year  B.  C.  Perce  erected  a  building  for  a  store, 
which  is  now,  or  was  recently,  standing  on  the  bank  of  the  mill  pond,  just 
outside  the  present  fair  grounds. 

In  July,  1836,  Daniel  B.  Rork  came,  and  claimed  the  fraction  of  land 
upon  which  the  greater  part  of  the  present  village  stands. 

In  July  of  the  same  year  David  Bushnell  located  on  his  present  farm, 
and  reconstructed  the  cabin  which  had  been  put  up  in  1835  by  Whiting  and 
others.  He  acquired  his  interest  in  the  claim  from  Whiting,  all  other  parties 
having,  I  suppose,  abandoned  it.  The  same  property  was  purchased  at  the 
land  sales  in  1839,  by  Stephen  Bushnell  who  came  to  Burlington  in  March, 
1837.  George  Bushnell  had  been  here  in  ]\Iarch,  '36.  At  this  time  Burlington 
was  known  as  "the  Lower  Forks." 

In  August,  1836,  Origen  Perkins  made  his  claim  in  Burlington.  In  Sep- 
tember of  the  same  year  Heman  Loomis  made  a  claim  to  the  land  which  was 
afterward  his  homestead,  and  is  known  as  the  "Loomis  farm,"  southeast  of 
the  village. 

In  1836,  also,  Silas  Peck  and  family  arrived,  and  built  a  house  adjoin- 
ing the  store  building  previously  erected  by  Benjamin  C.  Perce.  Later  in 
1836  George  Newman  made  a  claim  and  built  upon  what  is  known  as  the 
"Ayer's  farm."     Jared  and  Charles  Fox  came  during  the  same  year. 

In  February,  1838,  Nelson  R.  Norton  located  on  the  claim  which  had 
been  made  for  him  bv  Nathan  R.  Darling,  and  constructed  a  frame  house 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  485 

with  lumber  which  he  brought  from  Chicago.  Mr.  Norton  had  previously 
resided  at  Chicago,  and  built  the  first  bridge  that  ever  spanned  Chicago  river. 

Early  in  1837  Origen  Perkins  and  family  permanently  located  at  Bur- 
lington, and  began  their  residence  in  a  log  house  which  he  had  built  in  the 
preceding  year  near  the  brickyard.  William  F.  Lyon  came  also  about  the 
same  time,  with  his  family,  but  remained  only  a  few  months,  and  finally  set- 
tled at   Lyons,    in   Walworth   county. 

Ruel  Nims  and  family  arrived  in  Burlington  (which  was  then  known  as 
Foxville)  on  the  loth  day  of  January,  1837,  and  went  into  occupation  of  a 
log  house  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  built  by  Woodbridge,  and  which  dur- 
ing its  occupation  by  Nims  was  the  first  established  public  house  for  travel- 
ers in  Burlington. 

In  May,  1837,  Pliny  M.  Perkins  came  to  Burlington  from  Joliet,  111., 
with  a  drove  of  hogs  and  cattle,  but  did  not  remain. 

From  the  best  information  I  have,  I  think  Samuel  C.  Vaughan  came  in 
1837,  and  that  during  that  year  he  and  Moses  Smith  built  the  first  mill,  which 
was  known  as  the  "up  and  down  saw  mill."  It  is  said,  also,  that  the  mill 
house  built  by  Mr.  Vaugh'an  was  the  first  frame  building  erected  in  the  vil- 
lage. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  1837,  Lewis  Royce,  Esq.,  settled  in  Burlington 
and  built  a  house  west  of  the  present  Burlington  railroad  depot.  He  cam*. 
by  way  of  Racine,  and  there  met  Ephraim  Perkins  and  family,  and  having 
a  team  and  conveyance  conveyed  them  to  Burlington,  bringing  also  with  him 
a  barrel  of  flour.  He  found  at  Foxville  Origen  Perkins,  occupying  his  new 
homestead;  Ruel  Nims,  on  the  east  side  of  the'river;  a  small  board  shanty  had 
also  been  put  up  to  maintain  a  claim  on  the  Northwest  one-fourth  of  Sec- 
tion 33,  and  was  occupied  by  one  Putnam,  as  a  trading  shop.  Silas  Peck 
had  just  finished  a  log  house  which  still  stands  near  the  village  mill.  There 
was  also  an  unenclosed  frame  for  a  building,  on  the  premises  afterward  oc- 
cupied by  Origen  Perkins.  The  log  house  built  by  Moses  Smith,  near  the 
mill,  was  also  standing,  and  these  constituted  at  this  time  the  improvements  on 
the  present  site  of  Burlington  village.  Soon  after  his  settlement  in  Bur- 
lington Mr.  Royce  established  a  lime-kiln,  and  burnt  about  three  hundred 
bushels  of  lime  during  the  first  year  of  its  operation. 

Pliny  M.  Perkins,  permanently  settled  in  Burlington  in  1838;  Richard 
Brown  settled  in  the  town  in  1839:  Liberty  Fisk,  in  1838;  Ephraim  S.  Saw- 
yer on  the  14th  of  May,  1838,  making  a  claim  where  he  now  resides, 
and  buying  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres  at  the  land  sale;  Henry  Ed- 
monds also  came  in  '38,  and  was  the  first  blacksmith  in  the  village.  His 
shop  was  in  a  little  log  house  near  the  present  site  of  the  mill. 

Clark  K.  Norton,  Thomas  Toombs,  George  Batchelor  and  L.  O.  East- 
man settled  in  Burlington  in  1839;  Ephraim  Perkins,  father  of  Origen  and 
Pliny  M.  Perkins,  Joseph  Rooker  and  James  Thompson  settled  in  1840.  I 
am  pained  to  hear,  that  on  yesterday,  [21st  of  February.  1871]  Mrs.  Ruth 
Thompson,  widow  of  James  Thompson,  was  carried  to  her  tomb.  Respected 
and  honored  by  friends  of  thirty-one  years'  acquaintance,  a  good  and  noble 
woman,  whose  long  residence  in  Burlington  is  associated  with  my  earliest 
recollections,  has  passed  away.  I  take  this  occasion  to  cast  a  little  leaf  upon 
her  grave,  in  tribute  to  her  sterling  worth  of  character,  and  to  those  noble, 


486  CO.M-ME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

womanly  virtues  that  adorned  her  life,  and  will  long  be  cherished  by  mourning 
friends. 

In  1840  John  W.  Edmonds  settled  in  the  town  and  was  the  first  wagon- 
maker  who  located  in  the  place. 

The  first  physician  w'ho  settled  in  Burlington  was  Dr.  Edward  G.  Dyer, 
who  came  with  his  family  in  1839.  He  had  visited  the  place  of  his  future 
home  in  1836,  and  had  on  the  night  of  his  first  arrival  slept  on  the  bank  of 
Fox  river  in  a  shanty  10x12,  on  a  puncheon  floor,  with  seven  other  inmates. 
Ide  walked  most  of  the  distance  from  Chicago,  following  Indian  trails, 
guidetl  occasionally  by  a  stray  settler  whose  hospitality  he  sought  and  re- 
ceived, and  thus  journeying  on  by  the  dim  traces  of  obscure  footpaths  in  the 
woods  and  on  the  prairies  he  crossed  a  stream  and  sat  down,  in  his  weari- 
ness, beneath  a  great  oak  that  was  a  landmark  on  his  journey,  and  smoked 
his  pipe!  At  sundown  of  that  day  he  arrived  at  Foxville.  At  this  time  Origen 
Perkins  and  his  hired  man.  Moses  Smith,  Silas  Peck,  Bostwick  Beardsley 
and  William  F.  Lyon  were  the  inhabitants  of  what  is  now  the  village  of 
Burlington. 

Later  in  1839,  when  he  and  his  familv  arrived,  they  took  up  their  abode 
and  for  a  considerable  time  continued  to  live  in  the  log  house  built  in  1836 
by  Origen  Perkins,  near  the  brickyard,  Mr.  Perkins  having  removed  to  tlie 
claim  he  had  made  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  One  whom  I  have  long 
known  recalls  to-day  with  vivid  distinctness  the  early  years  spent  in  that 
humble  cabin.  He  remembers  the  rude  fireplace  by  the  light  of  which  he  read 
his  testament  at  evening ;  the  Indians  peering  darkly  into  the  windows ;  and 
the  wild  forests  to  the  northward,  the  little  events  that  childhood  magnifies 
into  epochs,  the  footbridge  across  the  river,  the  log  house  and  sawmill  on  the 
west  side  of  the  pond,  and  the  luxuriant  wild  grass  that  flourished  on  the 
bottom  land  west  of  the  stream.  It  has  passed  away  like  a  dream  and  I  will 
not  pause  to  recall  it. 

In  1840  Francis  and  Joseph  Wackerman  came  to  Burlington  from  Xew 
York.  They  were  the  first  German  family  who  settled  in  the  town,  but  were 
soon  followed  by  others  in  considerable  numbers. 

Mr.  Pliny  M.  Perkins  purchased  the  sawmill  that  was  built  liy  Smith  & 
Vaughan,  and  subsequently  built  a  gristmill  in  wliich  was  ground  the  first 
flour  shipped  from  Wisconsin  to  New  York.     He  opened  the  first  store,  in 

1839,  in  a  log  house  built  by  Moses  Smith,  and  continued  the  business  there 
about  a  year.  He  then  with  Hugh  McLaughlin  erected  the  frame  structure 
which  constitutes  the  present  "Burlington  Hotel."  The  w-est  half  of  the 
building  was  used  for  a  store  and  the  balance  for  a  hotel,  which  was  for 
several  years  kept  by  Mr.   McLaughlin.     The  completion  nf  the  house,   in 

1840.  was  signalized  by  a  grand  New  Year's  ball. 

In  the  earliest  days  of  trading  at  Burlington,  much  of  it  was  done  witJT 
the  luflians  encamped  in  IMilwaukee  w'oods.  In  the  days  of  the  settlement 
of  y\v.  Norton  fish  and  game  were  the  staple  meat.  The  settlers  sold  musk- 
rat  skins  to  buy  butter,  and  ammunition  with  which  to  shoot  prairie  cliick- 
ens.  They  ground  grain  in  coffee  mills,  and  ]\Ir.  Norton  has  yet  the  mill  in 
which  he  once  ground  grain  for  samp. 

In    1840,  however,  times  were  impro\-ed.     In   April  of  that  year  David 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  487 

Bushnell  planted  a  crop  of  corn;  on  the  third  day  after  planting  the  rows 
were  visible,  and  on  the  4th  day  of  July  it  was  ripe  and  ready  to  harvest. 

Game  was  abundant.  Long-billed  snipe  and  sand-hill  cranes  were  marks 
for  every  hunter.  On  frosty  mornings  in  the  fall  the  cranes  were  accustomed 
to  gather  in  great  .numbers,  and  hold  what  Da\id  Bushnell  calls  "regular 
camp-meetings,"  preparatory  to  their  long  flights.  Prairie  woh'es  and  deer 
were  also  numerous. 

In  the  winter  of  1839  105  deer,  in  a  single  drove,  by  actual  count,  were 
seen  to  ford  Fox  river  near  the  claim  of  Mr.  Bushnell. 

The  first  crop  of  grain  in  the  town  was  raised  by  Moses  Smith,  and 
harvested  in  1837,  on  the  east  end  of  the  present  fair  grounds. 

The  first  election  was  held  at  the  house  of  Moses  Smith,  in  the  fall  of 
1836,  for  member  of  Territorial  legislature.  This  was  the  election  at  which 
Captain  Knapp  was  the  candidate  and  elected. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  in  the  spring  of  1838. 

The  Foxville  post  ofiice  was  established  early  in  1837;  Moses  Smith, 
postmaster.     There  was  a  weekly  mail  from  Racine  to  Mineral  Point. 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1839.  The  first  school  was  taught  in 
the  summer  of  1838  by  Sarah  Bacon.  The  first  bridge  across  Fox  river  was 
covered  with  hewed  logs,  in  the  fall  of  1837. 

Origen  Perkins  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  Burlington.  On 
one  occasion  a  man  called  upon  him  for  a  warrant  with  which  to  make  an 
arrest.  He  found  Mr.  Perkins  digging  a  ditch.  The  complaint  must  be  made 
then  and  there,  but  the  justice  had  neither  paper,  pen  nor  ink.  Perhaps  Mr. 
Perkins  did  not  deem  the  offense  a  very  grave  one,  but  in  the  emergency  of  the 
case,  he  pulled  off  one  of  his  boots,  took  from  his  pocket  a  piece  of  chaiK, 
wrote  the  complainant's  statement  on  the  boot  leg,  made  him  hold  up  his 
hand  and  swear  to  it,  and  then  told  him  he  would  issue  a  warrant  as  soon  as 
he  went  to  the  house ! 

The  first  4th  of  July  celebration  was  held  in  the  grove  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river  in  1839.  Dinner  furnished  by  Stephen  Bushnell;  address  by 
Elder  Lothrop,   of  Southport. 

The  first  death  in  the  town  was  that  of  Miss  Amanda  Hays,  who  died  in 
July,  1836.  The  first  birth  was  that  of  a  son  of  George  Newman,  born  in 
May  or  June,    1837. 

The  first  woolen  mill  established  in  the  county,  was  Ijuilt  in  Burlington, 
by  Ephraim  and  Pliny  M.  Perkins,  in   1843. 

In  the  summer  of  the  same  year  the  "Burlington  Academy"  was  estab- 
lished, and  was  in  operation  with  R.  D.  Turner  as  principal,  in  December, 

1843- 

I  must  draw  to  a  close  what  I  have  to  say  of  Burlington.  Let  me  add  that 
one  of  its  present  citizens,  Capt.  Francis  McCumber,  as  commander  of  ves- 
sels on  the  great  lakes,  brought  to  Wisconsin,  many  of  its  settlers  in  1836- 
'37-'38-'39  and  '40.  In  July,  1833,  he  sailed  up  lake  Michigan  in  the  vessel 
"Thos.  Hart,"  without  meeting  another  craft  between  lake  St.  Clair  and  Chi- 
cago. 

The  original  plat  of  Burlington  constitutes  the  northeast  fractinnal  quarter 
of  Section  32,  comprising  144  acres,  or  160  acres  including  the  river.     It  was 


488  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

purchased  at  the  land  sales  in  March,  1839,  by  Silas  Peck,  and  was  surveyed 
and  platted  May  21st,   1839,  by  A.  W.  Doolittle. 

ROCHESTER. — Levi  Godfrey  was  the  first  white  settler  in  the  town 
of  Rochester.  He  came  into  the  country  on  foot,  accompanied  by  John  B. 
Wade,  and  arrived  in  the  fall  of  1835.  He  was  looking  for  a  waterpower, 
and  upon  finding  it  at  the  present  site  of  Rochester  village  he  made  a  claim 
on  the  west  side  of  Fox  river.  He  built  a  shanty  16  feet  square,  the  first 
structure  erected  for  human  habitation  in  the  town,  and  brought  out  his  fam- 
ily to  their  future  Western  home,  in  1836.  Mrs.  Godfrey  did  not  see  a  white 
woman  during  the  first  six  weeks  she  spent  in  her  new  residence.  Her  near- 
est female  neighbor  at  that  time  was  Mrs.  Betsey  Call,  at  Call's  Grove.  G. 
W.  Gamble,  Gilman  Hoyt,  Martin  C.  Whitman.  L.  O.  Whitman  and  Mary 
Skinner  came  into  Rochester  in  1836,  but  general  emigration  to  the  town  did 
not  begin  until  1837.  Philo  Belden  came  in  June  of  that  year  but  remained 
only  a  short  time,  returning  to  Rochester,  luiwever,  in  June.  1839,  when  he 
made  it  a   permanent  home. 

The  settlers  of  1837  were  George  E.  Duncan,  George  Stebliins,  James 
H.  Gipson.  Benjamin  Flanders.  Alonzo  Snow.  Philander  Bartlett,  Benjamin 
Bartlett,  Thaddeus  Earl,  G.  W.  Hoyt,  John  Freelove,  David  M.  Fowler.  Phil- 
ander Cole,  William  Creirston,  Sela  \\'hitman,  Joseph  Clark,  Horace  Frost, 
Patrick  Laughrin.  Seth  Warner,  Royal  Flanders,  and  Trystam  C.  Hoyt. 

The  settlers  of  1838  were  Horace  Andrews.  \Villiam  G.  Lewis.  H.  S. 
Hulburd.  I.  O.  Parker,  Calvin  Earl.  Hilliard  Hely,  and  Mrs.  Robert  Adams, 
who  was  one  of  the  pioneer  women  in  the  western  part  of  the  county. 

In  '39  Obed  Hurlbut,  Eleazer  Everit,  Jacob  L.  Myers.  Jedediah  Healy, 
T.  H.  Hickox,  Abial  Whitman,  Pinkston  Wade,  Luther  Whitman.  G.  ■\L 
Hely.  Richard  E.  Ela  and  Henry  Cady  made  their  settlements  in  the  town. 
William  S.  Hoyt.  and  F.  E.  Hoyt  made  permanent  settletnent  in  TS40.  Will- 
iam S.  Hoyt  was  in  Rochester  in  '37.  but  returned  to  Vermont,  where  he 
remained  three  years  before  coming  West  to  remain  permanently. 

Mr.  Eleazer  Everit  purchased  240  acres  of  land  at  the  land  sales.  Tliere 
was  a  sawmill  at  Rochester,  and  preparatory  to  the  erection  of  a  dwelling  on 
his  farm  he  hauled  two  saw  logs  to  mill  and  got  them  sawed  into  lumTjer. 
He  hauled  the  lumber  back  to  his  farm,  cut  down  some  trees  for  corner  posts, 
and  with  this  material  he  built  his  shanty,  which -constituted  the  first  place  of 
shelter  and  abode  for  himself,  his  wife  and  two  children,  in  the  wild  interior 
region  where  he  was  destined  to  build  up  a  fine  estate. 

The  first  season  that  Mr.  Everit  was  on  his  farm  he  broke  up  six  acres 
upon  which  he  sowed  his  first  wheat,  which  produced  a  good  crop.  He  sold 
liis  first  load  at  Southport  for  $13,  and  wps  piid  f(ir  it  in  the  currency  of  a 
bank  which  he  afterward  discovered  had  failed  two  rears  before ! 

Levi  Godfrey  kept  the  first  hotel  in  Rochester,  which  was  onened  in  1837. 
It  was  at  his  log  house,  in  October,  1836.  that  the  celebrated  "God-frv"  con- 
ventirm  wns  held.  Delegates  came  from  a  great  distance  on  horseback,  and 
staid  with  him  two  niehts.  though  it  is  said  to  this  dav  that  some  of  those  who 
left  their  homes  got  lost  in  the  wilderness  and  never  found  Godfrev's  cabin. 
The  convention  was  evidently  anticipated  as  a  p-reat  event,  for  preparatory 
to  it  ]Mr.  Gn:!frey  went  to  Skunk  Grove  and  bought  an  ox  for  beef  with  which 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  489 

to  feed  the  delegates.  Dr.  Cary  was  president  of  the  convention ;  its  members 
slept  in  their  blankets  on  the  floor  at  night,  and  dreamed  o\er  Democratic 
resolutions  as  sweetly  as  if  Pottawotomie  Indians  were  not  slumljering  in 
an  adjoining  camp. 

In  the  fall  of  1837  Martin  Whitman  began  the  impro\'ement  of  a 
water  power  on  jMuskego  creek. 

The  present  Rochester  waterpower  was  located  and  established  by  Philo 
Belden.  Timothy  S.  Green  and  Jeremiah  Ford  in  1842. 

The  first  bridge  over  Fox  river,  at  Rochester,  was  built  in  1836,  Ijy  Ira 
A.    Rice  and   John   T.    Palmer. 

In  the  winter  of  1836  William  H.  W'aterman,  of  Racine,  made  a  claim 
in  behalf  of  himself,  Elias  Smith,  Henry  F.  Cox,  Amaziah  Stebbins  and  John 
M.  Myers  to  the  lands  in  Rochester  village  east  of  Fox  river,  and  north  of 
]\Iain  street;  and,  in  1839  and  40,  they  operated  a  mill  on  Muskego  creek. 

On  the  26th  of  October,  1839,  Martin  C.  Whitman.  Levi  Godfrey,  Obed 
Hurlbut,  Hiland  Hurlbut  and  Philo  Belden,  as  proprietors,  caused  to  be 
platted  all  the  village  property  in  Rochester,  on  the  west  side  of  Fox  river 
and  that  portion  also  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  south  of  Main  street. 

On  the  9th  day  of  May,  1840,  Elias  Smith,  Consider  Heath,  David  An- 
derson and  ]\Iargaret  A.  Cox,  as  proprietors,  caused  to  be  platted  that  por- 
tion of  the  village  tract  situated  east  of  the  river  and  north  of  Main  street. 
The  village  was  first  called  the  "LTpper  Forks." 

In  the  earliest  years  of  the  settlement  the  settlers  experienced  t!ie  usual 
hardships  of  a  new  country.  The  storms  would  Iieat  into  their  caliins;  the 
deep  snows  of  long  winters  put  an  eni])arg(T  upon  travel,  and  fish  and  game 
were  at  times  the  chief  means  of  subsistence. 

In  the  summer  season  women  walked  four  miles  following  Inrlian  trails, 
and  carrying  their  babies  in  a  basket,  to  visit  their  neighbors.  Mrs.  Adams 
tells  me  that  the  women  of  tliose  days  made  light  of  jaunts  like  these,  and  that 
a  pan  of  johnny  cake  and  a  good  supply  of  Old  Hyson  made  a  feast  for  many 
a  tea  party  in  those  wild  times.  The  country  was  singularly  free  from  un- 
derbrush, and  travel  through  the  woodland  was  therefore  free  from  obstruc- 
tion or  difficulty.  As  new  settlers  came  in,  they  were  welcomed  to  the  cabins 
of  the  earlier  inhabitants,  and  when  night  came  on  they  would  take  their  rest- 
ing places  on  the  floor,  in  rows,  and  sleep  as  sweetly  as  if  reposing  on  pillows 
of  down,  with  angels  expressly  commissioned  to  watch  over  them. 

Richard  E.  Ela  established  in  Rochester,  in  1839,  the  first  fanning  mill 
establishment  in  the  county.  He  built  his  first  mills  in  the  cellar  under  his 
house. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Cadwell  was  the  first  resident  minister  in  Rochester.  He  set- 
tled there  in  1839.  The  first  church  building  erected  in  the  town  was  Iniilt 
in    1844,  by  the  Congregational  Society. 

I  ought  not  to  omit  to  mention  that  Emily  Hoyt,  daughter  of  T.  C.  Hoyt. 
and  now  the  wife  of  Allen  Stetson,  when  a  girl  but  thirteen  }-ears  of  age 
came  to  Rochester  with  her  father  and  brother,  in  1837.  She  was  their  house- 
keeper, while  they  were  making  improvements  preparatory  to  the  removal 
of  the  remaining  members  of  the  family  to  their  Western  home.  During  the 
mornings  of  the  summer  of  1837  she  was  in  the  habit  of  rising  early,  to  pre- 
pare breakfast  for  her  father  and  brother.     The  morning  meal  over,  and  while 


490  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

the  oxen  were  being  placed  before  the  plow,  she  would  hastily  tinish  her  work, 
fasten  the  door  of  their  rude  cabin,  go  with  the  team  in  company  with  her 
father  and  brother  to  the  breaking  field,  and  there,  from  morning  until  night, 
she  followed  the  plow  in  wearisome  rounds,  rather  than  remain  alone  in  the 
cabin,  exposed  to  dangers  from  the  Indians,  wlio  were  prowling  about  in 
great  numbers. 

Philo  Belden  built  the  first  brick  chimney  in  Rochester  and  went  to  the 
mouth  of  Root  river  for  the  brick. 

Mr.  Oren  Wright  settled  in  Rochester  on  the  2d  of  January,  1840.  He 
established  a  turning  lathe,  and  manufactured  the  first  chairs  and  bedsteads 
that  were  made  at  any  place  within  a  distance  of  sixty  miles  west. 

The  first  death  in  Rochester  was  that  of  Mrs.  Wade,  which  occurred  on 
the  1st  day  of  January,  1837:  and  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  towii 
was  Henry  Warner,  son  of  Seth  Warner. 

Mr.  Cole  and  Miss  Fowler  were  the  first  persons  married  in  the  place. 
In  those  days  a  license  was  recjuired,  and  Mr.  Cole  journeyed  to  Racine,  on 
foot,  for  his  license,  which  cost  him  $4.00. 

The  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  Rochester  was  Seth  Warner,  the  first 
doctor,  Solomon  Blood,  and  the  first  religious  society.  Baptists,  organized  in 

In  1839  the  principal  Indian  trail  ran  west  from  Rochester  to  Spring 
Prairie.  In  that  year  and  in  1840  there  was  a  great  contest  among  the  people 
concerning  the  establishment  of  roads,  and  the  lines  upon  which  they  should 
run,  and  there  were  not  wanting  many  persons  who  believed  and  urged  that 
the  Indian  trails  would  and  should  be  adopted,  as  the  lines  for  highways  and 
thoroughfares  of  travel.  I  think  the  most  marked  Indian  trail  to  be  now 
found  in  the  county  crosses  the  Rochester  &  Burlington  road,  southwest  of 
Rochester  village,  and  winds  along  the  crest  of  the  bank  of  Fox  river  for  a 
considerable  distance,  among  forest  trees  that  stood  where  they  now  stand 
before  Levi  Godfrey's  adventurous  spirit  had  guided  him  to  his  early  home  in 
Wisconsin. 

WATERFORD. — The  settlement  of  what  is  now  the  township  and 
village  of  Waterford  began  in  1836.  The  settlers  of  that  year  who  yet  survive 
and  retain  their  original  residences  are  P.  R.  Mygatt,  Samuel  E.  Chapman, 
Ira  A.  Rice,  Archibald  Cooper  and  Hiram  Page.  The  first  family  settled  in 
the  town  was  that  of  P.  R.  Mygatt. 

A  list  of  the  settlers  of  1836  may  be  stated  as  follows:  Ira  A.  Rice, 
Samuel  E.  Chapman  and  their  wives.  May,  1836:  Archibald  Cooper,  Sep- 
tember. 1836;  Hiram  Page,  August,  1836:  Levi  and  Hiram  Barnes,  summer 
of  1836:  Benoni  Buttles,  June,  1836:  John  T.  Palmer,  May,  1836:  Arad 
Wells,  May,  1836:  Alpheus  Barnes,  Samuel  C.  Russ,  Adney  Sampson,  Philip 
R.  ^lygatt.  Henry  and  Austin  Mygatt,  Elisha  Elms  and  Osborne  L.  Elms, 
all  during  the  season  of  1836.  Among  the  settlers  of  1837  were  Louis  D. 
Merrills,  Harvey  Weage  and  Frederick  A.  Weage.  Sautell  Whitman.  Israel 
Markham.  Orrin  Barry,  J.  S.  Cooper,  Dyer  Biiskirk.  \\'i]Iinm  Wade,  Mr. 
Burbank,  John  Cooper,  James  Cooper  and  Lorenzo  Ward.  Nelson  H.  Pal- 
mer and  Elijah  K.  Bent  were  among  the  settlers  of  1838. 

In  the  spring  of  1836  Joseph  and  Tyler  Caldwell  settled  in  the  town  of 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  491 

VVaterford,  made  their  claims  and  built  a  shanty  on  the  prairie  since  known  as 
"Caldwell's  prairie." 

In  July,  1836,  Abram  Ressigue,  William  A.  Cheney  and  Calvin  Gault 
located  at  the  same  place,  with  their  families.  They  lived  in  their  wagons  un- 
til they  could  build  a  log  house.  In  the  same  year,  Charles  Dewitt,  Paul  W'. 
Todd  and  Wesley  Munger  made  their  settlements  on  the  prairie. 

In  the  fall  of  1837  V.  M.  Willard  and  T.  W.  Gault  came.  In  1838  Jef- 
ferson Brown  and  D.  Wood  and  families,  Ira  Coleman  and  N.  Van  Aerman 
and  their  families  also  settled  on  the  prairie. 

In  1839  Lorenzo  Ward,  John  Larkin  and  Edmund  Flagg  made  their  set- 
tlements. 

The  first  frame  house  built  on  "GaldwelTs  Prairie"  was  that  of  Joseph 
Caldwell,  in  the  fall  of  1837.  T.  W.  Gault  and  Mrs.  O.  Van  Valin  are  now  the 
oldest  surviving  residents  on  the  prairie. 

I  imagine  that  the  first  settlers  of  1836.  when  they  arrived  on  the  bank 
of  Fox  river,  at  the  place  which  was  destined  speedily  to  became  a  prosperous 
settlement  and  village,  were  at  once  attracted  by  the  picturescjueness  of  the 
scenery  which  broke  upon  their  view  in  its  native  beauty,  and  by  the  high 
promise  of  future  prosperity  and  happiness  which  the  land  to  which  they  had 
come  seemed  to  afford. 

On  the  spot  where  the  dwelling  of  Samuel  E.  Chapman  stands  \\-as  an 
Indian  council  house,  called  "Cadney's  Castle,"  and  all  around  it  were  Indian 
cornfields.  The  river  offered  nntisual  facilities  for  the  establishment  of  a 
waterpower,  and  it  was  soon  determined  to  found  a  village,  taking  its  name 
from  Waterford  in  the  State  of  New  York.  The  Indians  had  also,  for  a  long 
time,  selected  the  place  as  their  ford  across  the  stream,  which  gave  the  name 
adopted  additional  appropriateness. 

The  founders  of  Waterford  village  were  Samuel  E.  Chapman,  Levi 
Barnes  and  Samuel  C.  Russ.  O.  W.  Barnes  and  a  Mr.  Beebe  had  first  made 
the  claim,  but  Levi  Barnes  and  Mr.  Chapman  bought  them  out.  At  the  land 
.sales  in  1839  Eliphalet  Cramer  purchased  the  lands  for  Chapman  and  Barnes, 
and  conveyed  to  them.  Mr.  Ira  A.  Rice  made  a  claim  on  section  No.  27, 
where  he  now  lives. 

The  hardships  of  these  pioneers,  during  the  first  seasons  of  their  settle- 
ment, were  often  severe.  They  had  not  only  to  contend  against  thieving  In- 
dians, but  were  obliged  to  transport  their  provisions  and  seed  with  ox-teams, 
from  Racine,  Southport  and  Chicago.  There  were  no  roads  in  the  country ; 
streams  had  to  be  forded,  marshes  traversed,  and  all  the  difficulties  of  travel 
which  prevail  in  an  unsettled  region,  encountered.  At  some  seasons,  hunting 
and  fishing  afforded  the  chief  means  of  subsistence.  The-  men  worked  days, 
and  hunted  game  and  speared  fish  by  torchlight  at  night. 

But  amid  all  their  privations  the  settlers  were  very  happy,  for  they  en- 
joyed the  freedom  and  independence  of  their  rugged  life.  Newcomers  were 
always  welcome  to  their  humble  hospitality;  everv  cabin  and  shake-roofed 
house  was  open ;  friendship  and  brotherly  love  prevailed.  There  were  no 
drones  in  those  days.  Every  man  and  woman  had  work  to  do.  and  did  it, 
and  when  one  of  the  settlers  had  a  job  on  his  hands  that  he  could  not  manage 
alone  all  his  neighbors  gave  him  their  gratuitous  assistance. 

When  Mr.  Merrills  came  into  the  town,  in  1837.  he  was  obliged  to  pay 


492  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

$20  for  his  first  barrel  of  llour.  and  had  to  split  rails  to  pay  for  it.  During- 
his  journev  to  the  West,  in  1837,  Mr.  Merrills  was  one  day  wandering  in  the 
woods  on  the  Nippersink,  and  came  upon  a  log  pen  about  three  feet  high  and 
four  feet  square,  covered  and  closely  chinked.  Curiosity  prompted  him  and 
his  companion  to  investigate  the  newly  discovered  structure.  Through  a 
crevice  in  the  roof  they  beheld  a  solitary  Indian,  sitting  in  the  corner,  painted 
and  feathered,  and  well  armed  with  rifle,  tomahawk  and  knife.  A  hasty  and 
inglorious  retreat  to  the  tlepths  of  the  forest  was  immediately  made,  in 
momentary  expectation  of  a  farewell  shot  from  the  Pottawotomie  "redskin" 
whose  dominion  was  thus  invaded. 

Samuel  E.  Chapman  and  Levi  Barnes  Ijuilt  the  first  log  house  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Waterford,  in  1836.  It  was  regarded  "headquarters,"  and  with  its 
shake  roof,  still  stands,  slowly  going  to  decay,  but  in  its  speechless  old  age 
reviving  in  the  minds  of  the  old  settlers  interesting  memories  of  the  past. 

In  the  fall  of  1837  Messrs.  Barnes  and  Chapman,  assisted  by  L.  D.  Mer- 
rills, Archibald  Cooper,  Ira  A.  Rice,  William  Jones,  John  T.  Palmer,  Os- 
born  L.  Elms,  Elisha  Elms,  and  John  Fisher,  built  the  first  dam  across  the, 
river.  The  first  sawmill  was  built  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  and  the  first 
gristmill  in  1840  by  Mr.  Chapman.  The  first  millstone  used  in  the  gristmill 
was  twenty-two  inches  in  diameter,  and  is  yet  preserved  by  Mr.  Chapman. 
Archibald  Cooper  scored  the  first  timber,  and  Lewis  D.  Merrills  hewed  it  for 
the  sawmill. 

The  first  crops  raised  in  Waterford  were  potatoes  and  rutabagas.  Ruta- 
bagas became  a  regular  farm  croj).  Mr.  Cooper  says  that  at  one  time  he  lived 
on  them  alone,  fourteen  days.  Mr.  Chapman  brought  with  him  the  first  ruta- 
baga seed  sown  in  the  town. 

For  the  first  johnny-cake  Archibald  Cooper  ever  ate  he  ground  the  corn 
in  a  cof¥ee-mill  at  the  house  of  Osljorn  L.  Elms.  They  had  with  it  molasses 
made  from  watermelons. 

Among  the  settlers  of  1839  was  George  Eaves:  and  I  judge  him  to  have 
been  a  pretty  sharp  character  from  the  following  circumstance.  A  traveler  _ 
from  Milwaukee  stopped,  with  his  team,  over  night  at  the  hotel  of  ^Nlr.  Russ. 
He  had  in  his  wagon  what  appeared  to  he  a  bag  of  oats.  Eaves  wanted  oats 
for  his  own  horses,  and  so  he  appropriated  the  bag  and  contents ;  but  upon 
giving  his  horses  a  liberal  supply,  he  concluded  that  the  defrauded  traveler  was 
an  honest  shoemaker,  since  the  contents  of  his  bag  proved  to  be  shoe  pegs! 

In  the  spring  of  1836  Arad  Wells  plowed  seven  or  eight  acres  on  what 
is  now  the  farm  of  Ira  A.  Rice :  this  was  the  first  plowing  done  in  the  town, 
and  upon  the  land  plowed  was  raised  the  first  crop  of  red  clover  grown  in 
Waterford. 

In  the  midst  of  all  their  hard  work  and  struggle  the  settlers  indulged  in 
many  amusements.  The  wolf  hunt  of  1838  was  one,  when  the  settlers  armed 
themseK'es  with  guns,  clubs,  scythes,  dinner  horns  and  pitchforks  and  went 
in  jiursuit  of  wolves  and  wolf  scalps.  It  is  said  that  the  hunters,  under  com- 
petent officers,  endeavored  to  close  in  on  an  entire  township.  Concentrating 
their  forces,  however,  they  finally  surrounded  a  tract  of  forest,  every  man 
watching  for  his  game,  and  finally  all  gathering  in  the  center  of  the  wood, 
without  encountering  a  solitary  wolf.  As  a  wolf  hunt  it  was.  therefore,  not  a 
success;  but  returning  home  over  the  "big  marsh,"  they  overhauled  a  way- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECOR13.  493 

larcr  with  his  hurses  and  wagon,  journeying  to  Elkhorn,  with  a  cargo  of 
whisk)'  ahoard.  This  was  game  the  hunters  could  appreciate !  The  dri\-er  had 
turned  his  horses  loose,  and  was  reposing".  The  party,  under  the  direction 
of  their  officers,  formed  a  hollow  square  around  the  wagon.  Details  of  fur- 
ther proceedings  are  unnecessary.  Weariness  overcame  many  of  the  hun- 
ters, and  the  secjviel  gave  celebrity  to  the  wolf  hunt  of  1838! 

It  is  said  that  there  were  scolding  wives  in  Waterford,  for  a  considerable 
time  thereafter,  and  that  the  traveler  who  had  been  thus  defrauded  success- 
fully obtained  the  redress  for  his  wrongs  to  which  in  equity  and  sober  con- 
science he  was  justly  entitled ! 

Samuel  C.  Russ  built  the  first  hotel  in  Waterford.  Levi  Barnes  was  the 
settlers"  first  preacher.  He  was  accustomed  to  gather  his  flock  beneath  the 
roof  of  Mr.  Chapman's  rude  cabin.  Some  of  the  settlers  were  fond  of  Sun- 
day fishing,  and  in  one  of  his  sermons  he  administered  reproof  for  this  profane 
practice,  by  saying:  "Pioneers  and  sinners!  I  come  to  call  you  to  repent- 
ance :  and  as  one  so  called,  I  declare  to  you  that  unless  you  repent  of  your 
sins,  you  are  gone,  hook  and  line,  bob  and  sinker!"  The  first  district  school, 
and  the  first  Sunday  school,  were  taught  by  Harriet  Caldwell  in  1840. 

The  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  Waterford  was  Samuel  E.  Chapman,  who 
was  appointed  by  Governor  Dodge. 

Ira  A.  Rice  was  the  first  captain  of  the  Waterford  militia.  Archibald 
Cooper  was  first  lieutenant.  Mr.  Chapman  had  been  a  captain  of  light  in- 
fantry at  some  time  in  his  life,  and  had  a  wooden  sword  six  feet  long,  but 
Captain  Rice  reduced  him  to  the  ranks. 

One  time,  when  Mr.  Rice  was  a  magistrate,  a  man  was  brought  before 
him  charged  with  stealing  sheep.  He  was  tried  and  convicted.  For  want  of 
a  statute  sufficiently  penal  Justice  Rice  sentenced  the  offender  to  twenty  days 
hard  labor  on  the  highway,  and  he  had  to  help  build  a  bridge  across  ]\Iuskego 
creek.     The  first  bridge  across  the  river  was  built  bv  all  the  settlers. 

The  first  white  female  child  born- in  W^aterford  was  Louisa  ^larkham. 
liorn  in  1837.  John  T.  Rice,  son  of  Ira  A.  Rice,  is  the  oldest  of  the  present 
residents  born  in  the  town. 

Mr.  Merrills  made  the  first  cradle  and  with  it.  in  July.  1837.  cradled  the 
first  winter  wheat  that  grew  in  Waterford.  He  bought  five  bushels  of  the 
wheat,  which  was  threshed  on  the  ground  with  oxen,  and  cleaned  with  a 
hand  fan  made  from  boards  split  out  of  an  oak  log.  He  paid  $3  per  busnel 
for  the  wheat,  and  fifty  cents  a  bushel  for  carrying  it  to  mill,  at  Root  river. 
He  got  from  the  grinding  a  little  bran,  a  little  fine  flour,  and  a  good  deal  of 
shorts,  but  he  says  it  all  made  good  bread ! 

The  first  physician  who  came  into  Waterford  w-as  Dr.  Blanchard.  but 
Dr.  G.  F.  Newell,  in  May,  1844,  first  made  it  a  permanent  location  and  home. 

In  May,  1844,  a  writer  in  the  Racine  Advocate  says  of  the  village  of 
Waterford,  that  it  contains  150  inhabitants,  two  sawmills,  two  grocery  stores, 
one  public  house  and  business  enough  for  another;  that  it  has  a  good  school. 
a  good  state  of  societv,  moral  and  religious,  and  now  and  then  an  Abolitionist. 

RAYMOND. — Among  the  very  first  settlers  in  Raymond  were  Na- 
thaniel Rogers  and  his  son  Joel  Rogers.  Thev  were  living  there,  on  the 
arrival  of  Elisha  Ravmond,     Sr.,  and  his  son.  Alvin  Ravmond,  who  made 


494  COMMEMORATR'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

their  settlements  in  the  town  on  the  22d  of  Septemher,  1835.  Mr.  Raymond, 
Sr.,  and  his  son  Ahin  came  un  the  vessel  "Agnes  Barton''  to  Chicago,  and 
from  Chicago  to  Racine,  on  a  little  schooner  manned  by  a  Frenchman  and 
two  Indians.  Upon  their  hrst  tour  into  Raymond,  they  found  the  branch  of 
Root  ri\-cr.  which  extends  into  the  town,  a  full,  clear  stream,  with  a  gravelly 
bollom.  pleasant  banks  and  unbroken  current.  Mr.  Alvin  Raymond  in  the 
following  October  went  to  the  Rapids  and  labored  a  year  for  William  See. 
Mr.  Elisha  Raymond  bought  a  claim  already  made,  covering  a  quarter  sec- 
tion, for  $25.  He  immediately  rolled  up  some  logs  in  cabin  shape,  put  on  some 
shakes  for  a  roof,  and  lived  there  through  the  winter  of  1835-36. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  1836,  Seneca  Raymond,  son  of  Elisha  Raymond, 
Sr.,  landed  at  Racine.  He  came  on  a  vessel  from  Oswego,  with  his  own 
and  his  father's  family,  and  at  once  joined  his  father. 

Nelson  Bentley  also  arrived  and  settled  in  Raymond,  in  June,  1836.  He 
drove  a  double  team  and  wagon  all  the  way  from  Manlius,  N.  Y.  He  and 
Seneca  Raymond  left  Manlius  on  the  same  day,  and  both  arrived  at  Racine 
on  the  same  day,  one  coming  by  water  from  Oswego,  and  the  other  by  his  own 
convevance,  each  making  the  journey  in  precisely  six  weeks. 

In  the  summer  of  1836  Mr.  Raymond,  Sr.,  built  a  capacious  two-story 
log  house  on  his  claim.  A  stone  chimney  was  built  in  the  bouse  from  the 
ground  floor,  and  it  gives  one  a  happy  feeling  to  know  of  such  comfort  in  a 
wilderness  as  was  afforded  in  that  house  by  the  great  old-fashioned  fireplace 
with  which  it  was  provided. 

Timothy  Sands,  Orson  Bump.  Reuben  Rogers.  John  Rogers.  Joseph 
Drake  and  John  Brewer  settled  in  Raymond  in  1836;  Caleb  J.  True,  Niles 
Bentley.  \^'illiam  O.  Mills,  John  Jones  and  Zachariah  Sands  in  "37 ;  Walter 
Shumway  and  Leonard  Lpham,  in  183S,  and  Thomas  E.  Parmalee  and  Daniel 
McPherson,  in  1839. 

On  the  1 2th  of  May,  1838,  Mr.  Loring  Weber  came  into  Ravmond.  He 
and  his  family  remained  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Raymond  six  weeks  after  their 
arrival.  When  I  saw  Mr.  Weber  he  could  recall  none  of  the  settlers  yet 
remaining  in  Raymond  who  were  there  when  he  came,  except  Mr.  Nelson 
Bentley  and  Mr.  Timothy  Sands. 

]\ir.  Weber  made  his  claim  in  May,  1838,  and  continued  to  occupy  it  as 
his  homestead  until  he  recently  left  the  county.  He  built  the  first  frame  house 
in  the  town  with  oak  lumber  which  he  procured  at  the  Rapids. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  were  Philetus  Crandall,  who  settled  in 
1840:  and  Christian.  Frederick  and  William  Schwartz,  wdio  settled  in   1837. 

Reynolds  Scofield,  George  Scofield,  Charles  Scofield  and  Dr.  John  E. 
Scofield  also  settled  in  Raymond  in  1837.  Dr.  John  E.  Scofield  was  the 
first  physician  who  located  in  the  town. 

In  September.  1839,  James  T.  Elliot  settled  in  Raymond,  Peter  Reynolds 
in  '38,  and  William  Elliot  in  1840. 

Like  the  early  settlers  in  other  parts  of -the  county,  those  of  Raymond 
were  subjected  to  dangers  and  inconveniences.  They  had  to  grind  corn  in 
their  pepper  mills,  for  their  bread,  and  suckers,  rice  and  codfish  were  staple 
commodities.  Some,  however,  brought  supplies  with  them  to  meet  emerg- 
encies. Seneca  Ravmond  brouglit  twentv  bushels  of  potatoes  with  him,  plant- 
ed them  on  the  4th  of  July,  1836,  and  had  a  good  crop  of  one  hundred  and 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  495 

fifty  Ixishels.  At  one  time,  also,  Mr.  Weber  and  Elisha  Raymoml,  Sr  went 
south  and  brought  into  the  settlement  thirty  head  of  cattle  and  fifteen  hogs. 
Later  in  1841  JNIr.  Raymond  raised  three  thousand  bushels  of  grain  on  one 
hundred  acres  of  land. 

The  Indians  were  troublesome.  The  Raymond  settlement  was  not  far 
distant  from  Jambeau's  trading  post,  and  the  Indians  with  their  thieving  pro- 
pensities and  meddlesome  dispositions,  annoyed  the  settlers. 

On  one  occasion  Mr.  Alvin  Raymond  fell  asleep  in  the  field  where  he 
had  been  cutting  grass.  He  had  his  rifle  by  his  side  and  was  suddenly 
awakened.  Thirteen  ponies  with  two  or  three  Indians  astride  of  each  pony, 
was  the  sight  which  met  his  eyes  as  he  awoke.  He  grasped  his  rifle,  and 
upon  their  inquiring  if  he  had  a  squaw  and  a  wigwam  they  all  went  directly  to 
Mr.  Elisha  Raymond's  house.  Charles  Raymond,  son  of  Alyin  Raymond,  at 
the  age  of  three  years  could  speak  the  Indian  language. 

The  first  religious  society  in  Raymond  was  the  Congregationalist.  Mr. 
Loring  Weber  assisted  in  building  the  first  meeting  house. 

The  first  marriage  in  Raymond  was  that  of  Miss  Eliza  Raymond  to 
^\■ilbrd  Flint,  which  was  celebrated  on  the  27th  day  of  May,  1838. 

The  town  of  Raymond  was  first  called  "Black  Hawk."  by  act  of  the  Leg- 
islature in  1846,  but  at  the  same  session  an  act  was  subsequently  passed,  re- 
organizing the  town,  and  giving  it  the  name  of  Raymond,  for  the  pioi- 
neer  who  had  so  sturdily  established  and  maintained  his  settlement  in  the 
town. 

y0i?/v77LL£.— Joseph  Call  was  the  first  settler  in  Yorkville.  He  lo- 
cated at  what  is  now  known  as  Ives  Grove,  in  the  summer  of  1S35.  He  built 
a  log  house  which  he  afterwards  kept  as  a  tavern. 

In  the  fall  of  1835  Nelson  A.  Walker  bought  a  quarter  section  claim, 
from  Call,  at  the  Grove,  immediately  went  upon  it.  and  worked  it  from  ]\Iarcii, 
1836.  until  the  fall  of  that  year,  when  his  family  joined  him.  Mr.  Walker 
says  that  when  he  bought  his  claim  the  only  white  woman  in  Yorkville  was 
Mrs.  Betsey  Call,  and  there  was  no  house  between  the  Grove  and  Rochester. 
He  found  at  the  Grove,  in  addition  to  Call.  Samuel  Kerr,  Daniel  Whitmore 
and  Samuel  Daniels,  who  each  had  a  claim,  but  lived  together. 

Mr.  Walker  lived  on  his  claim  until  1838.  when  he  removed  to  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, where  he  has  since  resided.  It  is  worthy  of  mention  that  when  Mr. 
Walker  came  'into  the  country  he  walked  from  Toledo.  Ohio,  to  Wisconsin. 
George  Nichols  and  Charles  Nobles  were  among-  the  earliest  settlers  in 
the  town,  coming  in  in  1836.  Early  in  1837  or  late  in  1836  Marshall  M.  Strong 
and  Stephen  N.  Ives  purchased  Joseph  Call's  claim,  upon  which  his  tavern 
was  situated,  and  in  May,  1837.  sold  it  to  Roland  Ives,  who  then  located  upon 
it,  his  family  arriving  in  May,  1838.  The  grove  has  ever  since  been  known 
as  "Ives  Grove."      John  Nobles  settled  at  the  same  place  in  the  spring  of 

In  1837  L.  S.  Blake  made  a  claim  of  160  acres  in  another  part  of  "S  ork- 
ville,  and  sold  it  to  Cornelius  Brezee.  who  settled  on  it  with  his  family  in 
June.   1837.  and  there  lived  until  his  death. 

Charles  C.  Wait  and  Alexander  Gray,  accompanied  by  George  Nichols. 
came  to  Yorkville  in  1837."  l^I'"-  Wait  and  Mr.  Nichols  had  made  their 
claims  in  November.  1836.  and  located  with  their  families  in  March.  1837. 


496  COM^IEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

:^lr.  Wait,  in  1835,  came  from  X'emiont.  to  Troy.  X.  Y..  via  the  Champlain 
and  Troy  canal,  thence  to  Buffalo  by  canal,  from  Buft'alo  to  Detroit  on  the 
steamer  "North  America,"  from  Detroit  to  Niles,  JMich.,  travehng  upon  foot, 
from  Xiles  to  St.  Joseph,  and  thence  across  the  lake  on  a  vessel  to  Chicago; 
thus,  in  his  own  experience,  realizing  the  difficulties  and  vicissitudes  of  a 
journey  to  the  remote  West  in  that  early  time. 

;\lr.  Wait  is  yet  the  owner  of  120  acres  of  land  in  Yorkvile,  for  which 
he  received  a  patent  from  the  go\'ernment,  and  which  he  has  never  removed 
from,   conveyed   or   incumbered. 

Reuben  Wait,  father  of  Charles  C.  Wait,  settled  in  Yorkville  on  the 
8th  of  April,  1838.  The  first  school  in  the  town  was  taught  in  Reuben 
\Vait"s  house,  in  the  winter  of  1839  and  40,  by  Levantia  Barnum.  There  were 
.eight  scholars  in  attendance,  and  the  teacher  was  employed  by  Mr.  Wait  at 
his  personal  expense. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  should  also  be  named  Edward  Buchan, 
Robert  Bell  and  Col.  F.  F.  Lincoln,  who  came  in  1837.  He  made  his  claim 
in  June,  "36,  then  went  away,  and  returned  in  September,  '37.  J\Ir.  Lincoln 
is  remembered  to  have  travcletl  through  the  settlements  in  the  early  days- 
threshing  with  a  flail. 

^Ir.  Collar  and  the  Northways  came  in  1836,  and  were  among  the  earl- 
iest settlers. 

Abram  Gilmore,  in  September.  1840,  also  settled  in  Yorkville,  where  he 
has  ever  since  resided. 

In  1838  Arba  B.  Terrell  located  at  Ives  Grove.  He  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  and  a  great  mimic,  when  amusement  among  the  settlers  was  desired. 
He  built  Elisha  Raymond's  first  barn  in  Raymond. 

In  September,  1838,  Owen  Campbell  bought  the  claim  of  N.  A.  W^alker, 
paid  $1,000  for  it,  and  purchased  the  land  at  the  land  sales.  He  came  out  first 
with  Roland  Ives,  in  1837.  and  in  the  subsequent  year  settled  on  his  claim  as 
the  future  home  of  himself,  his  wife  and  ten  children,  who  were  thus  early 
in  vears  introduced  to  the  hardv  experience  of  pioneer  life.  Forty  acres  of  his 
claim  w-as  improved  land. 

The  settlers  in  this  locality  were  particularly  exposed  to  prairie  fires. 
The  grove  standing  like  an  island  in  the  prairie,  all  aromid  it  the  fires  were 
accustomed  to  sweep,  by  night  and  by  day,  exposing  property  and  sometimes 
life  to  danger. 

Dr.  Homer  Campbell,  a  son  of  Owen  Campbell,  tells  me  that  although 
exposed  to  some  privations  and  dangers  the  settlers  were  contented  and  hap- 
py. For  meat  they  depended  chiefly  upon  game,  in  the  summer  season,  which 
was  everywhere  abundant.  They  ate  their  meals  from  pewter  plates,  and 
submitted  cheerfully  to  the  inconveniences  of  their  situation. 

Religious  services  on  Sunday,  w^ere  held  at  the  houses  of  the  settler?  when 
a  passing  missionary  came,  or  opportunity  was  otherwise  aft'orded. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  in  his  town,  seven  years,  and 
was  familiarly  known  as  Esquire  Campbell  far  beyond  his  neighborhood. 

Ebenezer  Heald  settled  at  Ives  Grove  in  June.  1837.  He  occupied  the 
claim  of  Samuel  Daniels  until  May,  1838,  when  he  made  a  claim  in  Dover, 
where  he  built  a  log  house,  which  was  burned.  This  misfortune  pushed  him 
further  west,  and  he  made  a  claim  and  permanently  settled  in  Burlington, 


COMMEiMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  497 

where,  in  1S40,  his  daughter,  iiuw  tlie  wife  of  JNIr.  Juhn  Wilson,  of  Racine, 
taught  school. 

The  first  white  child  born  in  Yorkville  was  }klrs.  Alar)'  Jane  George, 
daughter  of  Nelson  A.  Walker,  born  May  13th,   1838. 

DOVER. — Capt.  John  T.  Trowbriuge  settled  ni  Dover,  in  "36,  made 
his  claun,  which  was  long  a  landmark  in  the  county,  and  was  the  first  settler. 
His  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  Trowbridge,  who  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  and  died  but 
a  few  years  since,  and  his  two  sons,  Stewart  and  Henry,  came  with  him.  He 
had  been  a  sea  captain  for  twenty-five  years,  had  gone  on  whaling  voyages 
and  been  a  pfisoner  at  Calcutta  and  Dartmoor,  and  after  buffeting  the 
storms  of  ocean  from  early  manhood  he  sought  a  quiet  refuge  in  the  wild- 
erness of  the  West.  His  two-story  log  house  was  a  point  in  the  traveler's 
journey,  and  I  scarcely  remember  the  time,  in  boyhood,  when  "Capt.  Trow- 
bridge's place"  was  not  a  familiar  expression.  He  was  the  first  postmaster 
in  the  town.  He  gave  to  his  town  the  name  of  Brighton,  from  the  place 
whence  he  had  come,  but  in  the  re-organization  of  towns  it  received  the  name 
of  Dover.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  distinguished  himself  in  his 
office  as  employing  it  to  promote  peace  rather  than  litigation.  I  believe  that 
he  also  represented  his  district  in  the  Territorial  legislature.  The  second  set- 
tler in  Dover  was  Mr!  Samuel  Ormiston,  who  came  in  August,  1836.  The 
first  child  born  in  the  town  was  Mr.  Ormiston's  daughter,  Elizabeth,  who 
was  born  on  the  12th  of  November,  1838. 

J.  Sellers  accompanied  Mr.  Ormiston  in  his  settlement  in  Dover,  and  set- 
tled on  a  claim  which  is  now  the  farm  of  Mr.  Walter  Bryce. 

An  incident  in  the  experience  of  Mr.  Sellers  is  wforthy  of  notice.  He 
started  one  morning  to  go  to  Pike  Grove,  and  on  his  journey  called  at  the  house 
of  George  Nichols,  in  Yorkville.  He  tarried  a  few  moments,  and  bidding 
his  friend  "good  morning"  set  out  on  his  travels.  He  journeyed  to  the  end 
of  the  day,  and  at  evening  found  himself  again  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Nichols, 
nor  could  he  be  made  to  believe  that  he  had  not  arrived  at  Pike  Grove,  until 
he  was  introduced  to  the  hospitalities  of  Mr.  Nichols'  cabin,  and  was  told 
that  on  a  prairie  without  roads,  guiding  posts,  or  human  habitations,  a  be- 
wildered traveler  sometimes  made  a  circuitous  journey,  arriving  at  the  pre- 
cise place  from  which  he  departed ! 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  were  George  and  Robert  McKey,  James 
Ballock,  James  Graham,  William  Cruikshank,  Aaron  Putnam  and  Joseph 
Scott,  all  of  whom  made  their  settlements  in  1839.  Samuel  Stenhouse  lo- 
cated in  the  town  in  1840. 

In  the  fall  of  1838  John  Duffus.  Archibald  Brown  and  Peter  Manny 
made  adjoining  claims.  In  the  same  year,  Robert  Beatty  and  Thomas  Green 
also  made  claims  in  Dover. 

Mr.  Duffus  built  a  shanty  on  his  claim.  10x12.  In  March.  1839,  his 
daughter,  now  the  wife  of  Nicholas  D.  Fratt,  and  his  son  joined  him.  Mr. 
Duffus,  his  son,  and  Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Manny  lived  together  in  Mr.  Duffus' 
cabin,  and  Mrs.  Fratt  kept  house  for  them.  She  describes  the  shantv  in  which 
thev  lived  as  without  a  floor,  and  with  a  roof  of  boards  that  was  slight  protec- 
tion against  the  storms.  It  was  like  the  house  that  was  builded  upon  the  sand 
for  one  day  when  she  was  making  bread  and  had  placed  it  in  the  kettle  over 
the  fire,  in  the  corner,  for  baking,  a  thunderstorm  came  up.  and  at  the  first 


498  COMME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

•  Hash  of  lightning,  followed  by  a  clap  of  thunder  and  a  gust  of  wind,  the 
roof  of  her  father's  cabin  was  swept  away,  "and  the  rain  descended  and  the 
iloods  came."  and  there  was  no  bread  to  be  eaten  in  the  house  that  day ! 

The  first  marriage  celebrated  in  Dover,  was  that  of  Peter  Manny  to 
^]\Iargaret  DuiTus. 

NOR]l'Ay. — The  tirst  settler  in  the  town  of  Norway  was  Thomas 
Drought,  who  came  from  Lower  Canada,  with  oxen  and  wagon,  and  in  Sep- 
tember, 1838,  made  a  claim  of  160  acres  in  Section  No.  12,  in  the  northeast 
part  of  the  town,  where  he  has  ever  since  resided.  He  was  accompanied 
in  his  settlement  by  a  sister,  and  was  afterward  followed  by  other  members 
of  the  family,  and  the  section  of  the  town  where  he  located  has  ever  since 
•been  known  as  the  "Drought  Settlement."  James  Ash  came  into  Norway  in 
the  autirmn  of  '38.  and  Alfred  Thompson  and  George  Drought  in  '39. 

In  the  summer  of  1839,  a  vessel  arrived  at  Milwaukee  laden  with  a  party 
of  sturdy  emigrants,  about  forty  in  number,  fresh  from  their  homes  among 
the  Norway  moimtains.  They  were  destined  for  Illinois,  but  were  prevailed 
upon  to  delay  their  journey,  Mr.  George  Walker,  whom  good  health  had 
made  ruddy  and  corpulent,  urging  them  to  settle  in  Wisconsin,  and  another 
person,  from  Illinois,  whose  countenance  fever  and  ague  had  sadly  blighted, 
urging  them  to  carry  out  their  original  intention.  The  healthfulness  of  cli- 
•mate.  as  theu  judged  of  by  the  appearance  of  the  representatives  of  the  two 
States,  decided  the  question  with  the  rugged  Norwegian  pioneers,  and  they 
chose  Wisconsin  as  their  future  home. — They  had  listened  with  wonder  to 
descriptions  of  the  great  land  beyond  the  ocean,  the  strong  attachments  that 
bind  dwellers  among  beautiful  mountain  scenes  to  their  native  huts  had  lost 
their  power  of  restraint,  and  now  with  brave  hearts  and  determined  purpose, 
they  were  ready  for  hardship,  adventure  and  work !  A  few  days  after  landing 
at  Milwaukee  they  lost  their  faithful  interpreter,  who  was  accidentally  drowned 
in  the  river:  but  furnished  with  guides,  a  party  of  the  emigrants  set  out  upon 
explorations,  and  soon  found  themselves  within  the  vicinity  of  Muskego  lake. 
It  was  a  dry  season,  and  the  marshes  resembled  prairies  in  their  appearance-, 
■surrounded  by  forests.  Cabins  soon  sprung  up  on  the  hillsides  around  the 
marshes,  but  the  bright  hopes  of  the  settlers  were  quenched  when  the  spring 
floods  came  and  converted  the  promising  prairie  land  into  lake  and  morasses. 
This  caused  a  removal  of  the  colony  further  south  and  west.  Mr.  Halver 
Thompson  settled  on  the  banks  of  Wind  lake;  John  Nelson,  another  of  the 
party,  settled  on  an  adjoining  claim,  which  he  improved  considerably,  and 
from  which  he  subsequently  removed  to  Kos  Kenong  prairie.  An  American 
by  the  name  of  Flether  alsoiocated  in  the  vicinity  of  these  settlements. 

In  the  spring  of  1840  Soren  Backe  and  Johannes  Johajisen.  men  of  in- 
telligence and  means,  who. had  come  from  Norwav  the  preceding  fall,  and 
spent  the  winter  in  Illinois,  visited  this  region.  Thev  were  looking  for  a 
place  to  establish  a  colony.  The  cluster  of  beautiful  lakes,  the  clear  streams 
bf  living  water  swarming  with  fish,  and  the  forests  abounding  with  game, 
which  they  found  in  the  town  of  Norway,  satisfied  their  desires.  A  cabin 
u-as  built  on  the  bank  of  one  of  the  lakes :  reports  of  the  country  were  sent 
to  their  friends  across  the  sea.  and  in  the  fall  of  1840  Evan  Hansen,  known 
also  as  Evan  Hansen  Heg,  arrived  with  a  large  company  of  emigrants  and 
settled  around  the  lakes.     Backe  having  considerable  capital,  which  he  invest- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  499 

ed  in  a  large  tract  of  land,  sold  parcels  to  the  poorer  colonists  upon  favorable 
terms.  In  a  short  time  the  colony  increased  in  numbers,  and  became  the 
center  of  Scandinavian  emigration  to  the' state,  and  Johannes  Johansen,  Soren 
Backe  and  Evan  Hansen  were  regarded  the  founders  of  the  first  permanent 
Scandinavian  colony  in  Wisconsin.  Among  the  other  colonists  were  Sivert 
Ingerbretsen,  Knud  Arslarksen,  Johannes  Evensen,  Ole  Hogensen,  Gurder 
Gurtesen,  Niels  H.  Narum,  Jolm  Larsen,  Hans  Jacobsen,  Peter  Jacobsen  and 
Ole  Andersen. 

A  trading  point  was  established  on  Mr.  Heg's  farm.  An  excavation 
was  made  in  a  large  Indian  mound,  and  roofed  over  and  fitted  up  into  com- 
modious apartments  for  families.  Johannes  Johansen  received  the  appella- 
tion of  "King,"  and  here  the  colonists  received  their  supplies  and  mail,  and 
the  first  Scandinavian  newspaper  in  the  country  was  published,  called  Nord 
Lyset  (Northern  Light),  and  edited  by  J.  D.  Raymert.  This  was  also  the 
birthplace  of  John  P.  Jacobsen,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  information  con- 
cerning the  establishment  of  the  first  Scandinavian  settlement  in  Xorwav. 

Evan  Hansen  was  the  father  of  Hans  C.  and  Ole  Heg.  His  name,  as 
inscribed  on  his  gravestone,  is  Evan  Hansen  Heg.  and  I  am  told  that  the 
name  Heg  was  derived  from  the  place  where  the  family  lived  in  Norway,  or 
the  farm  wliich  they  possessed,  and  which  w-as  known  as  "Headquarters." 

A  log  church  was  built  at  the  central  point  of  settlement,  by  the  colonists, 
in  1845.  The  settlers  were  a  religious  people,  and  of  the  Lutheran  belief.  In 
the  church  yard,  -where  the  log  church  was  built,  many  of  the  original  found- 
ers of  the  colony  were  buried,  and  here,  rest  the  remains  of  Hans  C.  Heg, 
.a  gallant  soldier,  who  fell  fighting  the  battles  of  his  adopted  country. 

The  town  of  Norway  was  created  by  an  act  of  the  Territorial  legislature 
on  the  I  ith  of  February,  1847,  and  the  people  who  gave  to  the  town  its  name, 
and  who  have  so  successfully  built  up  the  colony  originally  projected  by  those 
T  have  named,  have  distinguished  themselves  as  among  the  most  prudent,  in- 
dustrious, and  thrifty  citizens  of  the  county. 

And  here  my  fragmentary  and  imperfect  narrati\'e  closes,  and  I  hasten 
to  a  conclusion.  But  little  more  than  thirty  years  ago  the  first  wave  of  civ- 
.  ilization  broke  upon  the  borders  of  Wisconsin.  It  was  then  a  trackless  wild- 
erness. Now.  flourisliing  cities,  towns  and  villages  are  sprinkled  over  her 
surface,  and  what  was  once  her  wildest  prairies  the  returning  summer  covers 
with  ripe  and  yellow  harvests.  The  migration  and  settlement  of  the  borderers 
whose  experiences  you  this  day  recall,  reminds  one  of  the  history  of  ancient 
times  when  "Abram  went  up  out  of  Egypt,  he  and  his  wife,  and  all  that  he 
had,  and  Lot  with  him  into  the  south.  And  Abram  said  unto  Lot;  Ts  not  the 
whole  land  before  thee?  Separate  thyself,  I  pray  thee,  from  me.'  And  Lot 
.lifted  up  his  eyes  and  beheld  all  the  plain  of  Jordan,  that  it  was  well  watered 
everywhere.     Then  Lot  chose  him  all  the  plain  of  Jordan." 

So  these  borderers  seem  once  to  have  lifted  up  their  eyes  and  looked  abroad 
upon  this  new  world,  and  chosen  for  their  home,  "the  wilderness,  which  has 
been  made  to  blossom  like  a  rose." 

D WIGHT  ROBINSON  (deceased)  was  one  of  the  highly  esteemed 
men  of  Kenosha  County.  Wis.,  who  came  first  to  the  State  in  i8;6  and  later 
owned  126  acres  of  fine  farming  land  in  Section  34,  Pleasant  Prairie  township. 


500  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

He  was  born  in  'I'olland  cuunty.  Conn.,  July  26,  1832,  son  of  Gunlon  and 
Lucy  (Edson)  Robinson. 

liurdon  Robinson  was  born  in  Connecticut.  June  21,  1788,  son  of  Sabin 
and  Dorcas  Robinson.  He  became  a  prosperous  and  well-to-do  farmer.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  tbe  war  of  181 2,  and  saw  service  at  New  London,  Conn.  His 
deatli  occurred  April  3,  1867,  when  he  was  aged  seventy-nine  years.  His  \yife, 
Lucy  Edson,  was  born  in  Stafford,  Tolland  Co.,  Conn.,  daughter  of  Levi  and 
Molly  Edson,  and  she  died  in  her  native  town  April  10,  1867,  aged  seventy- 
five.  The  children  of  Gurdon  and  Lucy  Robinson  were :  Sally,  born  March 
27,  1813  (had  one  daughter  and  one  son);  Roxana.  born  March  11,  181S 
(had  one  son  and  one  daughter)  ;  Lucy  C,  born  May  30,  1816;  Daniel  E.,  born 
Nov.  29,  1817;  Elijah,  born  Eeb.  8,  1819;  Giles,  born  April  15,  1821 ;  one 
born  June  8,  1823,  that  died  unnamed;  Maria,  born  Aug.  14,  1825  (had  three 
sons)  ;  Dwight  (i),  born  May  3,  1828;  Angeline,  born  Nov.  18,  1830  (married 
William  G.  Parker,  has  one  son,  and  lives  at  Wales,  Hampden  Co.,  Mass.)  ; 
Dwight  (2),  born  July  26,  1832  (had  four  sons  and  two  daughters). 

Dwight  Robinson  was  reared  in  his  native  place.  In  1856  he  came  to 
Wisconsin  in  order  to  look  after  the  interests  of  his  brother,  Elijah  Robinson, 
who  had  taken  up  land  here  previously.  In  i860  Mr.  Robinson  was  married 
here  and  then  returned  to  Connecticut,  where  he  remained  until  the  death  of 
his  parents,  when  he  came  back  to  Kenosha  county  and  bought  eighty  acres  of 
land  from  John  Oliver.  This  he  improved  and  made  it  his  home  the  rest  of 
his  life,  buying  fifteen  adjoining  acres.  Later  he  bought  another  twenty  acres, 
and  his  wife  bought  eleven  acres,  now  known  as  the  Kitchenham  place. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  married  Oct.  28,  i860,  to  Miss  Frances  Sarah  Hig- 
gins,  daughter  of  William  R.  and  Cynthia  Dorcas  (Case)  Higgins.  Six  chil- 
dren were  born  to  this  union,  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  viz. :  ( i)  Florence 
Emogene  married  Thomas  E.  Blankly,  and  lives  in  Litchfield.  111. :  they  have 
these  children :  Charles ;  Fred ;  Mary ;  Elsie,  who  married  E.  E.  Elclridge, 
and  has  a  daughter,  Reba  Mary,  born  in  1905;  Thomas;  Stella;  Giles;  Mabel; 
Florence;  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  (2)  George  William  lives  at  Genoa 
Junction,  engaged  in  farming.  He  married  Stella  Merville,  and  they  have  two 
children,  Howard  Merville  and  Marion  Le  Nor.  (3)  Giles  Franklin  is  a  ma- 
chinist in  Kenosha,  and  is  known  as  a  skilled  die  maker.  He  married  Agnes 
Anderson,  of  Kenosha,  and  they  have  three  sons,  Everett  Gilbert,  Gordon 
Louis  and  Roger  Williams.  (4)  John  Burt  lives  at  home  and  operates  the 
farm.  (5)  Willard  Elijah,  a  farmer  operating  the  home  farm  with  John  B., 
married  Mabel  Learned,  and  they  have  one  child.  Margaret  Florence.  (6) 
Wilhemina  Edna  is  in  school.  Dwight  Robinson  died  May  5,  1888,  aged 
fifty-six  years.     In  his  political  principles  he  was  a  Democrat. 

The  Higgins  family  to  which  Mrs.  Robinson  belongs  comes  from  pa- 
triotic New  England  stock.  Her  great-grandfather,  Timothy  Higgins,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  he  died  in  Wolcott,  Conn.,  July  12, 
1829,  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age.  His  wife,  Hannah,  died  in  the 
same  town  March  5,  1833,  in  the  seventy-sixth  year  of  her  age. 

Fitch  A.  Higgins,  son  of  Timothy  and  Hannah,  was  born  at  INIilford, 
Conn.,  July  II,  1793.  He  came  to  Kenosha  county  with  the  early  pioneers, 
and  took  up  government  land  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  where  he  built  a 
log  house  and  reared  his  family.     On  March  8,  181 5,  in  Middleburv,  Conn. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  501 

He  married  Amanda  Royce,  who  was  born  in  Wallingford,  Conn.,  May  31, 
1793,  and  who  died  at  Southport,  Wis.,  May  31,  1840.  To  this  union  were 
born  children  as  follows :  Eniiline  Tuttle,  William  Royce,  Mary  Angeline 
Taylor,  Harriet  Eliza  Richards  and  Hannah  Amanda  Foster.  Mr.  Higgins 
married  (second)  Lucretia  Sibley,  who  died  June  11,  1886,  aged  seventy-four 
years,  six  months  and  twenty-six  days.  Two  children  were  born  of  this  mar- 
riage, Charles  Timothy  and  Frederick  Fillmore.  Fitch  A.  Higgins  was  a 
drummer  boy  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  died  in  Pleasant  Prairie  March  i,  1882, 
aged  eighty-eight  years. 

William  Royce  Higgins,  son  of  Fitch  A.  and  father  of  Mrs.  Robin- 
son, was  born  at  Wolcott,  Conn.,  May  14,  1817,  and  he  died  at  Bailey's  Har- 
bor, Door  Co.,  Wis.,  April  i,  1874,  aged  fifty-seven  years.  His  wife,  Cynthia 
Dorcas  Case,  was  born  at  Westfield,  Chautauqua  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  23,  1817, 
one  of  eight  children — three  daughters  and  five  sons.  Her  parents  moved 
from  the  East  to  Kankakee,  111.,  where  they  died,  and  of  their  children,  but 
one,  Spencer  Case,  of  Channel  Lake,  III,  survives.  William  R.  Higgins  and 
his  wife  were  pioneers  in  Wisconsin,  where  they  were  farming  people.  Mrs. 
Higgins  died  at  Sturgeon  Bay,  Wis.,  Feb.  14,  1888.  She  bore  her  husband 
twelve  children,  as  follows:  Fitch  Allan  (has  one  son  and  one  daughter)  ; 
William  R.,  who  died  in  infancy;  Sarah  Frances,  who  married  Dwieht  Rob- 
inson; Mary  Alana  Mowery  (has  one  daughter  and  two  sons);  Timothv; 
Laura  Amanda  Ross  (has  two  sons  and  one  daughter)  ;  Florence  Amelia 
Overholt  (has  one  son  and  one  daughter)  ;  Frank  William;  George  Valentine; 
Dora  Capitola  Kalambah ;  Clara  Viola ;  and  Frederick.  The  eldest  son  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  war. 

The  Case  family  traces  its  lineage  back  to  the  Earl  of  Angus,  third  son  of 
a  Scottish  nobleman.     He  lived  in  England  in  1400. 

The  first  of  the  family  known  in  this  country  was  John  Case,  whij  married 
Sarah  Spencer,  and  had  children  :  Eliza,  16^8 ;  Mary,  1660 ;  John,  1662  ;  Will- 
iam, 1665;  Samuel,  1667;  Richard,  1669;  Bartholomew,  1670;  Joseph,  1674; 
Sarah,  1676;  and  Abigal,  1682. 

During  the  Revolution,  George  Randall,  husband  of  Alma  Case,  was 
captured  while  fighting  with  General  Burgoyne. 

CHARLES  E.  MEREDITH,  well  known  in  Union  Grove  as  a  practical 
and  progressive  agriculturist,  was  born  in  Paris  township.  Ken(^sha  county, 
Sept.  I.  1856,  son  of  Evan  and  Ann  (Williams)  Meredith. 

William  Meredith,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was  an  Englishman  who 
came  to  America  and  settled  in  Wisconsin  in  June.  1842.  There  he  took  up 
620  acres  of  government  land  in  Paris  township,  and  spent  the  rest  of  his 
life  there.  He  died  in  December,  1851,  aged  fifty-three  years.  His  wife  Mary 
Meredith,  lived  to  a  good  old  age.     They  had  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Thomas  Williams,  Mr.  Meredith's  grandfather  on  his  mother's  side,  was 
also  an  Englishman.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  18^3  and  bought  120  acres 
in  Yorkville.  Racine  county,  afterward  adding  largely  to  his  original  purchase 
until  he  had  doubled  his  acreage.  He  lived  there  for  many  years  but  finally 
sold  it  to  his  son.  James  (deceased  in  February.  1905;).  and  moved  into  the 
village  of  L'nion  Grove,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  and  died  in  1876, 


502  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

aged  seventy-nine.  His  wife,  Mary  (Dyke)  Williams,  bore  him  ten  children, 
ot  whom  two  died  in  infancy. 

Evan  Meredith,  father  of  Charles  E.,  was  born  in  England  and  was  by 
occupation  a  farmer.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1842,  and  lived  in  Paris  town- 
ship, wliere  his  father  located.  He  grew  up  there  and  married,  continuing 
to  make  his  home  in  the  immediate  locality  until  his  death.  May  27,  1861,  when 
only  twenty-nine  years  of  age.  His  wife,  Ann  (Williams)  Meredith,  survived 
him  until  April  15,  1867,  when  she  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  years.  She 
was  also  a  native  of  England.  Two  of  the  children  born  to  them  died,  both 
sons,  but  Charles  E.  survives.  There  was  also  a  daughter,  Mary  Ann,  who 
married  Dr.  A.  L.  Buchan.  and  she  and  her  husband  are  both  deceased. 

Charles  E.  Meredith  remained  on  the  farm  which  his  father  had  owned 
until  the  death  of  his  mother  in  1867.  He  was  ten  years  old  then,  and  went 
to  make  his  home  with  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Sarah  Meredith,  now  Mrs.  U.  C.  Hum- 
phrey. There  he  went  to  the  village  school,  having  previously  attended  the 
district  schools,  and  finished  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Kenosha. 
At  the  age  of  twenty,  in  1876,  he  returned  to  the  old  homestead  in  Paris  town- 
ship, and  operated  the  farm  until  1882,  when  he  sold  it,  and  bought  another  in 
the  same  section.  He  resided  on  it  until  1896,  but  since  then  has  rented  it  to 
his  son-in-law,  and  made  his  home  in  Union  Grove,  where  he  owns  a  smaller 
place  containing  twenty-six  acres.  He  has  been  uniformly  successful  in  his 
operations. 

Mr.  Meredith  was  united  in  marriage  Sept.  24,  1879,10  Mary  Alice  W^ads- 
worth,  daughter  of  John  and  Rebecca  (Whitley)  Wadsworth.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  five  children,  namely:  Herbert  Henry,  a  telegraph  operator 
employed  by  the  Chicago.  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad  Company  at  Cor- 
liss ;  Mary  Alice,  who  married  Charles  W.  Sumpter  and  has  one  daughter, 
Alice  Lucile  (she  lives  on  her  father's  farm,  two  miles  from  Union  Grove)  ; 
Ernest  Wadsworth :  Edna  Rebecca :  and  Ethel  Ann.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meredith 
are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Mr.  Meredith  has  always  taken 
an  interest  in  the  school  system  of  the  township,  and  for  sixteen  years  was 
treasurer  of  the  school  board  of  Paris  township.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 
The  only  fraternal  order  with  which  he  is  connected  is  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America. 

JOSEPH  CHAUNCEY  ROOKER,  who  passed  awav  Jan.  6,  1906,  on 
his  eighty-fourth  birthday,  was  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in  Racine  county,  hav- 
ing lived  in  Burlington  since  1839.  He  had  a  fine  farm  of  120  acres  which  is 
verv  favorably  located  in  Section  30,  Burlington  township.  Racine  county,  and 
which  excites  favorable  notice  on  account  of  its  evident  fertility,  its  fine  state 
of  cultivation  and  its  excellent  improvements.  Mr.  Rooker  was  bom  Tan.  6, 
1822.  in  Herkimer  countv.  N.  Y..  son  of  Joseph  and  Sabrina  (Turner)  Rooker. 
the  former  born  near  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  the  latter  in  Vermont.  The  paternal 
grandfather  was  an  Enelishman.  and  was  killed  in  Canada  durine  the  old 
French  wars.  Little  is  known  of  his  history.  Mr.  Rooker's  grandfather  on 
the  maternal  side  was  a  resident  of  Bennington.  Vt.,  and  died  there  well  ad- 
vanced in  vears. 

Joseph  Rooker,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  tanner  in  his  youne  man- 
hood.    He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1839.  purchasing  800  acres  of  land  in  Burl- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  503I 

ington,  which  land  he  improved  and  hved  on  until  his  death,  Oct.  3,  1864,  in- 
his  seventy-eighth  year.  His  wife  had  passed  away  in  1856,  in  her  sixty- 
fourth  or  sixty-fifth  year.  Both  are  buried  on  the  home  farm.  Mr.  Rooker 
was  drafted  into  the  war  of  1812,  but  his  brother  James  went  in  his  stead. 
Eight  children  were  born  to  Joseph  and  Sabrina  Rooker,  only  one  surviving, 
Demaris,  widow  of  George  Stewart,  now  living  in  Virginia. 

Joseph  C.  Rooker  was  reared  in  New  York  until  eighteen  years  of  age, 
from  which  time  he  made  his  home  in  Burlington  township.  He  lived  on  the 
old  homestead  until  1852,  when  his  father  deeded  him  150  acres  of  land,  upon' 
which  he  lived  fifty-three  years.  Thirty  acres  of  this  land  Mr.  Rooker  sold, 
retaining  however,  the  other  120  acres  which  he  made  into  one  of  the  finest 
farms  of  the  township.  In  November,  1852,  Mr.  Rooker  married  Miss  Eliza 
Trowbridge,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Anna  (Beach)  Trowbridge,  and  six 
children  were  born  to  this  union,  Addie  Leone,  Anna  Sabrina,  Emma,  James, 
and  two  who  died.  Addie  married  William  Stoel,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren, Bessie,  Laura  and  Walter;  Anna  Sabrina  married  Sherman  Gillespie; 
Emma  married  Nicholas  Stokes,  of  Beloit,  Wis.,  and  they  have  one  son, 
Charles  Rooker ;  James,  a  farmer,  who  lives  with  his  parents,  married  Louise 
Ide,  by  whom  he  has  had  one  daughter,  Mildred. 

Mrs.  Rooker  is  a  U^niversalist,  but  Air.  Rooker  was  not  connected  with 
any  particular  church.  Politically  he  was  a  stanch  Prohibitionist,  but  for  a 
number  of  years  voted  the  Republican  ticket.  He  served  as  roadmaster  for 
one  year.  Mrs.  Rooker  was  born  in  Connecticut,  as  were  her  parents,  w-ith 
whom  she  came  to  Wisconsin  some  time  in  the  earlv  fifties.  All  of  the  children 
of  her  parents,  six  in  number,  are  now  deceased  v\-ith  the  exception  of  Mrs.' 
Rooker. 

Joseph  C.  Rooker  was  a  man  of  strict  integrity,  and  throughout  his  long 
life  bore  a  good  name,  he  and  his  estimable  wife  being  among  the  most  highly 
esteemed  residents  of  Burlington,  where  they  made  many  warmly  sincere' 
friends. 

JOHN  FENNELL,  a  member  of  the  city  board  of  assessors  of  Racine, 
Wis.,  resides  at  No.  1424  West  street,  that  city.  He  was  born  in  Cheltenham, 
Gloucestershire.  England,  April  i,  .1842,  son  of  George  Henry  and  Sarah 
(Snell)  Fennell,  also  natives  of  England. 

John  Fennell,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  spent  his  entire  life  as  a 
building  contractor  in  Cheltenham.  England,  where  he  died  aged  seventy-five 
years.  His  wife,  Ann,  survived  him  some  years.  Thomas  Snell,  the  maternal 
grandfather,  was  a  resident  of  Cornwall.  England,  where  he  died.  He  fol- 
lowed fishing  as  an  occupation.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Snell,  and  thev  had  a 
family  of  three,  one  daughter  and  two  sons. 

George  Henry  Fennell  was  a  building  contractor  in  England  and  died  in 
Hill  Martin,  County  Wilts,  England,  April  12,  1854,  aged  forty-six  years,' 
while  his  widow  survived  him  fifteen  years,  and  was  sixtv  years  old  at  the 
time  of  her  death.  They  were  members  of  the  Church  of  England.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  35th  Light  Infantry  for  seven  vears,  serving  with  the  musi- 
cians. He  and  his  wife  had  three  sons  :  Geors-e  Henry,  who  died  in  England  ; 
John,  nf  Racine:  nnd  ^^'illiam,  who  died  in  Racine. 

John  Fennell  lived  in  Cheltenham  until  twelve  vears  old  and  then  went' 


504  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

to  Swindon,  County  Wilts,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  attended  the 
common  schools.  When  fourteen  years  old  he  was  apprenticed  to  an  iron 
moulder,  a  business  which  he  followed  for  a  number  of  years.  He  came  to 
America  in  1872,  locating  first  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  where  he  lived  four  years 
and  then  came  West  to  Michigan,  following  farming  for  a  time.  On  locating 
in  Racine  he  was  employed  by  the  J.  I.  Case  Plow  Company,  and  was  foreman 
there  for  twenty-three  years  in  the  foundry  and  moulding  department.  For 
two  years  he  served  as  city  treasurer,  and  was  then  elected  city  assessor,  an 
office  he  still  holds. 

On  May  16,  1864,  Mr.  Fennell  married  Miss  Martha  Kent,  daughter  of 
John  Kent.  A  large  family  of  children  was  born  to  this  union,  of  whom 
two  died  in  infancy;  Sarah  Jane,  who  married  Charles  E.  Mohr,  resides 
in  Racine  and  has  two  children,  George  Fennell  and  Rose  Augusta;  John 
William  (i)  died  in  infancy,  as  did  George  Henry  (i);  John  William  (2) 
is  a  farmer  of  Caledonia  township,  where  he  married  Helena  Denkin,  and  has 
two  children,  Harold  John  and  Gertrude  Martha;  Frederick  Thomas  is  an 
iron  moulder  and  married  Annie  Sidesky;  George  Henry  (2)  is  single;  Har- 
old is  learning  the  pattern  maker's  trade ;  Mary  Annie  married  Flenrv  L. 
Smith,  of  Racine,  and  has  six  living  children.  Lawrence  H.,  Henry  John,  Annie 
Martha,  George  Henry,  Alice  Irene  and  William ;  Mattie  V.  lives  at  home ;  and 
Harold  died  aged  four  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Fennell  were  connected  with  the  Congregational 
Church  for  twenty-five  years,  but  Mrs.  Fennell  is  now  a  member  of  St. 
Stephen's  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Fennell  belongs  to  the  Manchester  L'nity 
of  Odd  Fellows  in  England,  and  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  of  To- 
ronto, Canada.  He  was  formerly  a  Republican,  but  is  now  a  Democrat.  Mr. 
Fennell  served  one  term  as  a  member  of  the  school  board.  He  erected  his 
present  home,  at  No.  1424  West  street,  in  1893.  and  he  also  owns  a  good  prop- 
erty adjoining. 

Mrs.  Fennell's  father.  John  Kent,  and  her  mother,  whose  maiilen  name 
was  Kempton.  were  natives  of  County  Wilts.  England,  where  they  were 
reared,  spent  their  entire  lives,  and  died.  They  had  eight  children,  three  of 
whom  are  now  living;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Daniel  Wilds,  of  Countv  Wilts, 
England ;  Thomas,  of  the  same  place ;  and  Mrs.  Fennell.  Mrs.  Fennell's 
father  was  a  farmer,  and  lived  to  be  seventy-six  years  old,  while  his  first  wife 
died  aged  thirty-nine  years.  He  married  again,  his  second  wife  being  Har- 
riet Hawkins,  who  survived  him  some  years.  Mrs.  Fennell's  paternal  grand- 
father died  in  England,  at  an  advanced  age,  as  did  also  his  wife,  Sarah  Kemp- 
ton.  They  had  a  large  family.  Mrs.  Fennell's  maternal  grandfather  was  also 
a  farmer  in  his  nati^•e  country,  and  lived  to  a  ripe  eld  age. 

COL.  WEBSTER  PORTER  MOORE,  an  honored  survivor  of  the 
great  Civil  war,  owns  and  resides  on  the  Burr  Oak  farm,  which  comprises 
400  acres  of  some  of  the  finest  farming  land  in  Kenosha  countv,  located  in 
Sections  26  and  35,  in  Randall  township.  Colonel  Moore  was  born  July  4, 
1836,  in  Lunenburg.  Yt.,  son  of  Holland  and  ^leribah  Clarion  (Cheney) 
Moore. 

Stephen  Holland  ]\Ioore.  the  Colonel's  grandfather,  was  born  iti  Lond- 
onderry. X.  H..  and  in  voung  manhood  removed  to  Lancaster,  N.  H.,  where 


'.tu-l^ 


COMlMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  505 

he  engaged  in  farming.  He  later  removed  to  Lunenburg,  \'t.,  where  he  died 
in  1S33. 

inoUand  JMoore,  the  father  of  the  Colonel,  was  born  March  31,  1808, 
at  Lancaster,  N.  H.,  and  on  Feb.  3.  1835,  married  Meribah  Marion  Cheney, 
born  at  Lunenburg,  Vt.,  Aug.  3,  1810.  To  this  union  were  born  three  chil- 
dren :  Ann,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Wayiand  W.  Wood ;  Webster 
Porter;  and  Abbie  J.,  wife  of  William  B.  Strong,  of  Beloit.  Holland  Moore 
and  his  wife  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1838,  and  settled  at  Beloit,  where  he 
owned  several  farms  and  engaged  in  the  lumber  and  sawmill  business,  rafting 
his  lumber  from  the  northern  part  of  the  State  to  Beloit.  Although  making 
his  home  in  Beloit,  he  died  at  Mapleton,  Kans.,  Sept.  19,  1858,  his  widow 
surviving  until  Feb.  24,  1890.     She  died  at  Beloit. 

Col.  Webster  Porter  Moore  was  reared  in  Beloit,  to  which  place  he  had 
been  brought  by  his  parents  when  two  years  old.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  there  and  graduated  from  Beloit  College  in  1858,  President  Chapin 
being  in  charge  of  the  college  at  that  time.  He  then  studied  law  for  two- 
years,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  the  winter  of  i860.  At  the  outbreak 
of  the  Civil  war  Colonel  Webster  helped  raise  a  company  for  the  three  months' 
service,  being  made  first  lieutenant,  and  subsequently,  in  June,  1861,  was  made 
captain  of  Company  E,  4th  Regiment,  Wis.  V.  I.,  serving  continuously  until 
Oct.  6,  1865.  He  was  made  a  major  in  1863,  and  lieutenant-colonel  in  the 
latter  part  of  that  year,  and  in  1864  was  made  colonel  of  the  regiment,  which, 
in  the  meanwhile,  had  been  changed  to  a  cavalry  regiment.  In  the  first 
year  he  served  in  Maryland  and  Virginia,  and  then  went  to  Sh'ip  Island  with 
General  Butler,  his  regiment  being  among  the  first  troops  to  enter  the  city  of 
New  Orleans,  May  i,  1862.  They  then  went  to  Vicksburg,  returning  to 
Baton  Rouge,  where  their  first  real  fighting  was  encountered,  they  being  at- 
tacked by  Breckenridge.  They  then  went  to  Camp  Bisland,  west  of  New 
Orleans,  where  another  battle  occurred,  and  followed  the  Rebels  to  Alexan- 
dria, La.,  being  mounted  on  this  march,  having  captured  their  own  horses. 
They  then  went  to  Port  Hudson,  where  a  fierce  battle  occurred,  the  siege  of 
that  place  lasting  forty  days  before  its  final  capture.  The  regiment  then 
engaged  in  a  number  of  expeditions  at  the  head  of  the  army,  and  engaged  in 
a  great  deal  of  skirmishing,  participating  in  the  capture  of  Mobile,  Ala.,  in 
1865. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Colonel  Moore  turned  his  attention  to  railroading, 
at  which  he  continued  for  twenty-five  years,  being  principally  with  the  C.  B. 
&  O.  Railroad  Company,  and  he  was  later  assistant  suijerintendent  of  the 
Santa  Fe  Railway,  located  in  Chicago.  Since  that  time  he  has  engaged  ex- 
clusively in  farming  operations,  in  Randall  township.  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis., 
owning  a  tract  of  400  acres  of  the  finest  land  in  the  county. 

On  Oct.  8.  1864,  at  Beloit  Colonel  Moore  married  Miss  Ellen  M.  O'Neill, 
who  was  born  March  20,  1843,  in  the  town  of  Randall,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis., 
daughter  of  John  and  Ann  (Mclntyre)  O'Neill,  the  former  a  native  of  Ire- 
land, and  the  latter  born  March  16,  1816,  at  York,  N.Y.,  of  Scotch  naren- 
tage.  Mr.  O'Neill  died  in  Randall,  Wis.,  in  1843,  and  Mrs.  O'Neill  died  at 
Prairie  du  Chien,  Wis.,  April  o.  189:;.  To  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Moore  was  born 
one  daughter.  Florence  M..  the  wife  of  Milton  K.  Weems.  who  lives  at 
Quincy,  III.  and  has  three  children,  Elizabeth  M.,  Nancy  O'Neill  and  Mary. 


5o6  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Mrs.  Moore  died  Feb.  8,  1887,  at  Quincy,  111.,  in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  The  Colonel  is  a  Congregationalist.  He  belongs  to  Star  Lodge,  No. 
10,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Beloit,  Wis.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Colonel  Moore 
is  one  of  the  prominent  and  influential  men  of  Kenosha  county,  as  ready  to. 
support  good  government  now  as  he  was  to  defend  it  in  the  dark  days  of  the 
Civil  war.     He  is  very  well  known  and  highly  esteemed. 

The  genealogical  line  of  Col.  Webster  P.  Moore  from  his  first  ancestor 
in  America  reads  as  follows  : 

(I)  John  Moore,  born  in  1683,  in  Scotland  or  County  Antrim.  Ireland. 
came  to  America  in  1722.  He  died  in  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  Jan.  24,  1774. 
His  wife,  Janet  Cochran,  was  born  in  Londonderry  in  1687,  and  died  March 
8,  1776. 

(II)  Col.  Robert  Moofe,  son  of  John,  bom  in  Londonderry  in  1726, 
died  Oct.  25,  1778.  His  wife  was  Mary. 

(III)  John  Moore,  son  of  Col.  Robert,  born  at  Londonderry  in  1751, 
died  April  19,  181 3,  at  Lancaster,  N.  H.  He  married  about  1775  Mary 
Jane  Holland,  who  was  Ixirn  at  Londonderry  in  1756,  and  died  at  Lancaster 
April  14,  1829.     She  was  probably  the  daughter  of  Col.  Stephen  Holland. 

(IV)  Stephen  Holland  Moore,  born  in  1784,  died  in  1833  at  Lunen- 
burg, Vt.  He  married  Abigail  Ford  White,  born  in  17S5,  who  died  Sept. 
30,    1862,  at  Beloit.  Wisconsin. 

(V)  Holland  ]Moore,  son  of  Stephen  Holland,  was  the  father  of  \\'eb- 
ster  Porter  Moore. 

(VI)  Webster  Porter  Moore,  son  of  Holland,  was  born  July  4.  1836, 
and  married  Ellen  M.  O'Neill. 

(VII)  Florence  Moore,  daughter  of  Webster  Porter,  born  at  Council 
Bluffs.  Iowa,  July  7,  1874,  was  married  Aug.  3,  1901,  at  Lakemills,  Wis., 
to  Milton  K.  Weems,  of  Quincy,  Illinois. 

(VIII)  Elizabeth  M.  Weems.  born  May  10,  1902;  Nancy  O'Neill 
Weems,  born  May  17,  1903;  Mary  Weems,  born  May  27,  1904. 

Col.  Webster  Porter  Moore's  genealogy  on  his  mother's  side  is  as  follows : 

(I)  John  Cheney — [Extract  from  Pope's  Cheney  Family.]  "The  head 
of  the  Newberry  line  is  introduced  to  us  by  no  less  person  than  the  noble 
man  who  earned  the  title  'Apostle  to  the  Indians,'  the  Rev.  John  Eliot,  whose 
first  parish  was  at  Roxbury.  Mass.,  who  says :  'John  Cheney  came  into  the 
land  in  the  year  1635.  He  brought  four  children:  Mary,  Martha.  John  and 
Daniel.  Sarah,  his  fifth  child,  was  born  in  the  last  month  of  the  same  year,' 
1635,  called  February.  He  removed  from  Or  Church  to  Newbury  the  end 
of  the  same  sner,  1636.     Martha  Cheney,  the  wife  of  John  Cheney.'  " 

(II)  Daniel  Cheney,  son  of  John,  born  in  England  in  1633,  married 
Oct.  8,  1665,  Sarah  Emily  Bailey. 

(III)  Daniel  Cheney  (2).  son  of  Daniel,  born  Dec.  31,  1670,  mar- 
ried Hannah  Dustin.  born  Aug.  22.  1678,  and  lived  in  Newbury,  Mass.' 
Hannah  Dustin's  mother  was  captured  by  Indians  at  Haverhill,  Mass.,  in 
March,  1697.  Being  taken  captive  to  Canada,  she,  with  the  help  of  another 
woman  and  a  boy,  killed  ten  Indians  and  took  their  scalps,  and  they  returned 
to  their  homes. 

(IV)  Daniel  Cheney   (3),  son  of  Daniel   (2),  born  at  Newbury  July 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  507 

16,  1699,  married  in  Wells,  Maine,  March  12,   1723,  Sarah  Littlefield,  and 
located  permanently  in  Wells,  Maine. 

(V)  Joseph  H.  Cheney,  son  of  Daniel  (3),  born  at  Wells,  Maine,  Feb. 
27,  1726-27,  married  Dorcas  Stewart,  intention  being  recorded  Jan.  26, 
1750.  He  served  two  months  and  sixteen  days — 1777 — in  Rhode  Island, 
Moulton's  company,  C.  J.  Titcomb's  regiment. 

(VI)  Eliphalet  Cheney,  son  of  Joseph  H.,  born  about  1755,  in  Wells, 
Maine,  married  (published  at  Wells,  Sept.  26,  1772)  Ruth  Harding,  born 
at  Arundel,  Maine,  who  died  at  Lunenburg,  Vt.,  Jan.  17,  1782.  This  Ruth 
Harding  was  a  descendant  of : 

(I)  Henry  Samson,  who  came  from  England  on  the  "Mayflower," 
1620,  and  died  at  Duxbury,  Mass.,  Dec.  24,  1684.  He  married  Feb.  6, 
1635,  Ann  Plummer. 

(II)  James  Samson,  son  of  Henry,  born  before  1650,  died  in  1 718  at 
Dartmouth,  Mass..  his  will  being  probated  July  7,  1787. 

(III)  James  Samson  (2),  son  of  James,  born  at  Dartmouth,  Mass.. 
married  Ruth  Sawyer,  at  Wells,  Maine,  May  26,  1687.  He  removed  to 
Wells  between  1713  and  1717. 

(IV)  Ruth  Samson,  daughter  of  James  (2),  born  at  Wells,  Maine,  in 
171 7,  married  Stephen  Harding,  Jr. 

(V)  Ruth  Harding,  born  at  Arundel,  Maine,  died  at  Lunenburg,  Vt., 
Jan.    17,   1782.     She  married  Eliphalet  Cheney. 

(VII)  Israel  Cheney,  son  of  Eliphalet,  born  at  Wells,  Maine,  Aug.  19, 
1779,  died  March  19.  1862,  at  Beloit,  Wis.  He  married  Oct.  10,  1805, 
Priscilla  Goodall,  born  at  Wells,  Maine,  Dec.  31,  1781,  who  died  Oct.  24, 
1843,  at  Beloit,  Wisconsin. 

(VIII)  Meribah  Marion  Cheney,  daughter  of  Israel,  born  at  Lunen- 
burg, Vt.,  Aug.  3,  1810,  died  at  Beloit.  Wis.,  Feb.  24,  i8go.  She  married 
at  Lunenburg,  Vt..  Feb.  3,  1835,  Holland  Moore,  born  at  Lancaster,  N.  H., 
March  31,  1808,  who  died  at  Mapleton,  Kans..  Sept.  19,  1858. 

(IX)  Webster  Porter  Moore,  son  of  Meribah  Marion  (Cheney)  Moore, 
born  July  4,  1836. 

FRANK  McQL'ARRIE.  for  many  years  a  builder  in  Racine  county,  but 
since  1902  engaged  in  a  general  mercantile  business  in  Yorkville,  is  a  native 
of  the  county,  born  in  Caledonia  township,  Sept.  9,  1856,  son  of  John  and 
Eliza    (Nelson)    McQuarrie. 

Farquhar  McQuarrie,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Frank,  was  a  native 
of  Canada,  of  Scotch  descent.  A  farmer  by  occupation,  he  died  there  in  mid- 
dle life,  while  his  wife,  Jane  (Wallace)  McQuarrie.  lived  to  be  over  seventy 
years  of  age.    They  had  two  daughters  and  four  sons. 

John  McQuarrie  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Canada,  and  was  a  boy  when 
he  came  to  Racine  County  to  live.  He  grew  to  manhood  there,  learned  the 
cooper's  trade  and  followed  it  for  a  few  years,  after  which  he  went  to  Howard 
county,  Iowa.  A  year  later  he  moved  again,  to  Fillmore  county.  Minn.,  and 
died  there  soon  after,  in  1859,  aged  twenty-six  years.  His  wife.  Eliza  Nel- 
son, daughter  of  Andrew  Nelson,  survived  him  only  two  years.  There  was 
one  daughter  who  died  in  infancy,  while  Frank  was  the  only  son. 

Andrew  Nelson,  father  of  Mrs.  Eliza  (Nelson)  McQuarrie,  was  a  native 


5o8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

of  Sweden,  who  came  to  America,  settled  in  Kenosiia  county,  and  engaged  in 
farming.  He  afterward  moved  to  Iowa,  about  1856,  and  located  in  Howard 
County,  among  the  pioneers  of  that  region,  where  he  died,  aged  about  seventy 
years.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Elizabeth  Campbell,  who  also  lived  to  a  good  old 
age.     They  had  six  children. 

Frank  McOuarrie  was  a  year  old  when  his  parents  moved  to  Iowa,  and 
he  remained  there  till  he  was  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old,  since  when  he  has 
lived  in  Racine  county.  He  attended  the  district  schools  and  liyed  on  a  farm 
till  about  1883  when  he  took  up  carpentering.  He  had  lived  in  Raymond  town- 
ship up  to  that  time,  but  then  came  to  Yorkville  township,  and  followed  his 
trade  there  for  nine  years.  In  1902  he  moved  to  the  village  of  Yorkville  and 
formed  a  partnership  with  his  son-in-law,  Wesley  Shephard,  in  the  general 
merchandise  business,  under  the  firm  name  of  McOuarrie  &  Shephard. 

On  Oct.  31,  1877,  Mr.  McQuarrie  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Fritchen, 
daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Hetzel)  Fritchen,  the  former  of  whom  was  a 
native  of  Germany,  who  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Wisconsin,  where  he 
followed  farming  in  Yorkville  township,  among  the  pioneers.  He  died  there 
at  the  age  of  sixty-seven,  the  father  of  six  sons  and  four  daughters.  To  the 
union  of  Frank  and  Elizabeth  McOuarrie  was  born  one  daughter,  Lillian,  who 
married  Wesley  Shephard,  and  is  herself  the  mother  of  one  daughter,  Mildred 
Louise.  Mrs.  McOuarrie  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Politically  Mr. 
McQuarrie  is  a  Republican,  but  always  has  been  so  engrossed  in  his  own  busi- 
ness as  a  carpenter  and  builder  that  he  has  had  little  time  for  any  active  parti- 
cipation in  politics.  This  close  attention  to  his  affairs  has  had  its  due  reward 
in  the  success  which  has  crowned  his  efforts. 

JOSEPH  WIENERS,  Sr..  a  highly  esteemed  resident  and  old  settler 
of  Racine  county,  is  engaged  in  cultivating  his  fine  farm  on  Section  25,  Wa- 
terford  township.  He  was  born  in  Preis  Minn.  Germany,  Oct.  25,  1825,  son 
of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Conradt)  Wieners,  natives  of  that  country. 

Mr.  Wieners'  paternal  grandfather  was  Richter  Wieners,  who  died  in 
Germany  when  upwards  of  eighty  years  of  age,  having  been  a  farmer  by 
-occupation.  Philip  Conradt  was  the  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  he 
also  being  a  farmer  by  occupation. 

Joseph  Wieners,  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  laboring  man,  and  for  over 
thirty  years  foreman  of  a  large  estate  in  Germany,  living  about  five  miles  from 
the  city  of  Bauterbun,  and  one  mile  from  the  village  of  Wisberg.  There  he 
died  in  18^3,  when  eighty  years  of  age,  his  wife  having  passed  away  several 
years  previously,  when  seventy  years  of  age.  Both  were  Catholics.  They  had 
a  family  of  six  children,  all  of  whom,  with  the  exception  of  our  subject,  died 
in  Germany. 

Joseph  Wieners  was  reared  in  Germany  on  a  farm,  and  served  three  years 
in  the  regular  army.  He  received  his  education  in  his  native  country,  and  in 
1853  came  to  America,  settling  in  Waterford  township,  where  he  rented  land. 
He  then  removed  to  Burlington  township,  purchasing  his  present  farm  of  thir- 
ty acres  in  1857,  it  being  at  that  time  entirely  covered  with  timber.  Here 
he  has  lived  most  of  the  time  ever  since.  On  Oct.  i^,  iSc,2.  Mr.  Wieners  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Berndina  Davis,  widow  of  William  Davis,  and  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Elizabeth    (Werneke)    Schaeffers.     To  this  union  were  Ijorn  three  sons 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  509 

and  three  daughters,  iianiel)' :  Edward,  whu  n<jw  h\es  in  Spring-  Prairie,  Wal- 
worth cuunty,  married  Catherine  RussmiUer,  and  has  .six  chdch-en,  Alfred,  Ida, 
Dorothea,  WiUiam,  Erank  and  ;  John,  who  resides  on  the  home- 
stead, which  he  cuhivates ;  Joseph,  who  hves  in  Waterford,  and  is  in  the  horse 
business,  in  connection  with  being  a  partner  in  a  hotel  business  with  John  Nel- 
son; Ida,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Henry  Meln,  of  Waterford,  and  had 
six  children,  William,  Nellie,  Edward,  Frank,  George  and  Alfred;  Sophia, 
who  married  Frank  Hurnemann,  of  Muskegon,  Waukesha  county,  and  has  one 
daughter,  Josephine ;  and  Elizabeth,  wdio  married  Louis  Grossman,  of  Bur- 
lington, Wis.,  and  has  four  children,  as  follows:  Joseph,  Rosa,  Ludavina  and 
Albert. 

Mrs.  Berndina  Wieners  had  four  children  by  her  first  marriage:  William, 
who  lives  in  Sacramento,  Cal. ;  Frank,  deceased,  who  married  Christina  Davis, 
and  had  three  children,  William,  Amelia  and  Christina ;  Charles,  deceased ; 
and  Mary,  who  married  William  H.uerdemann,  of  Union  Town,  Wash.,  and 
has  four  children,  Charles,  John,  Elizabeth  and  Louisa. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Wieners  were  born  in  Germany,  and  there  died.  They 
had  a  family  of  ten  children.  Mrs.  Wieners  was  born  in  Germany,  in  Octo- 
ber, 1824.  She  came  to  America  in  1840,  and  settled  in  Rochester  township, 
Racine  county,  at  which  place  she  grew  to  womanhood.  She  has  lived  in 
Racine  county  for  sixty-six  years,  she  and  her  husband  being  among  the 
oldest  and  most  honored  pioneers  of  the  county.  They  have  twentv-four 
grandchildren  and  four  great  grandchildren  living,  their  grandson  Charles 
having  three  children,  and  their  grandson  John  Huerdemann  ha^'ing  one 
child. 

ARTHUR  D.  SMITH,  a  most  highly  esteemed  retired  resident  of  Bur- 
lington, Wis.,  is  a  native  of  this  State,  born  in  Walworth  county,  about  one 
and  one-half  miles  from  Burlington,  Dec.  2,  1846,  son  of  Lemuel  and  Melissa 
(Campbell)  Smith,  natives  of  New  York  State. 

Aaron  Smith,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of 
New  York  State,  and  carried  on  agricultural  operations  there.  With  his  son, 
Lemuel,  he  came,  in  1835,  to  Burlington,  and  here  he  died  at  an  advanced 
age.  His  wife  died  in  the  East.  Aaron  Smith  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  having  been  but  a  boy  when  he  enlisted.  The  maternal  grand- 
father of  Arthur  D.  Smith,  Daniel  Campbell,  was  also  a  native  of  New  York, 
and  was  of  Scotch  descent.  His  early  life  was  spent  in  Franklin  countv,  N. 
Y.,  but  he  came  West  in  1836,  making  a  claim  in  Spring  Prairie  township, 
W^alworth  county.  This  he  sold  after  a  time  and  made  a  claim  in  Lvons  town- 
ship, where  he  lived  until  his  death.  His  wife,  Mary  Nichols,  attained  an  ad- 
vanced age. 

Before  coming  to  Racine  county  in  1835,  Lemuel  Smith,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  a  merchant  near  Akron,  Ohio.  On  first  coming  to  Racine  county, 
he  stayed  but  a  few  months  in  Racine,  and  then  came  to  the  present  site  of 
Burlington,  locating  here  before  there  was  a  house  built.  He  and  his  brother 
Aaron  erected  the  first  two  houses  in  Burlington.  These  structures  were  built 
of  logs,  one  being  used  for  store  purposes,  and  the  other  for  a  residence.  He 
and  his  brother  each  took  up  160  acres  of  land,  paying  for  the  same  $1.25  per 
acre.     For  this  land  Lemuel  made  his  claim  in  1835.  and  Aaron  in  1839.    An- 


5IO  COMMEiMORATlVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

other  bruther.  Closes,  also  came  to  Burlington  with  Lemuel,  but  neither  he  nor 
Aaron  remained  here  any  length  of  time.  Lemuel's  claim  was  in  W'ahvorrh 
county,  his  postoffice  being  Burlington.  To  his  original  tract  he  added  forty 
acres  of  timber  land,  and  kept  on  increasing  it  until  he  at  one  time  owned  300 
acres.  On  this  farm  his  children  were  born  and  reared,  and  here  he  died  in 
1874,  aged  sixty-two  years.  His  widow  still  survives  him,  and  is  now  eighty 
years  of  age.  Lemuel  Smith  held  various  township  offices  in  Burlington  town- 
ship, and  was  the  first  chairman  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Society  in  Walworth 
county,  being  the  oldest  settler  at  that  time,  and  the  first  person  to  build  at 
Burlington.  He  and  his  wife  had  three  children,  as  follows :  Edwin  R.,  of 
Port  Washington,  Wis. ;  Arthur  D.,  of  Burlington;  and  Miss  Nellie,  a  teacher 
in  Milwaukee.  Edwin  R.  was  principal  of  the  Burlington  high  school  for 
eleven  years. 

Arthur  D.  Smith  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Walworth  county, 
and  Burlington.  Racine  county,  has  ahvays  been  his  postoffice.  He  attended 
the  district  schools  of  his  locality,  and  later  the  public  schools  of  Burlington, 
and  lived  at  home  until  his  marriage,  when  he  settled  on  a  farm  adjoining  his 
father's,  and  there  he  lived  for  twenty  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  he  came 
to  Burlington,  and  for  a  while  engaged  in  dealing  in  real  estate,  but  for  the 
past  tW'O  years  has  lived  retired. 

On  Jan.  i,  1869,  Mr.  Smith  married  Miss  Martha  Montgomery,  daugh- 
ter of  John  O.  and  Elizabeth  (Wheden)  Montgomery.  Politically  Mr.  Smith 
is  a  Republican,  and  has  been  a  stanch  supporter  of  that  party's  principles  all 
of  his  life,  serving  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  for  several  years. 

Thomas  INIontgomery,  Mrs.  Smith's  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  White- 
field,  N.  H..  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  as  was  also  his  wife,  Martha 
Woodbury.  On  the  maternal  side  Mrs.  Smith's  grandfather  was  a  native  of 
England,  who  emigrated  to  Granby,  Canada,  in  1835.  He  lived  there  until  ad- 
vanced age,  then  removed  to  Whitefield,  N.  H.,  where  he  died  leaving  two  sons 
and  a  daughter.  Mrs.  Smith's  father  was  born  in  Whitefield,  N.  H.,  and  her 
mother  in  one  of  the  suburbs  of  London,  England.  John  O.  Montgomery  al- 
ways followed  farming,  and  owned  a  farm  in  the  village  of  Whitefield,  N.  H.. 
which  he  sold  in  1864.  to  come  to  Burlington.  He  purchased  a  farm  on  the 
county  line  of  Racine  and  Walworth  counties,  in  Burlington  and  Spring 
Prairie  townships,  and  he  died  in  Burlington,  in  January,  1903.  His  wife 
passed  away  in  April,  1889. 

ALVIN  BARROWS,  who  died  Oct.  14,  1896,  w^as  one  of  the  representa- 
tive agriculturists  of  Racine  county,  and  in  his  death  Union  Grove  township 
lost  an  honest,  reliable  citizen.  He  was  born  in  New  York  State  in  1829,  and 
when  a  toy  came  W'est  with  his  parents,  attending  the  district  schools  of 
L'ninn  Grove  township,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  learned  the  trade 
of  carpenter,  which,  however,  he  never  followed,  having  spent  his  entire  life 
on  the  farm.  Mr.  Barrows  had  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in  Dover  township,  and 
another  of  ninety  in  Yorkville  township,  near  Union  Grove.  He  was  a  man 
of  true  charity  and  Christian  kindness,  a  manly  man,  who  could  both  trust  and 
be  trusted. 

Mr.  Barrows  was  first  married  to  Esther  Bunce.  and  to  them  were  born 
seven  children:    Emma,  wife  of  Samuel  Bohannan ;  Ella,  wife  of  James  Mot- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  511 

ley;  Eva,  wife  of  Alfred  Sumpter;  Elmer;  Jennie,  wife  of  Chester  Hulett; 
Sarah,  wife  of  ]\Iichael  Xisen;  and  Alvin,  Jr.  ^Irs.  Esther  Bunce  Barrows 
died  in  1877. 

On  Thanksgiving  Day,  1877,  Mr.  Barrows  married  (second)  Mrs.  Clar- 
issa Conner,  widow  of  Alonzo  Conner,  and  daughter  of  Edwin  and  Mehitable 
(Case)  Moe.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conner  had  one  son,  Ardeen,  who  died  Oct.  14, 
1903;  he  married  Miss  Lettie  Crabb.  Mrs.  Barrows  still  survives,  and  is  now 
seventy-six  years  old,  having  been  born  Jan.  8,  1830.  She  was  three  times 
■married,  her  first  marriage,  which  occurred  Sept.  3,  1851,  being  to  Erasmus 
Cadwell,  who  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York  and  came  West  to  Michigan 
among  the  pioneers,  settling  with  his  parents  near  Marshall,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood.  About  1849  ^^  came  to  Racine  county,  Wis.,  and  spent  a  short  time 
in  Racine,  after  which  he  located  in  Union  Grove,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
village.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  erected  a  shop  and  followed  that 
business  there  for  three  or  four  years.  When  the  railroad  was  built  through 
the  village  he  removed  there,  and  continued  at  his  chosen  calling.  At  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  22d  Wis.  V.  I.,  left  Madi- 
son in  March,  1864,  and  died  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  the  following  June,  as 
a  result  of  disease  contracted  during  service.  Four  children  were  born  to 
.Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cadwell ;  Julia,  Edwin,  Fred  and  Minnie.  Julia  married  Will- 
iam Powles,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Union  Grove,  and  they  have  four  chil- 
dren, Warren,  Clara  Zonette,  Earl  LeRoy  and  Stanley.  Edwin  is  a  carpenter 
in  Milwaukee,  where  he  married  May  Hughes,  formerly  of  Massachusetts, 
and  they  have  six  children,  Addie,  Fenton,  Arthur,  Ellsworth,  Esther  and 
Clara  Olive.  Fred  lives  in  Douglas,  Ariz.,  where  he  is  postmaster.  Minnie 
married  Gersham  Wilson,  now  deceased,  formerly  of  Union  Grove,  and  has 
three  children,  Grace,  Fred  and  Alice. 

Mrs.  Clarissa  Barrows  was  born  in  Lorain  county,  Ohio,  Jan.  8,  1830. 
Her  mother,  Mehitable  Case,  was  born  near  Hartford,  Conn.,  and  her  father 
Edwin  Moe,  in  Genesee  county,  N.  Y.,  and  after  their  marriage  they  removed 
to  Avon,  Ohio.  They  were  pioneer  settlers  of  Racine  county.  Wis.,  locating 
two  and  one-half  miles  southwest  of  Union  Grove,  in  Dover  township,  where 
Mr.  Moe  engaged  in  farming.  He  died  in  1894,  in  his  eighty-ninth'  year,  his 
wife  passing  away  in  1865,  when  fifty-eight  years  of  age.  She  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Church. 

Isaac  Moe,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Clarissa  Barrows,  was  a 
farmer  of  New  York  State,  and  removed  to  Avon,  Oliio,  dying  there  on  the 
farm  which  he  had  cleared.  His  wife,  Clarissa  Ann  Moe,  lived  to  an  advanced 
age,  and  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  in  Michigan,  the  mother  of  a 
large  family. 

On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Clarissa  Barrows'  grandfather  was  Hezekiah 
■Case,  a  native  of  Connecticut.  He  removed  to  Avon,  Ohio,  at  a  very  early 
day,  and  there  took  up  the  occupation  of  an  agriculturist,  continuing  to  follow 
this  in  that  vicinity  until  his  death,  in  middle  life.  Mr.  Case  married  Huldah 
Case,  who  lived  to  advanced  years,  and  came  West  to  Wisconsin,  living  here 
for  several  years,  after  which  she  returned  to  her  home  in  Ohio,  and  there 
spent  the  remainder  of  her  life.  She  was  the  mother  of  a  familv  of  ele\'en 
children. 


512  COAniEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

JOSHUA  ZWINGLE  COLLIER,  engaged  in  the  real  estate,  loan  and 
insurance  business  at  Union  Grove,  Wis.,  is  not  only  a  popular  business  man 
in  that  village,  whose  success  is  due  to  his  own  unaided  efforts,  but  is  widely- 
known  throughout  Racine  and  Kenosha  counties,  as  he  is  the  general  agent 
for  the  Racine  Journal.  He  was  born  in  Yorkville  June  26,  1863,  to  Joshua 
and  Alice  (Hurst)  Collier,  and  is  of  English  descent  on  both  sides. 

William  Collier,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Lancashire, 
England,  and  a  silk  weaver  by  occupation.  His  wife,  Margaret  (Ridyard) 
Collier,  lived  to  be  sixty-four,  while  he  reached  the  age  of  seventy-seven. 
They  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter  who  lived  in  this  country,  viz. :  Rich- 
ard, Joshua,  Jabez  (all  deceased),  and  Mary  Ellen  Creighton,  the  last  named 
of  Champaign,  111. ;  and  three  children  who  died  in  England  in  infancy. 
William  Collier  came  from  England  to  Racine  county  in  1848,  and  was  a 
farmer  in  the  town  of  Yorkville  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 

George  Hurst,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Joshua  Zwingle  Collier,  also 
a  native  of  Lancashire,  England,  came  to  America  in  March,  1842,  and  lo- 
cated in  the  town  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  where  he  took  up  Government  land.  He 
lived  there  until  about  six  years  before  his  death,  when  he  made  his  home  with 
his  daughter,  Alice  Collier,  first  in  Caledonia  township,  but  afterward  in  Mt. 
Pleasant,  where  he  died  aged  eighty-three  years.  His  wife  was  Alice  Hurst, 
who  died  aged  about  fifty  years.  They  had  four  children  who  came  to  this 
country :  Sarah,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  James  Mitchell ;  John,  de- 
ceased ;  Elijah,  of  Clear  Lake,  Iowa ;  and  Alice,  of  Racine,  mother  of  J.  Z. 
Collier.  George  Hurst  was  a  local  preacher  among  the  Primitive  Methodists 
or  Bible  Christians.  He  was  also  a  musician,  and  leader  of  the  local  orchestra 
at  Kellogg's  Corners. 

Joshua  Collier  and  his  wife  were  both  natives  of  Lancashire,  England, 
but  were  married  after  coming  to  this  country,  Mr.  Collier  coming  over  alone- 
in  1846,  when  he  was  only  sixteen  years  old.  He  became  a  ship  carpenter 
and  bridge  builder,  and  in  1870  took  the  contract  for  building  the  bridges  oh 
the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad  between  Milwaukee  county  and 
Chicago.  Later  he  followed  farming  in  the  town  of  Caledonia,  Racine  county, 
and  from  there  went  to  Mt.  Pleasant.  About  a  year  before  his  death  he  was 
elected  treasurer  of  the  town  for  the  last  year  of  the  bond  collection  there, 
but  was  able  to  attend  personally  to  the  duties  of  the  office  for  only  a  short 
time.  He  died  Sept.  17,  1884.  His  wife  still  survives  him,  and  lives  in  Ra- 
cine. Both  beloi-iged  to  the  Methodist  Church,  in  which  Mr.  Collier  was  a 
local  preacher  and  great  Sunday-school  worker.  During  the  Civil  war.  Mr. 
Collier  enlisted  in  Company  G.  2d  Wis.  V.  C.  and  served  about  ten  months, 
or  until  the  end  of  the  war.  He  was  in  the  Grierson  raid  around  Memphis, 
and  just  before  the  close  of  the  war  was  on  Gen.  C.  C.  Washburn's  staff.  The 
children  born  to  Joshua  and  Alice  (Hurst)  Collier  were  five  in  number,  viz. : 
Joshua  Z. ;  Alice,  who  received  her  higher  education  in  the  Oshkosh  Normal 
School,  and  is  now  the  wife  of  Edwin  B.  Skewes,  of  Ives  Grove,  Racine 
county,  Margaret  Ella,  who  died  when  five  years  of  age;  Louisa  M.,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Oshkosh  Normal  School  and  of  Lawrence  Universitv  at  ArpIc- 
ton,  Wis.,  who  was  a  teacher  of  Latin  and  German  in  Antie^o  hieh  school 
four  years,  and  is  now  teacher  of  Latin  and  English  in  the  Racine  high  school ; 


^^^^t;^W- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  513 

and  Effie  L.,  also  a  graduate  of  the  Oshkosh  Normal  School  and  Lawrence 
Uni\-ersity,  and  since  a  teacher  in  the  Antigo  (Wis.)  and  Racine  public 
schools,  now  holding  an  appointment  from  the  Methodist  Missionary  Board 
in  New  York  to  Foo  Chow,  China,  to  teach  in  the  Anglo-Chinese  school, 
whither  she  is  to  go  in  July,  1906. 

Joshua  Z.  Collier  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Racine  county  and 
received  his  education  in  the  district  schools.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  left 
school  and  began  marketing  their  crops  in  Racine  and  Milwaukee.  When  he 
was  nineteen  his  father  was  chosen  township  treasurer  for  Mt.  Pleasant 
but  as  the  latter  was  seized  soon  after  by  his  last  lingering  illness,  the  burden 
of  making  the  collections  of  the  taxes  and  of  settling  the  affairs  of  the 
office  fell  upon  his  son,  who  proved  himself  fully  equal  to  the  task  and  dis- 
played the  sound  business  judgment  which  has  made  him  a  successful  man. 
He  remained  on  the  home  farm  until  1892,  since  when  he  has  resided  in 
Union  Grove,  in  the  pleasant  home  he  built  on  Main  street.  His  connection 
with  the  Racine  Journal,  which  he  has  carried  on  at  the  same  time  with  his 
real  estate  business,  dates  back  to  1890,  when  he  began  doing  soliciting  and 
collecting  for  the  Racine  Journal  Printing  Company,  of  Racine,  and  was 
thrown  in  contact  with  people  in  nearly  every  home  in  Racine  and  Kenosha 
counties.  He  also  did  reporting  for  the  Journal,  taking  charge  of  the  county 
correspondence,  and  has  been  connected  with  the  Journal  Company  for  fif- 
teen years.  He  has  seen  the  paper  enlarged  from  an  eight-column  folio  to  an 
eight-page  quarto  issued  twice  a  week,  and  the  subscription  list  increased 
from  300  to  3,500  subscribers. 

On  March  31,  1892,  Mr.  Collier  was  married  to  Miss  Elsie  M.  Scofield, 
daughter  of  Chester  .and  Francis  (Young')  Scofield,  of  Bristol,  Kenosha 
county.  Four  children  were  born  to  this  union,  viz.:  Erviii  Z. ;  Victor  A., 
who  died  in  infancy ;  Ethel  Alice ;  and  Kenneth  J.  Mrs.  Collier  was  educated 
in  the  district  schools  of  Kenosha  county  and  in  the  Oshkosh  Normal,  and 
was  a  successful  teacher  in  the  county  and  Kenosha  city  schools  and  in  Win- 
neconne,  Wisconsin. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collier  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  in  which 
he  is  steward  and  Sunday-school  superintendent  and  a  member  of  the  church 
choir.  He  belongs  to  Purity  Lodge,  No.  39,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  to  Camp  No. 
370,  M.  W.  A.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace  for  the  past  eight  years.     He  is  also  a  notary  public. 

Chester  Scofield,  Mrs.  Collier's  father,  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  his 
wife  of  New  York.  They  had  four  daughters  and  one  son,  viz. ;  Evelyn, 
wife  of  A.  S.  Carpenter,  a  merchant  of  Desmet,  S.  Dak. ;  Elsie  M. ;  Bertha, 
unmarried,  of  Oshkosh;  Belle  C,  one  of  the  faculty  of  the  River  Falls  Nor- 
mal School,  of  River  Falls,  Wis. ;  and  Howard  C,  of  Oshkosh,  Wis.  Mr. 
Scofield  was  a  farmer  and  an  early  settler  of  Kenosha  county,  in  the  towMi  of 
Bristol,  where  his  father  took  up  Government  land.  He  died  in  1890.  aged 
fifty-four  years,  and  his  widow  now  lives  in  Oshkosh,  Wisconsin. 

CHARLES  J.  MOHR,  proprietor  of  the  "Mohr  Hotel,"  Racine.  Wis., 
has  been  a  resident  of  this  city  for  over  forty  years.     Mr.  Mohr's  birth  occur- 


514  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

red  Aug.  lo,  1844,  in  the  Rhein  Province,  Germany,  son  of  Frederick  and  Cath- 
erine (Dieterich)  Mohr,  natives  of  Germany. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  died  in  Germany  aged  about 
seventy  years,  wliile  the  maternal  grandfather,  a  millwright,  lived  to  be  ninety 
six  years  old,  and  two  days  before  his  death  walked  a  distance  of  eight  miles. 
Frederick  Alohr  was  also  a  millwright  by  trade.  His  death  occurred  in  Ger- 
many, Aug.  10,  1859,  in  his  sixtieth  year,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  18^2, 
aged  forty-four  years.  Both  were  Reformed  Lutherans.  They  had  ten  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  are  still  living :  Katherine,  wife  of  Charles  Litzenberger, 
of  Union  Grove,  Wis.;  Louisa,  wife  of  John  Schule,  of  near  Streator,  Ohio; 
Charles  J.,  of  Racine;  Christian,  principal  of  schools  at  \'olklingen,  Germany; 
and  Jacob,  a  hardware  dealer  of  Racine. 

Charles  J.  Mohr  received  his  schooling  in  Germany.  In  the  spring  of 
1S60  he  came  to  America,  and  in  the  summer  of  that  year  located  in  Kenosha 
county,  ^\'is.,  where  he  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  1875.  On  Jan.  2,  1864,  he  went  to  work  for  Henry  Mitchell  in 
the  blacksmith  shop  of  his  wagon  manufactory  and  plow  works,  the  latter  of 
which  was  at  that  time  the  main  business.  In  1875  Mr.  ]Mohr  went  into  the 
grocery  business  for  himself  and  continued  in  that  until  about  1891,  also  keep- 
ing a  few  boarders.  In  1894  he  built  his  present  hotel  building  on  the  corner 
of  State  and  ^larquette  streets,  and  here  he  has  since  continued  verv  success- 
fully. 

On  Feb.  14,  1868,  Mr.  Mohr  and  Miss  Katarina  Halter  were  united  in 
marriage,  she  being  the  daughter  of  Louis  and  Mary  (Kunselman)  Halter. 
To  this  union  have  been  born  three  children :  Louis  F.,  who  married  josephina 
Killin,  lives  in  Racine,  and  has  two  children,  Regina  and  Louis  F. ;  Emma,  who 
married  Ezra  Evans,  and  has  one  daughter,  Gwendolvn ;  and  Francis,  who 
married  U.  R.  IMiller.  lives  in  Newton,  Kansas.  Politically  Mr.  ]\Iohr  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  has  been  a  member  of  the  county  board  for  seven  years.  He  is 
very  popular  with  all  classes,  and  is  highly  esteemed  for  his  many  sterling  traits 
of  character. 

JOHN  LEBER,  one  of  the  venerable  men  of  Burlington,  \Ms.,  has  been 
a  resident  of  this  city  for  over  sixt3'-two  years,  and  is  now  living  retired,  enjov- 
ing  the  fruits  of  his  early  labors.  He  was  born  Dec.  25,  1819,  in  Neuville, 
France,  son  of  Matthias  and  Mary  (Schneider)  Leber,  natives  of  France,  the 
latter  of  German  parentage. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  John  Leber,  Anthony  and  Christina  Leber, 
died  in  their  nati\'e  country  at  an  advanced  age.  They  had  two  sons  and  one 
daughter.  John  Schneider,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  born 
in  Germany,  being  one  of  a  family  of  six  brothers.  He  being  the  only  one  of 
the  brothers  to  marry,  he  consequently  fell  heir  to  all  of  his  brothers'  prop- 
erty.    He  and  his  wife  Christina  had  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter. 

Matthias  Leber.  John  Leber's  father,  was  a  farmer  in  his  native  coun- 
try, and  in  1830,  emigrated  from  France  to  Canada,  where  he  lived  twelve 
years.  In  1842,  with  his  wife,  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  he  came  to  Bur- 
lington, and  there  he  lived  until  his  death,  in  i850,"in  his  seventy-seventh 
year,  his  wife  having  passed  away  three  months  previnuslv,  being  sixty-six 
years  old  at  the  time  of  her  demise.     Matthias  Leber  ser\-ed  under  Napoleon 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  515 

Bonaparte  for  fifteen  years,  and  had  many  miraculous  escapes  fn.mi  death  in 
hattle.  He  was  \vell-e(kicated  and  was  a  very  rehgious  man.  Of  his  ei<^iit 
chikh'en,  two  are  now  li\'ing:  John,  our  subject;  and  Anthony,  of  Burhng- 
ton. 

John  Leber  received  a  rather  Hmited  education  in  the  German  language, 
and  was  compelled  to  go  to  work  when  very  young.  He  saved  his  money,  and, 
on  coming  to  Burlington,  1842,  in  his  twenty-third  year,  he  purchased  a  farm 
of  160  acres  in  the  township  upon  which  he  lived  a  number  of  years.  He  then 
removed  to  the  city  of  Burlington,  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  wagons 
and  buggies,  also  doing  general  repair  work  for  the  farmers,  and  in  this  busi- 
ness he  continued  for  thirty  years.  Since  that  time  he  has  lived  retired,  but 
still  does  occasional  jobs  to  accommodate  his  friends,  although  now  in  his 
eighty-seventh  year. 

On  Nov.  24,  1845,  Mr.  John  Leber  and  Miss  Mary  Fei.  daughter  of  Carl 
and  Eva  (Martini)  Fei,  were  united  in  marriage.  Nine  children  were  born  to 
this  union,  all  of  whom  are  still  living.  Charles,  Mary,  John,  Frederick,  Lena, 
Elizabeth,  Louis,  Anthony  and  Caroline.  Charles,  a  blacksmith,  in  Burlington, 
married  Friedericka  Schulz.  and  has  four  children,  Mary,  Charles,  John  and 
Lena :  Mary  married  Nicholas  Henrichs,  a  Frenchman,  who  died  nine  years 
ago,  leaving  his  widow  with  seven  children :  Anna,  Clara,  Carrie,  Joseph, 
Nicholas,  Peter  and  John ;  John  is  a  shoemaker  in  Milwaukee,  where  he  mar- 
ried Mary  Hennepin,  by  whom  he  has  had  three  children,  Lizzie,  Clara  and 

:  Frederick,  a  shoemaker  in  Burlington,  married  Katie  Ebers,  having 

four  children,  Louisa,  Albert,  Dora  and  George ;  Lena  married  George  Smith, 
of  Burlington,  and  has  five  children,  Frederick,  Mary,  Emma,  Louis  and 
Helen ;  Elizabeth  married  Joseph  Brooks,  a  native  of  England,  and  their  three 
children  are,  Albert,  Irvin  and  Caroline;  Louis,  a  painter  and  waeon  maker, 
married  Annie  Dollinger,  and  had  two  children,  Martha  and  Gertrude;  An- 
thony, a  blacksmith  in  Burlington,  married  Mary  Noble,  by  whom  he  has  two 
children,  Sadie  and  Louis;  and  Caroline  married  William  Wurms,  and  lives 
in  Burlington. 

Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Leber  have  thirty  grandchildren,  and  nine  great-grand- 
children. They  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Politically  Mr.  Leber 
is  a  Democrat. 

Mrs.  Leber's  grandparents  were  Nicholas  Heinrichs  and  Eva  f Stein) 
Fei,  and  Peter  and  Mary  (Fei)  Martini.  Her  father  was  a  shoemaker  by  occu- 
pation, and  came  to  America  in  1842,  with  his  wife,  living  for  five  years  ir^ 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.  He  then  came  to  Racine  county,  and  settled  on  a  farm  three 
mdes  south  of  Burlington,  where  he  died  Dec.  25,  1876,  aged  eighty-two  years. 
His  widow  survived  him  a  number  of  years,  dying  in  April,  1890,  aged  ninetv- 
five  and  one-half  years.  Although  having  attained  this  remarkable  age,  Mrs. 
Leber's  mother  could  thread  a  needle  easily,  and  could  read  ordinary  print 
^\•ithnut  any  difficulty,  and  in  spite  of  the  protests  of  her  children  worked  hard 
up  to  the  time  of  her  death,  saying  that  she  did  not  wdsh  to  be  a  burden  to  any- 
one. She  and  her  husband  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  five  daughters  and 
four  sons,  and  six  of  these  children  are  still  living;  Anthony,  of  LaCrosse, 
Wis. ;  Mary,  Mrs.  Leber,  horn  in  Prussia,  Germany,  April  15,  1823;  Margaret', 
wife  of  Rocus  Walter,  of  Dubuque,  Iowa;  Catherine,  wife  of  Frank  Wein- 


5i6        comme:\iorative  biographical  record. 


bein,  of  Walworth  county;  Sarah,  wife  of  Christian  Brnsch,  of  Burhn.^ton, 
Wis. ;  and  Annie,  wife  of  Matthias  Albright. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leber  have  been  married  sixty  years,  and  celebrated  their 
golden  wedding  in  1895.  Both  are  strong,  healthy  and  hearty,  with  bright 
intellects,  and  both  have  remarkably  good  memories.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  con- 
verse with  this  good  couple,  as  they  are  very  intelligent  people,  well  informed 
on  current  topics,  and  both  have  a  wealth  of  reminiscences  of  the  earlv  days 
in  Burlington  township.  They  have  passed  through  every  phase  of  pioneer 
life,  and  have  lived  to  see  the  once  wild  country  changed  into  a  highly  culti- 
vated region,  peopled  by  a  happy  and  contented  people.  The  familv  home  is 
known  to  many  family  friends  as  a  center  of  hospitality  and  good  feeling. 

JOHN  VYVYAN,  a  representative  farmer  of  Racine  countv,  whose 
fine  farm  is  located  in  Section  9,  Yorkville  township,  was  born  in  Ravmond 
township,  Racine  county,  Oct.  4,  185 1,  son  of  William  and  ^Matilda  Vyvvan, 
natives  of  England. 

Mr.  Vyvyan's  paternal  grandfather  died  when  a  young  man,  in  England, 
leaving  a  family  of  three  children.  The  maternal  grandfather's  history  is  lost. 
William  Vyvvan,  father  of  John,  was  a  farmer  in  his  native  countrv,  and,  on 
coming  to  America,  became  an  early  settler  of  Racine  county.  He  purchased 
160  acres  of  land  in  Raymond  township,  and  there  his  familv  was  reared. 
Later  he  removed  to  Union  Grove,  and  went  into  the  butcher  business,  continu- 
ing therein  for  many  years.  There  he  died  in  1893,  ^^is  wife  having  passed 
away  some  years  before.  They  were  members  of  the  Yorkville  M.  E.  Church, 
and  had  these  children  :  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Hay,  of  Raymond  town- 
ship ;  Grace,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Matthew  Roe ;  John ;  William,  of  York- 
ville township :  Matilda,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Thomas  Teed ;  James,  of 
Raymond  township;  Henry,  of  Union  Grove;  and  George,  of  Prospect  Hill. 
\Vaukesha  county. 

John  Vyvyan  was  reared  in  Raymond  township,  and  there  attended  the 
district  schools.  He  resided  at  home  until  reaching  maturity,  and  then  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  160  acres  of  land.  This  he  later  sold,  but  repurchased,  and 
here  he  has  continued  to  reside  ever  since.  He  was  married  Dec.  28,  i86q, 
to  Miss  Agnes  Hunter,  daughter  of  William  and  Ann  (Boyd)  Hunter,  and 
eight  children  have  been  born  to  this  union :  William,  Benjamin.  \\'alter, 
Ernest.  Roy,  Robert,  Mary  and  Margaret.  AVilliam.  a  farmer  in  Yorkville 
township,  married  Eveline  Shepherd,  and  they  have  three  children :  Leona, 
Henry  and  Jessie.  Benjamin,  also  a  farmer  in  Yorkville  township,  married 
Eunice  French,  and  they  have  four  children  :  Benjamin,  Wallace.  ]\Iarie  and 
Agnes.  Walter,  who  is  also  a  farmer  of  that  township,  married  Clara  Gillett, 
and  has  one  child :  Verna.  Ernest  is  a  butcher  and  farmer,  and  is  sinsle. 
The  other  four  children  are  at  home.  Miss  Margaret  being  a  teacher.  Air. 
and  Mrs.  John  Vyvyan  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Republican. 

W^illiam  and  Ann  (Boyd)  Hunter,  parents  of  Mrs.  Vyvyan,  were  natives 
of  Dumfriesshire,  Scotland,  and  came  to  America  in  1854,  Mrs.  A^-vvan  at 
that  time  being  one  year  and  a  half  old.  They  lived  in  the  town  of  Yorkville 
for  a  time,  and  then  removed  to  Raymond  township,  where  they  have  resided 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  517 

for  many  years,  owning  an  eighty-acre  farm.  They  have  had  six  children : 
Agnes,  the  wife  of  our  subject;  James  Hunter,  at  home;  Jane,  deceased,  who 
was  the  wife  of  Robert  ]\IcPherson ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Adam  Hay,  of  Racine; 
Wallace,  of  Yorkville  township ;  and  Bruce,  at  home. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Vyvyan,  James  Hunter  was  a  native  of 
Scotland.  On  coming  to  America  he  settled  in  Yorkville  township,  where  he 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  wife,  Jean,  also  died  at  an  advanced 
age,  and  left  a  family  of  eight  children.  On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Vyvyan 
is  a  granddaughter  of  James  Boyd,  a  native  of  Scotland,  where  he  died  at  an 
old  age.  His  wife,  who  bore  him  four  children,  had  been  formerly  married  to 
Mr.  Burnie,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  William.  James  Boyd,  had  himself 
lieen  married  Ijefore  and  had  seven  or  eight  children  by  that  marriage. 

ROBERT  M.  WALKER,  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed  citizens  of 
Mt.  Pleasant  township,  Racine  county,  and  one  of  the  old  pioneers  of  this  sec- 
tion, was  born  in  Genesee  county,  N.  Y.,  June  7,  1836,  son  of  Nelson  and  Lu- 
cinda  (  Taggart)  Walker,  the  former  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  the  latter  of 
New  York. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  came  from  England  and  set- 
tled in  Rutland,  Yt..  where  he  died.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Adams,  and  was  re- 
lated to  President  John  Ouincy  Adams.  Our  subject's  maternal  grandfather 
was  Robert  Taggart.  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  later  a  physician  of  Bvron, 
Genesee  Co..  N.  Y.  His  wife  was  Hannah  (Todd)  Taggart,  who,  after  her 
husband's  death,  came  to  Buffalo  Grove.  Iowa,  where  she  died  Nov.  8,  1867. 
She  was  a  devout  Christian  woman,  and  taught  a  Bible  class  in  Cortland,  N. 
Y.,  for  a  number  of  years.  She  and  her  husband  had  seven  children  :  George. 
Daniel,  Lucinda,  Elizabeth.  Esther,  Sarah  and  Ann. 

Nelson  Walker  was  always  a  farmer,  and  when  young  engaged  in  tree 
and  fruit  grafting.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1835,  among  the  first  pioneers, 
and  settled  in  Yorkville  township,  taking  up  160  acres  of  Government  land. 
This  he  soon  afterward  disposed  of  to  a  Mr.  Campbell,  buying  sixty-five  acres 
in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  where  he  lived  some  years,  and  then  rented  the 
farm  and  went  to  Racine,  when  the  place  was  covered  with  timber.  He  put 
up  some  shanties  in  the  woods,  and  began  to  clear  the  land  of  timber,  owning 
200  acres  there,  which  he  afterward  sold  to  William  Allen.  He  went  back 
to  his  farm  in  ]\It.  Pleasant  township,  where  his  son  Robert  M.  now  resides, 
and  resided  there  until  old  age  compelled  him  to  retire  from  active  work.  He 
then  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  died  Nov.  11,  1886,  aged  seventy-nine  vears, 
seven  months.  He  was  very  prominent  in  his  day,  and  held  various  town 
of^ces.  His  wife  passed  away  Oct.  14,  1876,  aged  seventy  years.  Both  were 
charter  members  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Racine.  Thev  had  two 
sons  and  two  daughters,  namely :  Robert  M. ;  Mary  Jane,  the  wife  of  Milo 
George,  of  Chicago;  William  Henry,  deceased;  and  Louisa,  the  wife  of  J.  B. 
Appleton.  a  resident  of  Osage,  Iowa. 

Robert  ]\I.  Walker  was  but  three  months  old  when  his  mother  brought 
him  to  Racine,  in  1836.  his  father  having  come  the  year  before.  The  mother 
and  her  infant  son  made  the  trip  from  New  York  to  Chicago  by  the  Lakes, 
in  a  sailing  vessel,  and  from  Chicago  to  Racine  by  stage.  He  grew  to  man- 
hood in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  Racine  county  for 


5i8-  COM  MELIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

seventy  years.  sixty-t\yo  ui  which  have  spent  in  ;\It.  Pleasant  township.  He 
has  occupied  his  present  place  tor  twenty-six  years.  His  first  schooling  was 
obtained  in  the  old-fashioned  subscription  schools,  and  he  was  afterward  one 
of  the  first  graduates  of  the  grammar  school  of  Racine  College.  He  has  al- 
ways followed  farming,  and  has  met  with  considerable  success. 

On  Dec.  17,  1866,  he  married  Miss  Minerva  Secor,  daughter  of  Gurdon 
and  Jane  (Stuart)  Secor,  and  three  children  haye  been  born  to  this  union: 
Nelson  Adams,  Mortimer  E.  and  Mabel  E.  Nelson  Adams  now  operates  his 
father's  farm,  and  has  also  run  a  milk  wagon  for  fourteen  years.  Mortimer  E. 
is  a  lawyer,  and  is  serving  his  third  term  as  city  attorney.  He  married  Miss 
Florence  Bull,  daughter  of  Wakely  T.  Bull,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Jane 
Stuart  Bull.  Lliss  Mabel  E.  Walker  resides  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  M. 
Walker  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Mygatt's  Corners. 

Mr.  R.  M.  Walker  enlister  in  1864,  in  Company  K,  8th  Wis.  \'.  I.,  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war  as  a  private.  He  was  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Pleasant  Hill,  Tupelo,  the  Siege  of  Mobile,  and  ten  others,  and  also 
took  part  in  the  Red  River  expedition.  After  the  war  he  returned  home  and 
went  to  farming  and  dairying.  He  had  a  brother  William  Henry,  who  served 
four  years  in  the  Civil  war.  William  Henry  was  born  in  Mount  Pleasant, 
Jan.  19,  1841.  and  died  Jan.  7,  1892,  of  pneumonia  and  Bright's  disease,  at 
Longmont,  Colo.  He  was  a  member  of  Company  K,  8th  Wis.  V.  I.  Robert 
M.  Walker  is  a  member  of  Governor  Henry  Post,  No.  17.  G.  A.  R.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican. 

Mrs.  W^alker's  parents  were  natives  of  New  York  State,  and  liyed  in 
Greenville,  Green  county,  before  coming  to  Wisconsin  in  1842.  Thev  located 
in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  purchasing  land,  on  which  they  engaged  in  farming. 
Mr.  Gurdon  Secor,  the  father,  died  July  30,  1886,  aged  seventy-three  years, 
and  his  wife  Aug.  i.  1867,  aged  fifty-six  years.  She  was  a  Baptist.  Of  their 
seven  children,  five  are  still  living :  Minerva  is  the  wife  of  our  subject ;  Ri:)salie, 
the  widow  of  William  Henry  Walker,  lives  near  Los  Angeles,  Cal. ;  Marilla, 
widow  of  Col.  Purman,  lives  in  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Frank  Secor.  of  Long- 
mont. Col.,  is  a  prominent  lawyer  and  judge;  and  David  is  a  merchant,  of 
Seattle.  Washington. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Walker  was  Walter  Secor,  a  native 
of  New  York,  of  French  descent.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  was 
a  slave  owner,  and  was  quite  wealthy  for  those  days.  He  married  Abigail 
Townsend,  who  lived  to  an  old  age,  while  he  passed  away  in  April,  1861. 
They  had  eight  children,  with  whom  they  came  West,  settling  in  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant township.  Among  his  children  was  Dr.  Theodore  Secor,  who  was  promi- 
nent in  the  formation  of  the  government  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin^  being  a 
member  of  the  Legislature.  He  is  still  living,  residing  in  Minneapolis,  Minn., 
and  is  hale  and  hearty. 

HERBERT  EUGENE  ROBBINS,  ex-county  clerk  of  Kenosha  cunty. 
Wis.,  is  now  carrying  on  agricultural  operations  on  his  fine  tract  of  land  in 
Section  26,  Salem  townshi]).  He  was  born  March  2C)_  1859,  on  the  farm  w  hich 
he  now  occupies,  son  of  Harrison  and  Mary  (Smith)  Robbins.  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  an  old  New  England  family  of  English  origin,  founded  in  America  bv 
William  Robbins.  William  Robbins  married  Priscilla  Gowing.  a  daug-hter  of 


C0M:\IE]^I0RATIVE    biographical    record.  5icr 

Scotch  parents,  tie  first  appears  of  record  Feb.  22,  1675,  when,  at  Readinj^, 
in  tlie  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  he  enhsted  in  Major  Jere  Swaine's 
command  to  engage  in  the  Narragansett  war,  to  fight  the  Nipinucks,  a  sub- 
tribe  of  Phihp's,  for  which  service  the  company  was  granted  a  tract  of  land 
by  the  General  Court,  in  the  Nipinuck  country,  eight  miles  square  on  the  line 
between  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  at  the  junction  with  Rhode  Island, 
with  the  tow'us  of  Webster  in  Massachusetts  and  Thompson,  in  Connecticut, 
for  a  focusing  point.  William  Robbins  was  a  blacksmith.  He  settled  in  Ded- 
ham,  "the  sawmill  divident,"  which  on  Dec.  10,  1724,  was  incorporated  as 
Walpole.  His  son,  Benjamin,  married  Lois  Carpenter,  and  their  son,  Ben- 
jamin, was  the  grandfather  of  Herbert  E.  Robbins. 

Benjamin  Robbins,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  born  in  Ashford,  Windham 
county,  in  1790,  came  to  Wisconsin  at  an  early  day.  Purchasing  a  house  and 
lot  at  Liberty  Corners,  in  Salem  township,  he  lived  there  imtil  his  death  at  an 
advanced  age.  His  wife,  Cynthia  (Jones)  Robbins,  also  attained  old  age. 
They  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  now  deceased :  Dwight,  Harrison, 
Martha.  Cynthia  and  Nancy. 

Harrison  Robbins,  father  of  Herbert  E.,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut.  He 
was  always  a  farmer,  and  coming  to  \\'isconsin  about  1855  he  purchased  112 
acres  in  Section  26.  Salem  township,  Kenosha  county,  later  purchasing  the 
farm  south  of  his  own,  which  consisted  of  116  acres.  He  died  on  the  home 
farm  in  1867,  aged  forty-seven  years,  while  his  widow  survived  until  1894, 
and  was  seventy  years  old  when  she  passed  away.  She  was  a  Congregational- 
ist.  Mr.  Robbins  first  married  a  Miss  Mills,  by  whom  he  had  two  children, 
Charles  and  Nettie.  Charles  married  Nancy  Ward  and  lives  in  Faribault, 
Minn.;  Nettie  (deceased)  married  Oscar  E.  Bishop,  formerly  of  Salem  town- 
ship, now  a  resident  of  Blue  Springs,  Nebr.,  and  they  had  two  daughters, 
Jennie  and  Winnie,  both  of  whom  are  deceased.  For  his  second  wife  Harri- 
son Robbins  married  Mary  Smith,  a  native  of  New  York  and  the  daughter  of 
Peter  Smith,  a  native  of  New  York  who  came  to  Wisconsin  at  an  early  day, 
and  purchased  a  farm  in  Bristol  township.  He  lived  there  many  vears  and 
died  at  Wilmot,  Salem  township,  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife.  Electa 
(Smith)  Smith,  also  attained  advanced  age.  To  Harrison  and  Marv  f  Smith) 
Robbins  were  born  two  children :  Eugene,  who  died  in  infancy ;  and  Herbert 
Eugene. 

Herbert  Eugene  Robbins  erew  to  manhood  on  the  farm  on  which  his 
father  had  settled,  and  which  he  now  owns,  it  comprising  178  acres.  He  ob- 
tained his  education  in  district  school  No.  8,  and  taught  school  for  three  win- 
ters, but  farming  has  been  his  life  work.  He  was  in  the  fruit  business. in 
Florida  from  1884  to  1887.  spending  three  years  in  that  part  of  the  country, 
on  the  Indian  river.  In  the  fall  of  1894  he  was  elected  county  clerk  of  Kenosha 
county  and  served  in  that  position  during  1895-96-97-98.  For  the  next  two 
years  he  was  in  Chicago,  part  of  the  time  in  the  employ  of  the  Deering  Har- 
vester Company,  and  the  rest  of  the  time  being  engaged  in  conducting  a  grocery 
and  in  the  real  estate  business.  But  he  returned  to  the  farm,  where  he  has 
since  remained.  It  is  a  fine  property,  containing  178  acres,  and  is  well  culti- 
^■ated  and  valuable. 

]Mr.  Robbins  is  a  member  of  \\'ashhurn  Lodge.  No.  14^,  F.  &  A.  "ST., 
Kenosha  Chapter.  No.  3.  R.  A.  ^l..  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  .\merica. 


520 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 


Politically  lie  is  a  staunch  Republican,  one  who  takes  a  great  interest  in  the 
success  of  his  party  in  this  section.  Besides  being  county  clerk.  Mr.  Robbins 
served  two  sessions  as  township  assessor  with  great  credit  to  himelf,  and  to 
the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  community. 

On  Dec.  i,  1880,  Mr.  Robbins  married  Miss  Ida  M.  Kingman,  daughter 
of  E.  W.  and  Hannah  (Farrar)  Kingman,  and  one  son  was  born  to  this 
tmion,  Harry  K.,  who  is  now  engaged  in  farming  in  Douglas  county.  Wash. 
Mrs.  Ida  ]\L  Robbins  died  in  Florida  in  July,  1887,  aged  about  thirty  years. 
On  Oct.  16,  1895,  Mr.  Robbins  married  Miss  Maude  Stewart,  daughter  of 
David  C.  and  Mary  (McKoy)  Stewart. 

David  C.  Stewart  was  a  native  of  New  York  State,  coming  West  from 
Livingston  county  when  a  young  man.  He  located  in  Southport,  and  in  18.49 
went  to  California,  about  1852  returning  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  followed  his 
trade,  blacksmithing.  After  his  marriage,  in  1855,  to  Mary  McKoy,  also 
a  native  of  New  York,  he  removed  to  Waupun.  and  engaged  in  the  hotel 
business  for  three  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  located  in  Salem  townshijj 
and  lived  on  the  old  homestead  of  his  wife's  parents.  He  was  a  wool  and 
stock  speculator.  Mr.  Stewart  died  Dec.  28,  1904,  aged  eighty-three  vears, 
ten  months,  while  his  wife,  who  was  born  Nov.  22,  1831,  survives  him,  They 
had  a  family  of  six  children,  those  besides  Maude,  Mrs.  Robbins,  bein? :  Ella, 
wife  of  Henry  Bliss,  of  Minneapolis,  Minn. ;  Samuel  McKoy,  of  Worthington, 
Minn. ;  Alary  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Charles  Beltz,  of  Minneapolis,  Minn. ;  Hetta, 
wife  of  Malcolm  C.  Douglas,  of  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  editor  of  the  Milwaukee 
Sentiini;  and  Miss  Frank,  at  home  in  Salem  township. 

Da\-id  Stewart,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Robbins.  was  a  native 
of  New  York  State,  of  Scottish  descent.  His  wife,  Mary  Elizabeth  (Crossitt) 
Stewart,  lived  to  be  over  eighty  years  old.  Of  their  family,  five  in  number, 
only  one  child  survives,  John.  On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Robbins"  grand- 
father was  Samuel  McKoy,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  who  came  to  Wis- 
consin at  an  early  day,  and  died  a  few  years  after  his  arrival  aged  fiftv  years. 
His  wife  was  Susan  Isennor.  and  she  lived  to  be  upward  of  eighty  years  old. 
They  had  one  son,  Calvin,  and  one  daughter,  Mary. 

CHARLES  WAITSTILL  ORVIS  (deceased).  Among  the  successful 
farmers  and  highly  esteemed  residents  of  Salem  township  may  be  mentioned 
the  late  Charles  W.  Orvis,  who  was  born  in  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  Nov.  19.  181 6, 
son  of  John  M.  and  Ann  (Larabee)  Orvis.  A  full  history  of  the  earlier  gener- 
ations of  the  Orvis  familv  is  given  in  this  volume  in  the  sketch  of  Hon.  \\'alker 
M.  Curtiss. 

John  M.  Orvis  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  he  and  his  wife  came  West 
at  an  early  date,  settling  at  Camp  Lake,  Salem  township.  Mr.  Orvis  purchasing 
a  farm  on  the  present  site  of  J.  H.  McVey's  present  hotel.  He  later  sold  this 
land  and  went  to  live  with  his  children,  dying  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 
His  wnfe  survived  him  about  twenty  years,  and  was  past  ninety-one  years  at 
the  time  of  her  death.  John  M.  Orvis  married  Ann  Larabee,  and  thev  became 
the  oarents  of  the  following  children,  all  deceased:  Jane,  married  John  Os- 
good ;  Eliza  married  Capt.  John  Tuttle :  Mary  married  Charles  Curtiss :  Charles 
W.  is  mentioned  below :  and  two  died  in  infancy. 

Charles  W.  Orvis  was  reared  in  Vermont,  where  he  learned  the  black- 


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n^yiA^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  521 

smith's  trade,  and  when  a  young  man  came  West  as  far  as  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
where  he  engaged  in  ax-making.  From  there  he  came  to  Salem  tow^nship  at 
an  early  day,  and  purchased  forty  acres  of  land,  to  which  he  added  from  time 
to  time,  at  the  time  of  his  death  owning  no  acres,  which  he  had  highly  im- 
proved.   There  he  lived  until  his  death,  Nov.  12,  1882,  aged  sixty-six  years. 

On  Jan.  24,  1856,  Mr.  Orvis  married  Miss  Bethiah  Selleck,  who  was  born 
in  Prescott.  Canada,  April  30,  1826,  daughter  of  Ira  and  Eliza  (Selleck) 
Selleck,  and  seven  children  were  born  to  this  union :  John  M.,  who  owns  a 
music  store  in  Missoula,  Mont.,  married  Margaret  Clowes,  and  they  have 
three  children,  Ethel,  Helen  and  John ;  M.  Adelaide  married  Hugh  Cooper,  of 
Waterford,  Wis. ;  Miss  Flora  B.  is  at  home;  Charles  Seymour  is  a  carpenter 
in  Los  Angeles,  Cal. ;  Harry  is  a  carpenter  in  Salem  township,  where  he  married 
Jane  Hammond,  and  they  have  three  children,  Evelyn,  Lucile  and  Verna; 
Levi  C.  is  at  home;  and  Justin  K.,  a  lawyer  of  Waukegan,  Wis.,  married  Lucia 
D.  Minnis.    Politically  Charles  W.  Orvis  was  a  stanch  Democrat. 

Dailey  Selleck,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Orvis,  was  a  resident  of 
Prescott,  Canada,  where  he  carried  on  farming.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died 
in  Canada.  On  the  maternal  side  Mrs.  Orvis's  grandfather  was  Benjamin 
Selleck,  who  lived  in  Hubbardton,  Vt.,  and  carried  on  agricultural  operations. 
His  wife  was  Jemima  Hickok,  and  both  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  leaving  a 
family  of  ten  children. 

Ira  Selleck,  father  of  Mrs.  Orvis,  was  born  Aug.  8,  1797,  in  Prescott, 
Canada.  His  wife,  Eliza  Selleck,  was  born  in  Hubbardton,  Vt.,  July  25. 
1792.  Before  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Selleck  she  had  been  the  wife  of  Alson 
Benedict,  by  whom  she  had  four  children,  all  now  deceased,  namely ;  Rollin 
Corolus,  born  June  9,  181 1 ;  Johnson  Star,  born  Nov.  i,  1812:  Seymour  Wil- 
cox, born  Nov.  12,  1815,  and  Mariah,  born  Aug.  30,  1819.  Ira  Selleck  and  his 
wife  removed  to  Ogdensburg,  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  there  resided  for 
some  time,  and  also  spent  some  time  in  Potsdam,  N.  Y.  At  an  early  day  they 
came  to  Wisconsin,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives  with  their  children  in 
Kenosha  county.  Ira  Selleck  died  in  1883,  aged  eighty-six  years,  his  wife  pass- 
ing away  eight  years  previously,  aged  eighty-two  years.  They  had  five  daugh- 
ters and  two  sons,  and  of  this  family  Mrs.  Orvis  is  the  only  living  member. 
The  others  were:  Justin,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  of  cholera; 
Eliza  married  Albert  Barber  and  died  Jan.  5,  1905 ;  Emily  married  Joseph 
Hepburn  and  died  May  28,  1870;  Maria  was  married  twice,  (first)  to  Henry 
Childs  and  (second)  to  Horace  Beecher  and  died  Sept.  12,  1891 ;  Harry  died 
in  childhood;  Adelaide  married  James  Van  Wie  and  died  March  6,  1905. 

VALDEMAR  HANSEN,  a  prosperous  general  merchant  of  Union 
Grove  who  has  been  a  resident  of  the  LTnited  States  since  i8qi.  was  born  in 
Knlding,  Denmark,  May  8,  1867,  son  of  Jorgen  and  Maren  (Nielsen)  Hansen. 

The  paternal  grandfather,  a  sailor,  was  drowned  at  sea,  and  verv  little  is 
known  of  his  history.  The  only  son  was  Jorgen,  who  was  born  and  reared 
on  a  farm.  On  reaching  manhood  he  became  a  brewer  and  ran  a  brewery  of 
his  own  in  Kolding  until  after  the  war  with  Germany,  when  he  failed.  He 
afterward  continued  in  the  same  line  in  the  employ  of  others  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  Jan.  12,  1905,  when  he  was  aged  seventv-three 
years.     His  wife  died  in  1893,  aged  fifty-two  years.     Both  were  members  of 


522  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

the  Lutheran  Church.  They  were  the  parents  of  three  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, of  whom  the  foUowing  three  daughters  and  one  son  are  hving :  Clara, 
wife  of  Fred  Joliansen,  of  Copenhagen;  Eugenie,  wife  of  Fred  Hegehmd,  of 
Horsens,  Denmark ;  EmiHe,  wife  of  Chr.  Christensen,  of  Kolding,  Denmark, 
a  bookkeeper  in  a  bank ;  and  Valdemar,  of  Union  Grove,  Wisconsin. 

The  maternal  grandfather  was  Niels  Jensen  Klink,  a  native  of  Denmark, 
and  a  wealthy  farmer,  who  lived  in  the  village  of  Jordrup. 

Valdemar  Hansen  was  reared  in  Kolding,  and  received  his  education 
there.  He  then  took  a  position  in  a  grocery  store,  and  clerked  for  a  number 
of  years.  In  1892  he  came  to  the  United  States  and  settled  in  Union  Grove, 
where  he  at  first  clerked  in  a  general  store  for  a  few  months  for  N.  A.  Chris- 
tensen, after  which  he  spent  one  year  in  Chicago  as  clerk,  then  returning  to 
Union  Grove  as  clerk  for  J.  H.  Youngs.  In  1S94  he  established  a  business  for 
himself,  beginning  with  a  capital  of  twenty-five  dollars.  He  has  gradually  en- 
larged this,  till  he  is  now  among  the  leading  merchants  of  Union  Grove.  He 
carries  a  well  appointed  stock  of  dry  goods,  men's  furnishing  goods,  groceries, 
notions,  etc.  His  store  is  neat  and  orderly  and  he  does  a  large  and  prosperous 
business. 

On  Dec.  24,  1892,  Mr.  Hansen  married  Miss  Emilie  Moller,  daughter  of 
Christian  Moller.  There  were  two  children  born  to  their  union,  Albert  Sidiiev 
and  Sidney  Christian,  the  latter  only  living  six  months.  Mrs.  Emilie  Hansen 
was  born  in  1869  in  Aalborg,  Denmark,  and  died  Oct.  21,  1895,  aged  twentv- 
six  years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Two  years  later, 
Oct.  6,  1897,  Mr.  Hansen  married  Miss  Maud  Luella  Coling,  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Sarah  (Powles)  Coling.  He  has  one  daughter  by  this  union,  Doris 
Lillian. 

Mr.  Hansen  is  a  Lutheran  in  faith,  while  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  Church.  Fraternally  he  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen,  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Royal  Neighbors.  Politically  he  is 
a  Republican,  but  takes  no  special  interest  in  public  affairs.  The  parents  01 
Mrs.  Maud  Luella  Hansen,  Henry  and  Sarah  (Powles)  Coling,  were  natives 
of  Wales  and  lived  in  Radnorshire.  They  had  two  daughters  and  one  son, 
viz.:  Maud  Luella,  Mrs.  Hansen;  Floyd  Erie,  of  Union' Grove;  and  Lillian 
Grace,  wife  of  Jacob  Litzenberg,  of  Union  Grove.  Henry  Coling  was  a  mason 
by  trade.  His  wife  still  resides  in  Union  Grove  and  is  married  again,  her 
present  husband  being  Ervin  Connell.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Maud  L.  Hansen  was  William  Powles,  who  came  to  America  and  settled  in 
Union  Grove,  Racine  county,  in  1855.  He  died  there  only  three  months  later, 
in  middle  life,  overcome  by  the  effec'ts  of  a  sunstroke.  His  wife  survived  him 
until  1885,  and  was  sixty-nine  years  old  at  her  death.  They  had  nine  children 
who  grew  to  maturity. 

_  GEORGE  P.  WILLETT,  a  tile  manufacturer  of  Bristol,  Kenosha  coun- 
ty, is  one  of  the  comparatively  new  residents  of  the  State,  since  he  came  thither 
in  1892,  but  during  the  years  he  has  lived  there  he  has  established  himself  as 
one  of  the  s^jlid  business  men  of  Bristol  and  is  held  in  high  esteem.  'Sir. 
Willett  was  born  in  the  County  of  Brant,  Ontario,  Canada.  Jan.  17,  1866,  a 
son  of  John  and  Nancy  (Burch)  Willett. 

The  paternal  grandparents  were  James  and  Mary   (Drake)   Willett,  the 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  523 

latter  of  whom  is  still  living  in  Norwich,  Ontario,  and  is  now  over  ninety- 
six  years  old.  lames  Willett  was  a  native  of  one  of  the  New  England  States, 
bnt  moved  to  Canada  in  the  early  days  and  followed  farming.  He  was  the 
father  of  a  large  family,  and  died  when  sixty-six  years  old. 

On  his  mother's  side  George  P.  Willett  is  descended  from  the  Burch  fam- 
ily. Her  parents  were  William  and  Margaret  (Sours)  Burch,  farming  peo- 
ple, the  former  a  native  of  Ontario,  the  latter  of  New  Je^'sey.  Mr.  Burch 
lived  to  be  an  old  man.  His  first  wife  died  in  middle  age,  and  he  subsef|uent!y 
married  Harriet  McCombs.     There  were  four  children  by  each  marriage. 

John  Willett  w-as  born  in  Canada  and  has  been  a  farmer  most  of  his  life. 
He  lived  in  Burford  in  the  County  of  Brant,  Ontario,  until  1899,  when  his 
wife  died,  and  he  removed  to  Towner,  N.  Dak.,  where  he  now  resides.  He 
married  Miss  Nancy  Burch,  a  native  of  Canada,  and  they  had  seven  children, 
viz. :  Frank,  of  Ad'dy,  Wash. ;  Amy,  Mrs.  Albert  Ridley,  living  near  Paris. 
Out;  Clementine,  who  died  Aug.  29,  1904;  George  P.;  Moses,  deceased;  Al- 
freda,  Mrs.  Foster  Mordue.  who  lives  near  Brantford,  Ont. ;  and  Hardy,  of 
Towner,  N.  Dak.  The  mother  was  sixty-six  years  old  when  she  died.  She 
belonged  to  the  Methodist  Church,  as  does  also  Mr.  Willett. 

George  P.  Willett  grew  up  as  a  farmer  boy  in  the  County  of  Brant  and 
was  educated  in  the  district  schools.  He  left  Canada  in  1892  and  located  in 
Wisconsin  on  a  farm  in  Bristol  township.  After  two  years  there  he  moved 
into  the  village  of  Bristol,  and  at  first  worked  at  carpentry,  but  about  1895 
w^ent  into  the  tile  factory  of  H.  A.  Nelson.  In  May,  1901,  Mr.  Willett  bought 
a  half  interest  in  the  concern  and  in  1903  purchased  the  other  half  so  that 
since  that  date  he  has  been  conducting  the  business  alone.  The  establishment 
is  known  as  the  Bristol  Tile  Works,  and  the  annual  output  of  drain  tile  and 
brick  is  valued  at  about  $6,000.    It  is  sold  both  wholesale  and  retail. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Willett  occurred  April  5.  1893.  when  he  was  united 
to  Miss  Evernia  Brown,  daughter  of  George  M.  and  Maria  J.  (Little)  Brown. 
No  children  have  been  born  to  them,  but  they  have  an  adopted  daughter, 
Zelba  May,  now  about  two  years  old.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willett  are  members 
of  the  Methodist  Church,  in  which  Mr.  Willett  serves  both  as  trustee  and 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school.    In  his  political  views  he  is  a  Repul^lican. 

Mrs.  Willett's  family  were  established  in  Ontario,  Canada.  Her  paternal 
grandfather,  George  Brown,  was  born  in  1799  in  Ireland,  near  Peddego,  came 
to  Canada  when  a  child,  and  there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was 
killed  by  a  runaway  team  in  1869.  Mr.  Brown  w_as  a  farmer  by  occupation. 
He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Pheoba  (Buck)  Brown,  a  Holland- 
Dutch  woman,  who  died  in  middle  life.  By  her  he  had  eight  children.  His 
second  wife,  Ellen  Latimore;  whom  he  married  in  1848,  died  in  1896. 

Mrs.  Willett's  maternal  grandfather.  Ebenezar  Little,  was  born  in  1801. 
in  England,  of  English  parents,  but  went  to  Canada  when  a  boy  and  resided 
there  all  the  rest  of  his  life,  engaged  as  a  shoemaker  in  Bothwell,  Kent  countv. 
There  he  died  in  1868,  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth  (Younglove).  born  in  1818, 
died  at  her  home  in  Bothwell,  Alarch  10,  1906,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
eight  years.     She  was  of  Dutch  descent. 

George  M.  Brown,  father  of  j\Irs.  Willett,  was  born  in  1833,  and  lived 
in  Ontario  all  his  life,  making  his  home  through  bis  adult  years  in  Florence. 
County  of  Lambton.     He  died  there  in  1897,  but  his  wife  still  resides  in  that 


524  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

town.  Both  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  Mr.  Brown  was 
prominent  in  local  affairs,  holding  various  township  offices.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Brown  had  seven  children,  viz. :  William ;  Ellen,  Mrs.  William  Bell ;  Georg-e ; 
John;  Evernia,  Mrs.  Willett;  Alfred,  who  died  Dec.  i6,  1884;  and  Gordon. 

BRADLEY  H.  STOCKER,  the  genial  and  courteous  president  of  the 
Old  Settlers  Society  of  Kenosha  County,  and  one  of  the  highly  esteemed  and 
successful  agriculturalists  of  Brighton  township,  operating  a  farm  in  Section 
32,  was  born  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  Oct.  16,  1830,  son  of  Joseph  and  Irene  ( Sim- 
mons) Stocker.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  the  mother  was 
of  German  descent. 

Joseph  Stocker,  the  grandfather  of  Bradley  H.,  died  in  Scotland,  and  his 
wife  died  in  Connecticut.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, of  German  descent.  He  engaged  in  the  cutlery  business  in  Hartford, 
Conn.,  and  died  there  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife  also  attained  a.dvanced 
years,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  a  large  family. 

Joseph  Stocker,  father  of  Bradley  H.,  was  a  farmer  in  Erie  county,  N. 
Y.,  going  there  from  Connecticut  shortly  after  his  marriage.  There  he  died 
in  1852.  aged  about  forty-five  years,  and  his  widow  survived  until  iSvq,  when 
she  passed  away  in  her  seventy-sixth  year.  Both  were  Methodists.  Thev 
had  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living :  Henry,  of  Erie  countv,  N. 
Y. ;  Solomon  R.,  of  the  same  county,  near  Angola :  Bradley  H. ;  Sarah,  wife 
of  Jonathan  West,  of  Angola,  N.  Y. ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  John  Miller,  of  An- 
gola, N.  Y. ;  and  Annette,  wife  of  Gen.  Woodson,  of  Angola,  New  York. 

Bradley  H.  Stocker  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Erie  countv,  N. 
Y'.,  and  attended  the  district  schools.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  the  spring  of 
1850.  landing  in  Kenosha  in  April  of  that  year.  He  worked  out  on  a  farm 
by  the  month  for  six  months,  and  for  the  next  four  winters  taught  school  in 
Brighton  township,  working  on  the  farm  during  the  summer  months.  He 
then  purchased  160  acres  of  land  in  Section  4,  Salem  townshin.  which  he  still 
owns,  and  has  added  from  time  to  time  to  this  property  until  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  550  acres  of  land.  At  present  he  makes  his  home  in  Brighton  town- 
ship. 

On  ?^Iarch  2",  1855,  ^^i"-  Stocker  married  ^Nliss  Lucia  ^I.  Davenport,  who 
was  born  in  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  May  16,  1836,  daughter  of  Stephen  A.  and 
Alma  ( Doty)  Davenport,  and  to  this  union  were  born  four  children :  Lelia 
L.  married  Frederick  Runkel,  who  died  in  1887,  leaving  one  son,  Guy;  Mrs. 
Runkel  is  now  living  in  Budington,  Wis.  Mary  D.  married  Guernsey  Van  Wie, 
and  they  lived  in  Salem  village.  Two  children  died  in  infancv.  Mr.  Stocker 
is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  while  his  wife  is  a  Methodist.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  was  chairman  of  the  town  board  of  supervisors  for 
two  years,  also  serving  as  school  clerk  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  president 
of  the  Old  Settlers  Society  of  Kenosha  County,  which  has  a  large  membership. 
Mr.  S.  L.  Burgess  is  vice-president,  R.  F.  Roberts,  secretary,  and  Alex. 
Bailey,  treasurer. 

Mrs.  Stocker's  paternal  grandfather  died  in  New  York  State.  He  was 
twice  married,  and  Mrs.  Stocker's  grandmother  bore  the  name  of  Hannali 
Davenport.     Her  maternal  grandfather  was  Stephen  Doty,  a  farmer  and  na- 


COMMEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  525 

tive  of  Steuben  county,  X.  Y. ;  he  married  Polly  Holmes,  and  both  lived  to  an 
advanced  age. 

Mrs.  Stocker"s  parents  were  natives  of  Madison  county,  N.  Y.,  near 
Cazenovia.  They  came  West  to  Wisconsin  in  1843,  landing  in  Southport 
(now  Kenosha)  in  November  of  that  year.  Thence  they  removed  to  Brigh- 
ton township  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  which  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Stocker  now  reside.  Mr.  Davenport  added  160  acres  to  this  tract  (which  Air. 
Stocker  afterward  bought),  and  in  the  spring  of  1850  went  overland  to  Cal- 
ifornia and  engaged  in  mining.  He  died  the  following  December,  and  was 
buried  somewhere  near  the  American  river.  His  wife  and  children  remained 
in  Brighton  township,  where  she  died  in  August,  1879,  aged  sixty-four  years, 
ten  months.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davenport  were  Universalists  in  their  religious 
belief.  Their  children  were:  Mrs.  Stocker;  William,  of  San  Jose,  Cal. ;  and 
Adelaide,  the  wife  of  John  Miner,  of  Riceville,  Iowa. 

JOSIAH  HOCKING,  a  general  contractor  of  Racine,  Wis.,  is  a  native 
of  England,  born  in  Cornwall,  Feb.  20,  1851,  son  of  Josiah,  Sr..  and  Jane 
(Oliver)  Hocking,  both  natives  of  the  same  country. 

Nicholas  Hocking,  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  also  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, where  he  died  well  advanced  in  years. 

Josiah  Hocking,  Sr..  followed  farming  all  of  his  life,  and,  on  coming  to 
America,  in  1852,  settled  in  Yorkville,  where  he  improved  a  property  of  165 
acres.  He  died  in  Racine  while  on  a  visit  to  his  son  Josiah,  in  1897,  aged 
seventy-five  years,  while  his  wife  survived  two  years  longer,  being  in  her 
seventy-seventh  year  at  the  time  of  her  demise  in  1899.  They  were  Metho- 
dists. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hocking  had  these  children:  William  J.,  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.;  Josiah.  of  Racine:  Miss  Prudence  M.,  of  Yorkville;  Mary  J.,  wife 
of  William  Cooper,  of  Yorkville;  James  N.,  of  Yorkville;  Grace,  deceased  wife 
of  James  Hunter;  and  George  and  Edwin,  of  Yorkville. 

Josiah  Hocking,  was  but  one  year  old  when  he  came  to  W^isconsin  with 
his  parents,  who  had  come  all  the  way  from  Liverpool  to  Racine  by  water,  on 
the  bark  "John,"  w-hich  vessel  sank  a  year  or  two  afterward.  He  grew  up  on 
the  farm  in  Yorkville,  where  he  remained  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  at 
which  time  he  began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  an  occupation  he  has 
followed  ever  since.  For  the  past  twenty-nine  years  he  has  done  contract 
building,  and  has  erected  many  of  the  substantial  residences  of  Racine.  On 
March  6,  1876,  he  married  Miss  Alice  L.  Botsford,  daughter  of  Ahira  F.  and 
Lavinia  (Liscom)  Botsford,  both  natives  of  New  York. 

Mr.  Hocking  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Orient  Chap- 
ter, No.  12,  R.  A.  M.;  and  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  K.  T.  Politically  he 
is  a  Republican.  He  is  vice  president  of  the  Business  Men's  Association.  His 
beautiful  home,  at  No.  106  Tenth  street,  was  erected  by  him  in  1892. 

CHARLES  LLTIUS  GRAHAM,  one  of  the  old  settlers  and  much  re- 
spected citizens  of  Burlington,  Wis.,  was  born  June  3,  1833.  in  Buckland. 
Franklin  Co.,  Mass.,  son  of  Lucius  and  Mary  (Bullard)  Graham,  natives  of 
Massachusetts.  They  had  a  family  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  the 
two  now  living  being :    Charles  L. ;  and  Miss  Isadore,  of  Chicago. 


526  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Zenas  Graham,  his  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Sunderland,  Alass.,  a  tan- 
ner and  a  shoemaker.  He  participated  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  married  Abi- 
gail Taylor,  an  English  lady,  and  they  reared  a  large  family. 

Lucius  Graham  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and  also  learned  the  tanning 
business  with  his  father,  but  later  became  a  shoe  merchant  in  Buckland.  In 
1843  he  moved  into  the  town  of  Leicester,  Livingston  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  his 
wife  died  in  1847,  aged  thirty-nine  years.  She  had  been  reared  a  Congrega- 
tionalist,  but  at  the  time  of  death  was  a  Baptist.  Early  in  life  he  also  had  been 
connected  with  the  Congregational  Church,  but  later  was  led  into  sympathy 
with  the  Baptists,  and  subsequently  became  the  leader  in  the  choir  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church.  His  second  marriage  was  to  Mary  Kelley,  and  they  had  one  daugh- 
ter that  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Graham  died  Dec.  14.  1850,  and  he  married 
(third)  Orinda  T.  Arnold.  His  death  occurred  in  1874,  when  he  was  aged 
sixty-eight  years.  In  his  early  days  he  was  a  major  in  the  Massachusetts  State 
militia,  and  he  also  held  other  offices. 

Charles  L.  Graham  was  ten  years  old  when  his  parents  moved  to  New 
York,  and  in  1855  he  accompanied  his  father  to  Burlington.  He  served  a  full 
apprenticeship  at  carpentering  in  New  York  and  continued  to  work  at  that 
trade  until  1901.    For  the  past  four  years  he  has  been  an  oil  inspector. 

In  1864  Mr.  Graham  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Civil  war,  in  Company  A, 
48th  Wis.  V.  I.,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  transferred  to 
the  department  headquarters  where  he  was  kept  on  duty,  and  thus  saw  no 
fighting. 

]\Ir.  Graham  was  married  April  25,  i860,  to  Christiana  Bradshaw,  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Nancy  Ann  (Singleton)  Bradshaw.  Four  children  were 
born  to  them :  Delia,  Frank,  Belle  and  Nettie.  Delia,  now  deceased,  married 
Clarence  Wood,  and  they  had  one  child,  who  died  aged  one  and  one-half  years. 
Frank,  a  prosperous  ice  merchant  in  Milwaukee,  married  Mary  Howe,  and  they 
have  four  children,  Florence,  Robert,  Carroll  and  Edward.  Belle  married 
Ned  M.  Stott,  and  they  live  in  Chicago.  Nettie  married  Charles  B.  Reinardy, 
of  Kenosha.  The  mother  of  this  family  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church. 

]\Ir.  Graham  is  a  Republican.  His  first  presidential  vote  was  cast  for  John 
C.  Fremont,  and  he  has  voted  for  every  Republican  presidential  candidate  since. 
He  is  a  member  of  Luther  Crane  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  No.  201,  and  for  many  years 
he  has  been  a  IVIason,  having  membership  in  Burlington  Lodge.  No.  28,  A.  F. 
&  A.  M..    He  has  been  a  resident  of  Burlington  for  half  a  century. 

HENRY  TILLEY,  deceased,  a  former  lake  captain,  but  afterward  a 
manufacturer  in  Kenosha,  was  by  birth  an  Englishman,  but  was  throughout 
his  active  life  an  American  citizen. 

Born  in  1822,  Mr.  Tilley  was  a  boy  of  some  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  when 
he  accompanied  his  parents  to  this  country.  They  settled  in  Syracuse,  N.  Y., 
where  Mr.  Tilley  grew  to  manhood  and  where  his  parents  died.  There  were 
two  other  sons  and  three  daughters  in  the  family,  both  of  the  former  lieing 
drowned  at  sea.  The  sisters  all  went  West  when  that  section  was  being  opened 
up.  as  did  Henry  Tilley,  also,  and  settled  in  Southport.  Two  of  them. 
Louise,  ^Irs.  Edward  Morris,  and  Annie.  Mrs.  Spicer.  died  in  Kenosha,  while 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  527 

the  third  moved  farther  West,  and  died  in  Nebraska.  Henry  Tilley,  while 
calHng  Kenosha  his  home,  was  for  some  time  the  captain  of  a  saihng  vessel  on 
the  Great  Lakes,  but  later  he  abandoned  that  calling  and  conducted  a  soap 
and  candle  factory  in  Kenosha.  He  died  there  Feb.  4,  1892,  in  the  faith  of 
the  Episcopal  Church. 

Mr.  Tilley  was  married  to  Mrs.  John  Holderness,  who  was  born  in  Dover, 
England,  Sept.  30,  1820,  and  came  to  America  in  1834,  locating  in  New  York 
State.  After  her  first  marriage  she  came  to  Wisconsin,  settling  in  Southport 
in  1842,  and  she  has  ever  since  resided  in  that  city,  now  Kenosha. 

Mrs.  Tilley  now  makes  her  home  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Warner 
Hartung.  On  Sept.  30,  1904,  the  eighty-fourth  anniversary  of  her  birthday, 
the  Kenosha  Daih'  Ga::cttc  in  mentioning  the  happy  occasion,  said  in  part : 
"The  house  was  teauti fully  decorated  with  roses,  carnations  and  autumn  foli- 
age. At  7  130  o'clock  an  elegant  dinner  was  served,  after  which  the  evening 
was  spent  in  games,  music  and  dancing.  Mrs.  Tilley  expressed  the  opinion 
this  morning  that  sitting  down  to  the  dinner  last  evening  with  so  many  of  her 
children,  grandchildren  and  great-grandchildren  was  one  of  the  happiest  events 
in  her  life  for  many  3'ears  past. 

"Mrs.  Tilley  comes  from  a  family  noted  for  longevity,  her  father  having 
reached  the  ripe  old  age  of  93,  and  her  mother  the  remarkable  age  of  97.  She 
is  the  mother  of  thirteen  children,  ten  of  whom  are  still  living.  She  also  has 
thirty-five  grandchildren  and  twenty-six  great-grandchildren.  Four  of  her 
sons  served  in  the  Civil  war,  all  returning,  but  one  dying  later  from  exposure. 
She  thinks  she  will  do  her  share  in  the  election  this  fall  inasmuch  as  she  has 
twenty-three  voters  in  her  family. 

"She  received  a  number  of  beautiful  presents  from  relatives  and  a  birth- 
day poem  written  expressly  for  the  occasion  by  her  old  friend,  Mrs.  Susan  H. 
Burr,  of  this  city.    The  poem  is  here  given : 

"Swiftly  the  birthdays   come  and  go, 

Four  5core  and  four  on  silent  wings  they  flow; 

So  quaff  what  causes  brightened  glow 

From  the  cup  that  cheers. 
Within  no  poisonous   serpent  coils, 
No  character  by  wine  drop  soiled. 
No  temperance  counsels  will  be  foiled, 

By  the  cup  that  cheers. 
If  you  express  your  thanks  this  way. 
The  grateful  impulse  please  obey. 
By  drinking  health  three  times  a  day. 

In  the  cup  that  cheers." 

]\Irs.  Tillev"s  first  husband  was  John  Holderness,  to  whom  she  was  mar- 
ried in  January,  1839,  in  Potsdam,  X.  Y.  Mr.  Holderness  was  born  in  York- 
shire. England,  in  1800,  and  remained  there  till  grown,  being  reared  to  farm 
work.  He  then  came  with  his  parents  to  America  and  he  and  his  father  con- 
tinued farming  in  their  new  home.  After  marrying,  John  Holderness  stayed 
in  New  York  on  his  farm  till  1842,  when  he  and  his  wife  moved  to  Southport. 
Arriving  by  boat,  they  found  no  harbor  there,  and  though  there  was  a  light 
bridge  pier  on  which  the  passengers  landed,  Mr.  Holderness  had  to  swim  his 
liorse  ashore.  He  first  purchased  a  farm  in  English  Prairie,  but  not  liking  it 
there,  he  sold  that  place  and  rented  another  in  Somers  township,  where  he  es- 


528  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

tablished  the  first  milk  business  in  that  region.  While  in  New  York  Mr. 
Holclerness  served  in  the  Independent  iVrtillery.  Religiously  he  was  a  minister 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church.     He  died  in  Kenosha,  July  28,  1853. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Holclerness  left  his  wife  with  the  responsibility  of  bring- 
ing up  their  large  family,  thirteen  children  having  been  born  to  them.  ( i ) 
John  is  a  hardware  merchant  in  Virden,  111.  He  married  Miss  Eliza  Hamlin 
and  their  children  are.  John,  Fred,  Noni  and  Cora.  {2)  Abraham 
served  in  the  Civil  war  in  the  ist  Wisconsin  Cavalry.  He  married  and  among 
his  children  are  Ada,  Nellie,  Herbert,  Stella,  Maud  and  Sherman.  (3)  Henry 
was  in  the  ist  Wis.  V.  I.,  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Crab  Orchard,  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  died  from  the  eftects  when  twenty-two.  (4)  William,  who  was 
also  in  that  regiment  returned  home  ill.  He  is  now  in  the  employ  of  the  Bain 
Wagon  Works.  He  has  no  children  of  his  own,  but  he  and  his  wife,  Annie 
(Zimmerman)  Holderness,  adopted  a  son,  named  W'illiam.  (5)  Frank  runs 
a  number  of  teams  in  Kenosha.  He  married  Mary  Burt,  by  whom  he  has  had 
seven  children,  Robert,  Frank,  Levi,  Arthur,  Burt,  Emery  and  Carrie.  He 
was  also  in  the  Civil  war,  in  the  67th  New  York  Regiment.  (6)  Joseph  mar- 
ried Miss  Carrie  White,  and  their  two  sons  are  Lester  and  George.  He  is  now 
employed  in  the  Bain  Wagon  Works.  (7)  Edward  is  a  grocer  in  Creston, 
Jowa,  and  has  three  daughters,  Carrie,  Nellie,  and  Mamie.  (8)  Thomas,  a 
contractor  and  builder  in  Kenosha,  married  Miss  Emma  Easterbrook,  by  whom 
he  has  had  two  children,  Roy  and  Edna.  (9)  Charles,  a  barber  in  Kenosha, 
married  Miss  Frances  McDonald.  (10  Annie  married  George  Snyder,  who 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  and  they  have  one  son,  Ward.  (11)  Carrie 
married  Warner  Hartung,  of  Kenosha  and  is  the  mother  of  seven  children, 
William,  Edward,  Frank,  Charles,  John,  Harry  and  Mamie.  (12)  Margaret 
Jane  died  when  only  eight  months  old.     (13)  Sarah  Jane  only  lived  six  weeks. 

Mrs.  Tilley's  residence  in  Kenosha  covers  a  period  of  sixty  years,  during 
which  she  has  seen  it  grow  from  a  wilderness  to  a  city.  Her  life  has  been 
filled  with  many  cares,  but  she  has  resolutely  looked  upon  the  bright  side.  She 
is  now  remarkably  alert  and  active  for  her  age,  and  looks  much  younger  than 
her  years.     She  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

CHRISTOF  HAUSNER,  one  of  the  most  highly  respected  citizens  of 
Pleasant  Prairie  township,  .Kenosha  county,  has  resided  on  his  fine  farm  of 
180  acres  in  Section  26,  for  the  past  twenty-two  years.  He  was  born  in  Lux- 
emburg, Germany,  May  15,  1831,  a  son  of  Frank  and  Margareta  (Maus) 
Hausner.  The  parents  were  both  natives  also  of  Luxemburg,  and  were 
highly  respected  residents  of  their  own  community.  The  father  died  in  1837, 
aged  forty  years,  and  was  survived  by  the  mother  only  six  years.  They  were 
Catholics  in  religious  faith.  By  trade  Frank  Hausner  was  a  moulder.  He 
and  his  wife  had  five  children,  three  of  whom  came  to  America,  Elizabeth, 
Henry  and  Christof.  The  sister  became  lost  after  reaching  America  and  the 
brothers  do  not  know  her  fate.  Henry  served  four  years  in  the  Civil  war. 
and  his  life  was  terminated  by  a  cowardly  shot  from  some  bushwhackers  at 
Little  Rock,  Ark.     Dominick  and  Margaret  remained  in  Germany. 

Christof  Flausner  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Germany  and  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools.     In  1856  he  came  to  America  and  after  working  six 


CHRISTOF   HAUSNER. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  529 

months  in  Kenosha  county  came  to  where  he  now  hves  and  worked  six  years 
for  Adolph  Gishau.  Four  years  before  tlie  end  of  his  service  on  this  farm  he 
bought  forty  acres  in  Section  25  and  hved  on  that  place  for  twenty-three 
years,  then  buying  his  present  farm,  upon  which  he  has  hved  for  a  long  period, 
during  which  time  he  has  wonderfully  improved  the  property. 

On  Feb.  6,  1862,  Mr.  Hausner  was  married  to  Miss  Catherina  Engle, 
daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Engle,  and  seven  of  the  twelve  children  born 
to  this  union  are  living,  viz. :  John  W.,  Mathias  John,  Susan  C,  Mary  E., 
Frank  M.,  Rev.  Christof  J.  and  Catherine  G.  Of  these  (i)  John  W.  is  un- 
married and  lives  at  home.  (2)  Mathias  J.  is  a  traveling  man  and  resides  at 
Koeltztown,  Mo. ;  he  married  Elizabeth  Otto,  and  they  have  children — 
Christof,  Stephen,  Rose,  Martha,  Wilhelmina  and  Theresa.  (3)  Susan  C. 
married  Henrj'  Bain  and  they  live  in  Kenosha,  and  have  two  children,  Roy 
and  John.  (4)  Mary  E.  resides  at  home  and  keeps  house  for  her  father, 
her  mother  having  died  Dec.  18,  1899,  aged  fifty-eight  years.  (5)  Frank  M. 
works  the  home  farm.  (6)  Rev.  Christot  J.  is  a  priest  in  the  Catholic  Church 
in  Pine  Bluff,  Wis.  He  was  born  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  and  remained 
on  the  farm  with  his  parents  until  the  age  of  fifteen.  Then  he  entered  St. 
Francis  Seminary,  and  remained  there  nine  years.  Graduating  there  he  was 
made  assistant  priest  of  St.  Joseph's  Church,  in  Milwaukee,  where  he  re- 
mained one  year.  Then  for  four  years  he  was  priest  of  St.  Mary's  Church  of 
South  Bristol,  going  from  there  to  Pine  Bluff,  Wis.,  his  present  charge.  He 
is  popular  with  his  present  parishioners,  and  he  built  up  a  good  congrega- 
tion at  South  Bristol,  where  there  had  not  been  a  priest  for  fourteen  years. 
(7)  Catherine  G.  married  John  Radigan,  and  they  have  one  son,  Christof. 
This  is  a  fine  family  all  through,  one  which  commands  the  respect  of  the  whole 
community  and  reflects  credit  upon  the  father  who  has  so  carefully  reared  them. 
He  has  brought  them  up  in  the  Catholic  faith,  both  he  and  his  wife  having 
belonged  to  this  Church  from  their  childhood.     In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 

The  Engle  family  came  from  Luxemburg,  Germany,  to  America  and 
settled  with  the  early  pioneers  in  the  town  of  Belgium,  just  south  of  the  She- 
boygan county  line,  when  the  Indians  were  still  numerous  in  that  section. 
There  they  died,  the  parents  of  eight  children,  as  follows :  Kate,  wife  of 
Frank  Thill,  resides  in  the  old  Belgium  homestead;  Mary,  unmarried,  is  in 
Milwaukee;  Kate,  Margaret,  Mary,  Elizabeth,  Mary  Ann  and  Catherina,  are 
deceased. 

JOHN  PETER  PFEIFFER,  one  of  the  leading  citizens  and  prominent 
farmers  of  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  who  owns  and  operates  a  fertile,  well-culti- 
vated farm  of  216  acres  in  Section  15,  Paris  township,  has  been  a  resident  of 
this  township  for  fifty-five  years.  He  was  born  near  Kreitsnach,  Rhein 
Preussen.  near  the  River  Rhine.  Nov.  6,  1826.  son  of  Philip  and  Magdalena 
(Ahlmann)  Pfeiffer.  natives  of  Germany. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  John  Peter  Pfeiffer  was  probablv  named 
John.  He  was  warden  of  a  large  timber  tract,  for  a  nobleman,  and  also  carried 
on  farming.  He  died  when  sixty-eight  years  old.  He  had  served  in  the  Ger- 
man army.  His  wife,  Magdalena  (Chornberger)  Pfeiffer.  passed  awav  in  her 
seventieth  year,  leaving  four  sons  and  two  daughters.     Our  subject's  mother's 


530  COMME-MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

father.  Carl  Ahlmann.  was  also  a  native  of  Germany,  and  followed  farniino;- 
and  blacksniilhing.  tlis  wife,  who  had  been  a  Aliss  Wegen,  died  in  middle 
life,  while  he  survived  to  the  age  of  seventy-seven.  They  had  one  daughter 
and  two  sons,  one  of  whom  served  with  Napoleon  and  never  returned  home, 
whether  he  was  killed  in  battle  or  not  never  being  known  by  his  parents. 

Philip  Pfeiffer,  father  of  our  subject,  always  followed  farming  in  Ger- 
many, where  he  died  in  1865,  aged  seventy-five  years.  His  wife  died  in  i860, 
aged  sixty  years.  She  was  a  Lutheran,  while  he  was  a  member  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church.  On  account  of  defective  hearing,  Mr.  Pfeiffer  was  exempt  from 
service  in  the  army.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philip  Pfeiffer  had  ten  children,  only  two 
■  of  whom  are  now  living:  John  Peter,  and  his  youngest  sister, — Philipena,  wife 
of  Philip  Zervos,  now  living  in  the  village  of  Kern,  Germany. 

John  Peter  Pfeiffer  was  reared  in  Germany,  and  received  seven  years 
schooling  there.  He  learned  the  tailor's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  two  years, 
but  not  taking  kindly  to  this  occupation  went  to  work  with  his  father  on  the 
farm.  In  1847  he  came  to  America  and  located  for  a  time  in  Pittsburg,  where 
he  became  ill.  In  the  winter  he  went  to  work  for  a  cooper,  whose  shops  were 
situated  about  sixty  miles  up  the  Monongahela  river,  and  with  him  he  con- 
tinued about  three  months.  iSIr.  Pfeiffer  then  went  to  work  in  the  iron  mines 
at  Hanging  Rock,  Ohio,  600  miles  from  Pittsburg,  remaining  there  four 
months,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  went  back  to  Pittsburg  and  got  his  trunk. 
He  took  the  canal,  traveling  150  miles  east  of  Erie,  where  he  worked  in  the 
mines.  Carefully  saving  his  money,  in  the  fall  of  1848  he  had  accumulated 
enough  to  come  West,  and  settled  in  Milwaukee,  working  for  a  milkman  for 
a  short  time.  From  there  he  went  into  the  woods  near  Milwaukee,  obtaining 
work  chopping  cordwood  for  thirty  cents  a  cord.  In  the  spring  he  came  to 
Paris  township.  Kenosha  county,  w-orking  until  the  next  winter  for  a  farmer. 
In  the  winter  Mr.  Pfeiffer  went  back  to  Milwaukee,  and  again  engaged  in 
chopping  wood.  In  the  spring  of  1850  he  again  came  to  Paris,  and  for  six 
months  worked  at  farm  laboring,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  had  accumu- 
lated enough  money  to  purchase  a  forty-acre  farm,  which  he  greatly  improved. 
During  the  following  winter  he  again  went  to  Milwaukee,  resuming  wood 
chopping. 

On  the  22nd  day  of  April,  1852.  Mr.  Pfeift'er  married  ^Nliss  Barbara 
Gross,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Eva  (Stoltz)  Gross,  and  to  this  union  were  born 
two  children  :  John,  who  married  Miss  Katie  Klein,  lives  in  iMilwaukee  and  has 
six  children,  Benjamin,  Isabella,  Emma,  Nicholas,  John  and  Joseph;  and  Lena, 
who  married  Frank  W'alridge,  resides  near  Ashton,  Iowa,  and  has  six  children, 
Edward,  Susan,  Oscar,  Rosa,  Julia  and  Louis.  Mrs.  Barbara  (Gross)  Pfeif- 
fer died  in  i860,  aged  twenty-three  years.  jNIr.  Pfeiffer  married  (second)  in 
1861.  Miss  Magdalena  Frederick,  daughter  of  INIathias  and  Margaret  Fred- 
erick, and  to  this  union  was  born  one  child.  Magdalena,  who  married  John 
Giefer  and  has  six  children.  Rosa.  Lena,  John,  ]\Iary,  Cecelia  and  Clara.  Mrs. 
Magdalena  (Frederick)  Pfeiffer  died  ten  months  after  her  marriage.  In  the 
spring  of  1862  Mr.  Pfeiffer  married  (third)  Miss  Anna  ]\Iary  Stollenwerk, 
daughter  of  Hubbard  Stollenwerk,  and  there  were  twelve  children  born  to  this 
union :  Mary,  deceased,  married  Martin  Meyer,  and  had  one  son,  John ; 
Philcmena,  who  died  in  1901,  was  for  eighteen  years  one  of  the  Dominican 
Sisters  in  the  Convent  in  Racine,  and  was  known  as  Sister  Martina ;  Hub- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRArillCAL    RECORD.  53i 

bard  (  I )  died  when  eighteen  months  old ;  Rosa  married  Joseph  Koelch,  of  Mil- 
waukee, and  has  one  child.  Alma ;  Julia  married  Joseph  Koelch,  of  Milwaukee, 
and  has  five  children  as  follows,  Roman,  Anton,  Dorothy,  John  and  Theresa ; 
Hubbard  [2).  a  farmer  in  Paris  township,  married-  Mary  Eisenbart,  and 
they  have  two  children,  Aurelia  and  Coletta ;  Henry  is  a  farmer  in  Woodstock, 
Pipestone  Co.,  Minn.,  where  he  married  Mary  Bauer,  and  has  two  sons,  John 
and  Elias;  Aloysius  married  Katie  Steyberger,  and  they  live  in  Milwaukee; 
an  J  Elias,  Laura,  Annie  and  Josephine  are  at  home.  ^^Irs.  Anna  Mary 
(Stollenwerk)  PfeifTer  died  Feb.  14,  1898,  aged  about  fifty  four  years.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  to  which  Mr.  PfeifYer  also  belongs,  and 
to  which  he  donated  two  acres  of  land  in  Paris  township.  He  and  his  wife 
were  among  the  first  members  of  that  congregation. 

Mr.  Pfeiffer,  besides  his  fine  216  acre  farm,  owns  considerable  city  prop- 
erty in  Milwaukee.  Although  past  his  seventy-eighth  year  he  is  hale  and 
heartv,  and  is  in  full  possession  of  all  his  faculties.  Very  well  known  through- 
out tire  township,  he  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him  for  his  many 
sterling  traits  of  character.  He  is  a  self-made  man.  and  a  representative  citi- 
zen of  Paris  township. 

FRANK  WENDT,  one  of  the  wealthy  and  highly  esteemed  agricul- 
turists of  Yorkville  township,  was  born  in  Milwaukee.  July  4,  1864,  son  of 
Frederick  and  Dorothea  (Hetwig)  Wendt. 

Frederick  Wendt  was  born  in  Germany  where  his  parents  both  died  in 
middle  life,  many  years  ago.  There  were  five  children  in  the  family.  Mr. 
Wendt  was  a  farmer  in  early  life,  but  in  1861  came  to  America  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  followed  various  pursuits.  Finally  in  1887,  he  settled  in  Racine 
ccuntv,  and  went  to  farming  again.  He  bought  212  acres  in  the  Northeastern 
part  of  Yorkville  township,  and  made  his  home  there  for  the  rest  of  his  life, 
passing  from  this  world  Aug.  23,  1904,  when  within  seven  days  of  his  seventy- 
first  birthday.  He  married  Miss  Dorothea  Hetwig,  who  still  survives,  and  they 
had  seven  sons  and  one  daughter.  Only  two  are  living,  Frank  and  Lizzie, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Wendt,  of  Milwaukee.  The  parents  were  both 
Lutherans  in  their  religious  faith.  Mrs.  Wendt's  parents  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many, and  died  there  well  advanced  in  years. 

Frank  Wendt  passed  his  youth  in  Milwaukee  and  was  educated  in  the 
parochial  and  public  schools.  His  first  enterprise  in  a  business  way  was  as  a 
driver  of  a  milk  wagon,  and  he  was  thus  engaged  for  seven  years.  When  his 
parents  left  Milwaukee  for  Racine  county  he  accompanied  them,  helped  his 
father  in  the  management  of  the  large  farm  until  he  died,  and  has  since  oper- 
ated it  on  his  own  account.  It  is  a  finely  improved  place,  and  he  is  an  intelli- 
gent and  progressive  farmer.  He  is  public  spirited  and  takes  his  part  in 
the  conduct  of  local  affairs,  being  treasurer  of  the  school  board  and  road 
o\-erseer.  His  views  are  those  supported  by  the  Republican  partv.  Mr. 
W^endt  is  industrious  and  thrifty,  has  been  successful  in  a  financial  wav,  and 
is  one  of  the  substantial  and  respected  citizens  of  the  township. 

Mr.  Wendt  was  married  Feb.  18,  1893,  to  Miss  Katie  Hess,  daughter  of 
Ludwig  and  Catherina  (Goeble)  Hess.  Seven  children  have  been  born  to 
them  :  Frances  D.,  Annie  K.,  Frederick  H.,  Harrv  F..  Louis  A.,  William  L. 
and  Carolina  L.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wendt  are  of  the  Lutheran  faith. 


532  COMiME.MORATlVE    BIOGRAPIIICAL    RECORD. 

JOHN  W.  DEARSLEY,  foreman  for  the  S.  Freeman  &  Sons  Manu- 
facturing Company,  of  Racine,  is  a  native  of  that  city,  and  has  spent  the 
greater  part  of  his  hfe  there.  He  was  born  May  14,  1857,  son  of  John  and 
Juha  (McCreran)  Dea'rsley,  and  has  both  EngHsh  and  Irish  blood  in  his  veins. 

Tlie  paternal  grandfather  was  John  Dearsley,  an  Englishman,  who  was 
a  book  binder  by  trade,  but  also  kept  a  boarding  school.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
died  in  England,  she  living  to  the  age  of  ninety-two  years.  They  had  a  large 
family.  John  Dearsley  (2),  father  of  John  W.,  was  born  in  England,  and  be- 
came a  printer.  He  came  to  America  about  1850,  and  for  some  years  worked 
in  New  York  on  different  newspapers.  From  there  he  went  to  Milwaukee, 
but  very  soon  moved  again  and  came  to  Racine.  For  eight  or  nine  years  he 
called  that  his  home,  although  during  that  period  he  traveled  through  the 
country  lecturing,  and  he  also  made  several  trips  to  England.  In  1862  he  left 
Racine  for  Wauwatosa,  in  Milwaukee  county,  where  he  died  a  few  years  later, 
in  1874,  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven.  He  was  a  public-spirited  man,  and  held 
various  offices  in  Wauwatosa. 

John  Dearsley  was  three  times  married.  His  second  wife,  who  was  the 
mother  of  John  W.,  was  a  Miss  Julia  McCreran,  born  in  Ireland,  of  whose 
parents  nothing  is  now  known.  The  only  other  child  of  this  union  was  a 
daughter,  Marie,  of  Wauwatosa.  She  is  a  correspondent  of  various  news- 
papers and  magazines  and  for  the  past  two  years  has  been  on  the  staff  of  the 
Milwaukee  Sentinel.  Mrs.  Julia  McC.  Dearsley  died  in  1862  at  the  age  of 
forty-six  years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  although  her  hus- 
band was  an  Episcopalian.  Mr.  Dearsley's  third  wife  bore  the  maiden  name 
of  Jeannette  Watson.  She  was  the  mother  of  two  sons,  Henry  and  Walter, 
both  of  whom  are  prominent  business  men  of  Milwaukee. 

John  W.  Dearsley  was  five  years  of  age  when  his  father  moved  to 
Wauwatosa,  so  that  his  education  was  acquired  wholly  in  the  public  schools 
of  that  place.  He  left  them  at  the  age  of  seventeen  to  learn  the  trade  of 
molder,  and  followed  that  up  to  1886,  when  he  became  foreman  for  the  Hurl- 
but  Manufacturing  Company's  molding  department.  He  remained  in  that 
position  until  1891,  when  he  was  offered  a  similar  place  with  the  S.  Freeman 
&  Sons  Manufacturing  Company.  Mr.  Dearsley  has  proved  himself  a  very 
competent  foreman,  and  has  discharged  his  duties  with  the  utmost  efficiency 
for  the  past  fourteen  years. 

Mr.  Dearsley  chose  as  his  partner  in  life's  joys  and  sorrows.  Miss  Mary 
Louise  Grenier,  daughter  of  Achille  and  Ellen  (Bloom)  Grenier.  to  whom  he 
was  married  June  15,  1887.  To  this  union  three  children  have  been  born, 
Julia  and  Irwin  Grenier,  living;  and  Viola,  who  died  aged  two  years.  Mrs. 
Dearsley  is  a  meml:)er  of  the  Universalist  Church.  John  W.  Dearsley  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  fraternal  circles  of  Racine,  and  is  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  belonging  to 
Belle  City  Lodge,  No.  92,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  also  connected  with  Orient  Chap- 
ter, No.  12,  R.  A.  M.  In  politics  he  professes  the  principles  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  but  takes  no  very  active  part  in  the  pulilic  affairs  of  Racine. 

WILLIAM  POWLES,  justice  of  the  peace  of  Union  Grove,  Racine  Co., 
Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Wales,  born  in  Radnorshire  March  25,  1842.  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Ann  (Edwards)  Powles,  natives  of  that  country. 

John  Powles,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Wales,  and  came 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  533 

to  America  in  1843,  settling  in  Paris  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he 
tooli  up  a  farm  of  160  acres  of  Government  land.  This  farm  he  sold,  and  later 
went  into  the  milling  and  real  estate  husiness  in  Racine,  owning  a  gristmill 
and  waterpower  there.  In  this  husiness  Mr.  Powles  continued  until  his  death, 
in  his  eighty-fifth  year.  He  married  Mary  Edwards,  who  also  attained  ad- 
vanced years,  and  they  had  a  large  family  of  children. 

William  Powles,  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  mason  by  trade.  He  came 
to  America  in  1854.  settling  in  Paris  township,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade 
and  at  farming  until  his  death,  in  1855,  when  he  w-as  aged  thirty-nine  years. 
He  married  Ann  Edwards,  daughter  of  James  Edwards,  a  Welshman,  who 
died  in  his  native  country  at  an  old  age.  Mr.  Edwards  was  a  cabinet  maker. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powles  had  ten  children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living:  Mary 
Ann,  now  a  widow,  who  married  (first)  John  Bixby  and  (second)  Aaron 
Brick,  of  Union  Grove ;  William ;  Henry,  deceased ;  James  and  Charles,  of 
Evansville,  Wis.;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Irving  Council,  of  Union  Grove;  Eliz- 
beth,  the  wife  of  George  Price,  of  Paris  township;  and  three  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

William  Powles  lived  in  his  native  country  until  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  there  received  his  preliminary  education.  In  1854  he  came  to  America  with 
his  parents,  and  grew  to  manhood  in  Racine  county.  In  1861  he  enlisted,  but 
not  being  of  age.  and  his  mother  being  a  widow,  she  would  not  allow  him  to 
serve.  In  1862,  however,  he  again  enlisted,  in  the  22d  Wis.  V.  I.,  Company 
A,  serving  three  years,  or  until  the  close  of  the  war,  as  a  private.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  of  Brentwood,  Tenn.,  Murfreesboro  and  Thompson's 
Station,  and  in  the  latter  battle  was  taken  prisoner,  being  confined  in  Libby 
Prison  March  25,  1863.  He  was  exchanged  about  twenty-five  days  later.  In 
1862  his  services  consisted  of  campaigning  in  Kentucky  principally,  and  a 
great  deal  of  skirmishing  was  engaged  in.  Sixty  days  after  their  release  from 
prison  Mr.  Powles'  regiment  was  sent  to  Benton  Barracks,  St.  Louis,  and  from 
there  transferred  to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  in  the  spring  of  1864  they  were  de- 
tailed to  Murfreesboro.  Tenn.  Mr.  Powles  afterward  fought  throughout  the 
Atlanta  compaign.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  Wisconsin,  locating  in  Ra- 
cine, where  he  engaged  in  photography. 

On  Aug.  19,  1869,  Mr.  Powles  married  Miss  Julia  E.  Cadwell,  daugh- 
ter of  Erasmus  and  Clarissa  (Moe)  Cadwell,  and  four  children  were  born  to 
this  union:  Warren  W.,  Clara  Zonette,  Earl  Elroy  and  Fred  Stanley.  War- 
ren W.  is  a  bookkeeper  in  a  wholesale  business  house  in  Milwaukee,  where  he 
married  Mollie  B.  Schatz.  Clara  Zonette  married  E.  W.  Mager.  of  Chicago. 
Ear]  Elroy  is  an  engineer  in  a  gold  mine  at  Pearce.  Ariz. :  he  married  Mollie 
Lemon,  and  thev  have  two  sons,  Glenn  Leslie  and  William  Earl.  Fred  St-'u- 
ley  is  n  teacher  in  the  Commercial  College  in  Milwaukee. 

William  Powles  and  his  wife  attend  the  Methodist  Enisconal  Churcli.  He 
is  a  member  of  George  B.  Lincoln  Post,  No.  21=;,  G.  A.  R.  Politically  he  is  a 
Republican,  and  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peacefor  twenty-five  years. 
Mr.  Powles  is  the  owner  of  two  good  residence  properties  in  Union  Grove,  and 
a  number  of  buildings  and  lots.  U^nion  Grove  has  been  Iris  home  ever  since  his 
marriaee,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  highly  esteemed  in  the  community. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Powdes  were  natives  of  Ohio,  and  had  four  children  : 
Julia  E.  (Mrs.  Powles),  Edwin  A.,  Fred  E.  and  Minnie,  the  last  mmed  the 


53-;  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

widow  of  G.  X.  Wilson.  Mrs.  Powles's  father  died  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn., 
in  May,  1864,  of  sickness,  while  a  member  of  Company  A,  22d  Wis.  \'.  I. 
His  widow  still  survives,  and  lives  in  Union  Grove.  She  married  (second) 
Alonzo  Conner,  and  they  had  one  son,  Ardene  Alonzo,  who  died  in  September, 
1904.  She  married  for  her  third  husband  Alvin  Burrows,  whose  death  oc- 
curred in  1895. 

MATHIAS  LOESCHER.  Among  the  prominent  and  well-to-do  citi- 
zens of  Salem,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  may  be  mentioned  Mathias  Loescher.  the 
well-known  merchant  and  popular  postmaster  of  that  city.  Mr.  Loescher's 
birth  occurred  on  June  i,  1839,  at  Bittburg,  Rhine  Prussia,  near  Treves,  Ger- 
many, and  he  is  a  son  of  Charles  and  Margaret  (Schmidt)  Loescher,  natives 
of  Germany,  who  had  four  children,  two  of  whom  still  survive:  Charles  (of 
Kenosha),  and  IMathias.  The  history  of  the  paternal  grandfather  is  unknown, 
except  that  he  died  in  Germany. 

On  the  maternal  side  Mr.  Loescher's  grandfather  was  Henry  Schmidt. 
He  died  in  Germany,  aged  about  seventy-five  years,  while  his  wife,  who  bore 
the  maiden  name  of  Susan  Harenz,  also  attained  an  advanced  age,  her  death 
occurring  from  the  effects  of  a  fall  down  a  flight  of  stairs.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Schmidt  had  three  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  now  deceased,  Mr.  Loescher's 
mother  being  the  eldest  of  the  three,  while  the  youngest  was  the  wife  of 
Philip  Lentz.  of  Kenosha. 

Charles  Loescher,  the  father  of  Mathias.  was  a  teacher,  and  was  the  prin- 
cipal of  a  school  in  Germany  for  twenty  years.  There  he  died  aged  about  sixty- 
three  years,  in  1856,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  her  thirty-second  year. 
The  father  served  in  the  German  Yaeger  regiment  for  one  year,  on  the  Rhine. 

^Mathias  Loescher  attended  school  in  Germany,  at  Bittburg.  until  fifteen 
years  of  age,  and  then  came  to  America,  landing  at  New  York  City.  He  visited 
an  employment  agency,  where  he  found  that  a  man  in  Orange,  N.  J.,  wanted 
young  men  to  learn  the  hatter's  trade.  There  he  found  employment,  learning 
that  trade,  W'hich  he  followed  for  a  short  time,  and  he  also  worked  two  years  in 
Connecticut  on  a  farm.  Coming  W^est  in  1858  he  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty- 
four  acres  in  Salem  township,  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  on  the  north  town  line, 
farming  there  for  five  or  six  years.  During  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany C,  9th  W^is.  V.  I.,  serving  until  the  close  of  the  war,  after  which  he  sold 
his  farm  and  erected  a  store  at  Salem  station,  where  he  has  engaged  in  a  gen- 
eral merchandise  business  for  thirty-five  years,  being  one  of  the  verv  oldest 
merchants  in  Kenosha  county.  He  has  been  postmaster  for  the  past  eight 
years. 

On  Oct.  4,  1870,  Mr.  Loescher  married  Isabel  ^^linnis,  daughter  of  James 
and  Jane  (Grosier)  Minnis,  and  three  children  were  born  to  this  union: 
Charles  M..  Jennie  and  Josie,  the  two  last  named  being  twins.  Charles  'M.  is  a 
dentist  in  Chicago,  and  the  two  daughters  reside  at  home.  Mrs.  Loescher  at- 
tends the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Mr.  Loescher  belongs  to  Fred  Lovell 
Post,  G.  .\.  R.,  of  Kenosha,  and  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Polit- 
icallv  he  is  a  Republican. 

Mrs.  Loescher's  parents  were  natives  of  Arbroath.  Scotland,  rnd  her 
father  came  to  America  in  1849,  making  a  trip  overland  to  California.  He 
returned  East  as  far  as  W' isconsin,  and  settled  in  Salem  township,  there  pur- 


COMME.MORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  535 

chasing  a  farm  of  160  acres,  where  he  reared  his  family.  His  wife  came  ta 
America  in  185 1.  They  were  married  in  Scotland,  in  wliich  country  all  of 
their  children  were  born ;  ]Mrs.  Loescher  was  the  youngest  of  the  family.  The 
father  died  in  Salem  township  Feb.  29,  1892,  aged  nearly  eighty-two  years, 
while  the  mother  survived  him  until  March  2,  1895,  being  eighty-seven  at  the 
time  of  her  death.  Both  were  Presbyterians  in  religious  faith.  They  had 
eight  sons  and  one  daughter,  of  whom  five  children  survive,  four  sons  and  one 
daughter. 

James  :Minnis.  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Loescher,  was  a  native  of 
Scotland,  an  officer  in  the  British  army,  and  died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was 
twice  married.  On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Loescher's  grandfather  was  also 
a  native  of  Scotland,  and  a  soldier  in  the  British  army.  He  attained  advanced 
years,  as  did  also  his  wife.  They  had  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  The 
son,  Mrs.  Loescher's  uncle,  served  as  an  officer  in  the  Crimean  war. 

WILLIAM  HEXRY  LEWIS  (deceased),  for  many  years  a  commercial 
traveler  through  \\'iSconsin,  and  a  highly  respected  resident  of  Union  Grove, 
was  one  of  the  many  brave  sons  of  America,  who  risked  their  lives  for  then- 
country  in  the  Civil  war.  Although  in  later  life  he  lived  in  Wisconsin,  he  was 
born  in  Providence,  X.  Y.,  Feb.  26,  1841,  son  of  Simeon  and  >.Iargaret  (Par- 
ker) Lewis. 

Simeon  Lewis  and  his  wife  were  both  natives  of  Massachusetts.  He 
moved  to  Saratoga  county,  X.  Y.,  and  lived  there  on  a  farm  until  his  death, 
at  the  early  age  of  fifty-four.  His  wife  long  survived  him.  and  reached  the  age 
of  seventy-five.  They  were  the  parents  of  Hiram.  Jesse,  Jane  and  William 
Henry. 

William  Henry  Lewis  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  at  home,  attended 
the  district  school,  and  continued  a  member  of  his  father's  household  until  his 
marriage.  In  the  earlier  part  of  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Com- 
pany D.  4th  Xew  York  Heavy  Artillery,  and  was  in  the  service  for  nearlv  three 
years.  On  returning  home  at  the  close  of  the  struggle,  he  became  a  commer- 
cial traveler,  and  in  1876  was  sent  to  Michigan,  making  Trenton  his  head- 
quarters for  four  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  in  1880.  he  came  to  Union 
Grove,  and  made  his  home  there  until  his  death  Feb.  14,  1894.  at  the  age  of 
fifty-three  years,  less  twelve  days.  Mr.  Lewis  was  one  of  the  enthusiastic 
members  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  and  was  the  prime  mover  in  organizing  George  B. 
Lincoln  Post,  No.  215.  at  Union  Grove,  in  which  he  was  past  commander  for 
two  or  three  years.  He  also  belonged  to  the  M.  W.  A.  Politicallv  he  was  a 
staunch  Republican. 

Mr.  Lewis  twice  entered  the  married  state.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Tane 
Eliza  Brewer,  daughter  of  Russell  and  Eliza  (Miller)  Brewer.  Their  onlv 
child  was  a  daughter,  named  Sarah  Adeline,  who  married  Peter  Hansman,  a 
commercial  traveler,  residing  in  Union  Grove.  Mrs.  Hansman  is  the  mother 
of  an  only  daughter,  Lillian,  who  was  born  in  Detroit,  her  father's  birthplace 
also,  and  who  was  a  graduate  from  the  Union  Grove  high  school,  and  after- 
ward took  a  two  years  course  in  music  at  Oberlin  Collesre.  Mrs.  Tane  E.  B. 
Lewis  died  in  early  life  in  Creek  Center,  Warren  Co..  X^.  Y..  in  1869,  aged  only 
twentv-eis'ht  years. 

On  Feb.  28.  1875.  ^Ir.  Lewis  married  (second)  Miss  Carrie  Goodemot, 


536  COMMEjMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

daughter  of  Peter  and  Sarah  (Ferguson)  Goodemot.  By  this  union  there  were 
four  children,  three  of  whom,  Charles  Henry,  Jennie  and  Nina  May,  died  in 
infancy.  The  youngest,  Arthur  W.,  is  unmarried  and  lives  in  Union  Grove 
with  his  mother,  who  survives  her  husband.  Mrs.  Lewis  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  Disciples  Churcii,  but  Mr.  Lewis  was  never  identified  with  any 
denomination. 

Mrs.  Carrie  Lewis  is  descended  on  the  paternal  side  from  Godfrey  and 
Margaret  (Schneider)  Goodemot,  the  former  a  native  of  Germany  and  the 
latter  of  France.  Godfrey  Goodemot  came  with  three  brothers  to  America  and 
settled  on  a  farm  in  New  York,  where  he  died  aged  forty-one  years.  He  had  a 
family  of  five  sons  and  four  daughters.  Peter  Goodemot  was  a  farmer  in  New 
York  State,  in  Fulton  county,  where  he  was  born.  He  passed  his  whole  life 
in  his  native  State,  dying  in  1891,  aged  eighty-six.  His  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Sarah  Ferguson,  died  in  1853,  aged  forty-two.  She  was  a  Meth- 
odist in  religious  belief,  while  Mr.  Goodemot  belonged  to  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church.  They  were  the  parents  of  three  sons  and  seven  daughters,  Mrs. 
Lewis  being  the  youngest  daughter.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  Abram 
Ferguson,  a  native  of  IVIassachusetts,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  was  a 
veteran  of  the  war  of  1812.  He  and  his  wife,  Hannah  (Brown)  Ferguson, 
both  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  They  had  eight  children,  Hannah, 
Betsey.  Sarah,  Huldah,  Jane,  Cornelius,  Barnan  and  Abram. 

RICHARD  BURNS  SWENSON,  editor  and  publisher  of  The  Agitator, 
of  Wilmot,  Wis.,  was  born  in  that  town  Sept.  8,  1873,  son  of  John  B.  and  Mary 
C.  (Burns)  Swenson,  the  former  of  near  Varberg,  Sweden,  and  the  latter  of 
Coxsackie,  New  York. 

Niels  Swenson,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Richard  B.  Swenson.  lived 
and  died  in  Sweden.  He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  also  carried  on 
milling.  His  wife,  Kestin  Swenson,  died  when  over  ninety  years  of  age,  while 
he  passed  away  when  about  seventy-five.  They  had  four  children,  the  other 
three  besides  John  B.  (father  of  Richard  B.)  being  Aaron,  Andrew  and 
Magdeline,  wife  of  M.  Oagerson. 

The  maternal  grandfather  was  Richard  Burns,  who  was  born  near  the 
Catskills  and  lived  at  Coxsackie,  N.  Y.  He  was  a  wagonmaker  by.  trade. 
He  died  in  Wilmot  in  1869.  aged  sixty-one  years.  His  mother  was'  Lvdia 
Ann  Van  Slyke,  and  his  grandfather.  John  Burns,  came  to  America  at  the  age 
of  seventeen.  His  wife,  Phoebe  Ann  Sniffin,  born  in  Coxsackie  in  i8tt, 
died  in  Wilmot  in  1878.  Her  mother  was  Ann  Stanton.  They  had  three  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  are  now  living,  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Swenson  and  Mrs.  Anna 
M._  Vincent,  both  of  Wilmot.  Wis.  Richard  Burns  and  his  wife  came  to 
Wisconsin  via  the  Great  Lakes  route  in  1850.  They  lived  for  a  time  at  Keno- 
sha, but  later  moved  to  Wilmot. 

John  B.  Swenson  at  fourteen  vears  of  age  started  out  in  life  for  himself,  to 
make^his  own  way  in  the  world.  He  was  bound  out  for  five  vears  to  learn  the 
tailor's  trade,  and  became  an  expert  in  that  line.  Remainino-  in  his  native 
country  until  1866,  he  worked  through  Denmark  and  Sweden  in  the  tailoring 
business,  and  can  speak  the  Swedish,  Danish  and  English  lan^uap-es.  About 
i8ri8  he  c^nie  to  America,  and  worked  first  in  Rncine.then  in  Burlinetnn  and 
finally  in  \\'ilmot,  where  he  still  resides,  as  d(ies  his  wife.     For  some  ve?rs  he 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  537 

was  engaged  in  the  men's  furnishing  goods  business,  but  for  the  past  two 
years  he  has  lived  retired.  He  has  four  children :  Herbert  J.,  a  printer  and 
tailor  in  Wilmot ;  Richard  B. ;  Chauncey  A.,  publisher  of  the  Genoa  Junction 
Times;  and  Frank  H.,  superintendent  of  schools  at  Barron,  Wisconsin. 

Richard  B.  Swenson  has  lived  in  Wilmot  all  of  his  life,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  three  or  four  years.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Wilmot,  and  the 
Kenosha  high  school,  and  then  went  to  the  Metropolitan  Business  College,  of 
Chicago.  He  became  a  stenographer,  and  also  saw  service  as  a  private  de- 
tective and  as  a  reporter.  Newspaper  work,  however,  was  the  ruling  instinct. 
He  had  served  as  a  reporter  in  Kenosha,  Chicago  and  at  Belvidere,  111.,  but 
not  being  familiar  with  the  mechanical  part  of  the  business  started  in  to  learn. 
With  his  brother  Chauncey  he  started  The  Agitator  at  Wilmot,  in  1901.  The 
first  number  was  printed,  one  page  at  a  time,  on  a  job  press.  At  present  they 
have  a  power  press,  operated  by  a  gasoline  engine.  In  1903  he  and  his  brother, 
Chauncey,  bought  their  father's  furnishing  goods  business,  in  Wilmot,  which 
they  have  continued  to  operate  ever  since. 

On  Aug.  I,  1901,  Richard  B.  Swenson  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Bufton, 
daughter  of  William  and  Margaret  (Tait)  Bufton,  and  two  sons  have  been 
born  to  this  union,  Eric  and  Irving.  Mrs.  Swenson  is  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church.  Mr.  Swenson  is  a  trustee  of  the  Congregational  Society.  He 
belongs  to  Salem  Lodge,  No.  42,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Wilmot,  of  which  lodge  he  is 
secretary;  is  clerk  of  Wilmot  Camp,  No.  695,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America; 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Equitable  Fraternal  Union.  Politically  he  is  independent 
and  he  is  serving  as  treasurer  of  school  district  No.  9.  He  is  secretary  of  the 
Farmers'  Wilmot  Creamery. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Swenson  was  born  in  Paris,  Wis.,  Sept.  3,  1873.  Her 
father,  William  Bufton,  was  born  in  Wales  and  is  the  son  of  Enoch  and  Sarah 
(Jones)  Bufton.  He  was  one  of  a  family  of  seven.  The  others  are:  James, 
Richard,  John,  Mrs.  Harriet  Powell,  Mrs.  Annie  Boundford,  and  Mrs.  Lizzie 
Rowley. 

Mrs.  Swenson's  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Mary  (Kirkness) 
Tait.  Her  father  was  a  Baptist  minister  and  served  his  faith  in  the  Orkney 
Islands,  at  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  and  at  Paris  Corners,  Wis.,  where  he  died 
in  1872.  She  had  one  brother,  Robert  Tait.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bufton  were  mar- 
ried at  Paris  Corners  and  lived  there  a  few  years,  in  1880  coming  to  Wilmot. 
where  they  ha\'e  since  resided.  Mr.  Bufton  is  a  shoemaker  by  trade.  They 
have  nine  children,  William,  Mrs.  Swenson,  Roy,  Ray,  Eda,  Clyde,  Rosa, 
Alice  and  Elsie. 

JA]\IES  N.  HOCKING,  one  of  the  substantial  and  representative  farmers 
of  Racine  county.  Wis.,  resides  on  his  well  cultivated  estate  on  Section  4, 
Yorkville  township.  He  was  torn  in  this  township,  Sept.  6,  1858,  son  of 
Josiah  and  Jane  (Oliver)  Hocking,  natives  of  Cornwall,  England. 

Nicholas  Hocking,  James  N.'s  grandfather,  passed  away  in  England  at 
an  advanced  age,  leaving  a  family  of  two  sons  and  three  daughters.  On  the 
maternal  side,  our  subiect's  grandfather  was  James  Oliver,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land where  he  died  well  advanced  in  years.  He  and  his  wife.  Prudence  (Mun- 
dy)  Oliver,  who  died  in  middle  life,  had  one  son  and  two  daughters. 

Josiah  Hocking  followed  farming  in  his  native  country,  and,  on  coming 


538  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

to  America  in  May,  1852,  settled  first  at  Ives  Grove,  where  he  followed  farm- 
ing. On  Nov.  23,  i860,  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Section  4,  York- 
ville  township,  upon  which  he  lived  until  his  death,  July  4,  1897,  aged  seventy- 
five  years,  five  months  and  twenty-one  days.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1899 
aged  seventy-six  years,  seven  months  and  nine  days.  Both  were  Methodists, 
having  joined  that  church  on  coming  to  America,  the  church  then  Ijeing  known 
as  the  Bible  Christians.  Mr.  Hocking  was  prominent  in  politics  and  held  the 
positions  of  school  director  and  postmaster.  He  and  his  wife  had  eight  chil- 
dren; William  J.,  of  San  Francisco,  Cal. ;  Josiah,  of  Racine;  Prudence  M.,  on 
the  old  homestead;  Mary  Jane,  wife  of  William  Cooper,  of  Yorkville  town- 
ship; James  N. ;  Grace,  deceased  wife  (if  James  Hunter;  George,  of  Yorkville 
township;  and  Edwin,  who  lives  on  the  homestead  with  his  sister  Prudence  M. 
and  brother  James  N. 

Tames  N.  Hocking,  with  his  brother  and  sister,  resides  on  the  old  home- 
stead, which  they  own  and  operate.  All  three  were  reared  on  this  farm,  and 
attended  the  district  schools.  They  can  well  remember  the  appearance  of  the 
country  when  it  was  new.  and  that  their  father  used  to  do  his  marketing 
and  farming  long  before  horses  were  anything  like  plentiful.  The  farm  now 
consists  of  120  acres,  and  is  one  of  the  good,  productive  tracts  in  the  town- 
ship. 

MORRIS  \y.  HOLLOW^\Y.  who  has  a  farm  of  280  acres  in  Section 
22,  Paris  township,  is  one  of  the  representative  agriculturists  of  Kenosha 
county.  Wis.  He  was  born  in  Skaneateles,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  21,  1845,  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Elizabeth  (Morris)  Holloway,  natives  of  Wiltshire,  England. 

John  Holloway,  the  grandfather  of  Morris  W.,  died  in  his  native  countrv, 
England,  well  advanced  in  years,  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  also  attaining  old  age. 
They  had  fourteen  children.  Mr.  Holloway's  maternal  grandparents  were 
both  born  in  England,  and  had  a  family  of  twelve  children,  most  of  whom 
emigrated  to  the  United  States;  his  grandmother  Morris  came  to  the  United 
States,  lived  to  a  good  old  age  and  died  in  New  York  State.  In  his  native 
country  William  Holloway  worked  in  the  woolen  mills,  but  when  he  came  to 
America,  in  1843,  he  followed  farming  in  Skaneateles,  N.  Y.  In  about  i8s3 
he  came  West  and  located  in  W^aukesha  county,  W'is.,  for  twelve  or  thirteen 
years,  and  then  removed  to  Genesee,  Waukesha  county,  working  in  the  woolen 
mills  for  about  three  years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he  went  to  Milwaukee, 
was  foreman  of  the  Soldiers'  Home  for  two  years,  and  then  went  into  the  meat 
business.  In  1883  he  removed  to  Paris  township,  Kenosha  county,  purchasing 
a  farm  of  280  acres,  and  there  he  lived  until  his  death.  May  12,  1893,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-one  years;  his  wife  died  three  years  previously,  in  her  seventy- 
second  year.  Both  were  Methodists.  They  had  three  children :  ISIorris  W. ; 
Edw'ard,  of  Milwaukee;  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Morris  W.  Holloway  was  reared  a  farmer  bov  in  ^Vaukesha  countv,  and 
attended  the  district  schools  and  Carroll  College  in  Waukesha  for  two  years. 
He  followed  butchering  in  Milwaukee  for  fifteen  or  eighteen  vears.  but  since 
1883  has  followed  farming.  On  his  father's  death  he  inherited  the  home  place 
in  Paris  township,  and  there  he  has  since  resided.  On  Nov.  10.  1880.  be  mar- 
ried Miss  Katie  Powell,  daughter  of  John  and  Harriet  (Dudlev)  Powell,  and 
five  children  Avere  born  to  this  union  :    Jeannette,  John,  Mildred,  Edward  and 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  539 

Charley.  Mrs.  Holloway  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Mr. 
Hollo\vay  is  a  gentleman  of  intelligence,  and  is  one  of  the  prominent  and  thrifty 
farmers  of  Paris  township,  owning  a  beautiful  farm.  Politically  he  is  a  Re- 
publican. He  was  successful  as  a  business  man,  and  conducts  his  farm  with  the 
same  practical  business  sagacity  and  judgment.  He  is  highly  esteemed  in  the 
community. 

WARD  BLOSS,  a  highly  esteemed  resident  of  Kenosha,  Kenosha  Co., 
Wis.,  who  operates  his  fine  farm  on  Sections  23  and  24,  was  born  in  Columbia 
county,  N.  Y.,  twenty  miles  from  Hudson,  July  4,  1848,  son  of  Eli  and  Charity 
(  Bryant)  Bloss,  also  natives  of  that  State. 

Zachariah  Bloss,  the  grandfather  of  Ward,  was  born  in  New  York  State, 
and  there  he  died,  in  Columbia  county,  well  advanced  in  years,  after  following 
farming  all  his  life.  He  was  of  German  descent,  while  his  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Mary  McDonald,  was  Scotch,  and  they  had  five  children,  all  of 
whom  are  now  deceased.  On  the  maternal  side,  the  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject was  Jonas  Bryant,  a  native  of  Columbia  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  a 
blacksmith.  He  and  his  wife,  Polly  (Seism)  came  West  at  an  early  day,  and 
settling  in  Bristol  township,  Kenosha  county,  engaged  in  farming.  He  died 
there  aged  ninety-four  years,  being  killed  by  the  cars.  Mrs.  Bryant  passed 
away  when  seventy  years  old.  They  had  two  sons  and  four  daughters,  and  four 
of  these  children  are  still  living:  Charity,  mother  of  Ward  Bloss;  James  Bry- 
ant, of  Bristol :  Maggie,  of  Salem  township ;  and  Herman  Bryant,  of  Bristol. 

Eli  Bloss  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1855,  arriving  in  Kenosha  on  the  loth 
of  May.  He  worked  out  by  the  da}^  for  one  year,  at  fifty  cents  a  day,  and  then 
^yorked  a  320-acre  farm  in  Bristol  township  on  shares  for  four  years.  At  the 
end  of  this  time  he  removed  to  Salem  township,  where  he  worked  a  farm  of 
120  acres,  cash  rent,  for  six  years,  purchasing  the  farm  at  the  end  of  that 
period.  There  he  remained  until  the  spring  of  1886,  when  he  removed  to  the 
yillage  of  Salem,  in  which  place  he  died  Dec.  23,  1901,  aged  seventy-seven 
years.  His  \yiclow,  who  still  survives,  is  now  eighty-three  years  old.  having 
been  born  Dec.  16.  1822.  She  is  a  Methodist.  Mr.  Bloss  was  a  member  of  the 
town  board  for  some  years,  and  for  many  years  served  as  a  member  of  the 
school  board.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bloss  had  these  children :  Bryant,  who  died  aged 
sixteen  years :  Ward ;  and  IMary.  who  died  in  infancy. 

Ward  Bloss.  lived  in  Columbia  county,  N.  Y.,  until  seven  years  of  age. 
and  then  came  West  with  his  parents,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  Kenosha 
county  ever  since.  He  was  reared  a  farmer  boy,  and  attended  the  district 
schools,  -after  finishing  which  he  taught  in  the  same  schools  for  five  years.  He 
earned  $700  teaching,  never  drawing  a  cent  from  the  school  treasury :  at  that 
time  his  father  was  treasurer.  During  the  first  of  his  teaching  years  he  was 
.  married,  and  his  father  purchased  a  farm  and  told  him  to  move  onto  it.  This 
Mr.  Bloss  did.  and  lived  upon  the  place  for  some  time.  His  father  then  sold 
this  farm  and  purchased  another  one.  of  200  acres,  known  as  the  Taber  farm, 
telling  his  son  to  locate  on  this  land,  which  he  did.  no  agreement,  however 
of  any  kind.  Iieing  entered  into.  Some  time  later  Mr.  Bloss  found  the  farm 
had  been  deeded  to  him.  and  recorded  in  the  recorder's  office  in  Kenosha,  this 
being  the  first  intimation  he  had  received  that  his  father  had  turned  the  farm 
over  to  him.     He  owned  this  farm,  which  is  finely  improved,  until  Feb.   12, 


S40  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

1906,  when  he  sold  it,  and  in  August,  1906,  he  moved  into  Kenosha,  where 
he  had  buiU  a  beautiful  home.  In  1893  Mr.  Bloss  had  erected  a  beautiful  home 
on  the  farm. 

On  Dec.  26,  1875.  Ward  Bloss  and  Aliss  Florence  Crowley,  daughter  of 
Abraham  and  Ann  (Wood)  Crowley  were  united  in  marriage,  and  two  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  this  union :  Bryant,  who  died  when  nineteen  years  of 
age;  and  Arthur,  mail  carrier  of  Rural  Route  No.  29,  who  married  Charlotte 
Mihvard  and  lives  at  Salem  Station.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bloss  are  members  of  the 
Congregational  Church.  He  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Republican  County  Committee.  He  has  served  his  township  as  a  member 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  for  several  terms :  two  years  as  chairman  of  the 
board,  and  a  number  of  terms  as  school  treasurer  of  district  No.  8.  He  was 
census  enumerator  in  1880  and  1890,  and  while  chairman  of  the  town  board 
was  on  the  committee  that  built  the  courthouse  and  jail. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Florence  Bloss  were  natives  of  Cayuga  county,  N. 
v..  and  came  West  in  1854,  settling  in  the  town  of  Salem,  where  thev  have 
resided  ever  since.  They  had  two  children,  Mrs.  Bloss  and  Newcomb  Crow- 
ley. Abraham  Crowley  has  always  been  a  farmer,  and  has  carried  on  agricul- 
tural operations  in  Salem  township  for  fifty-one  years.  Mrs.  Bloss's  paternal 
grandfather  was  Jacob  Crowley,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and  a  prominent 
physician  of  his  section,  where  he  practiced  for  many  years.  His  first  wife, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Birdsley,  died  in  the  East.  His  second  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Bird,  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  as  did  also  Mr.  Crowley. 
She  passed  away  at  Durant,  111.,  while  Dr.  Crowley,  who  had  come  West  to 
Ilhnois  to  practice,  died  at  Rockford,  that  State. 

On  the  maternal  side  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Bloss  and  his  wife.  Pollv 
Carter,  were  natives  of  New  York.  He  followed  farming  in  his  native  State, 
and  there  died  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife  was  also  well  along  in  years 
when  her  death  occurred. 

EUGENE  FINK.  Among  the  highly  esteemed  residents  of  Mt.  Pleasant 
township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  may  be  mentioned  Eugene  Fink,  whose  fine  farm 
IS  situated  on  Section  35.  Mr.  Fink  is  a  native  of  that  township,  born  March 
21,  1859,  son  of  James  and  Charlotte  (Norris)  Fink,  natives  of  New  York 
State.  ^  The  paternal  grandfather,  John  Fink,  was  a  farmer  and  a  native  of 
New  y  ork  State,  where  he  died  when  comparatively  a  young  man.  He  and 
his  wife,  Catherine,  had  the  following  children  :  Benjamin,  James,  Levi,  John, 
Andrew.  Margaret  and  Marv. 

James  Fink,  father  of  Eugene,  was  a  tailor  bx  trade.  He  came  to  W^is- 
consin  about  1840.  livingat  Southport  for  a  time.'and  then  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  at  $1.25  per  acre,  adding  to  this  pur- 
chase until  he  owned,  at  various  times,  four  farms,  comprising  561  acres.  He 
spent  the  last  twenty-five  years  of  his  life  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  dying  at 
the  home  of  his  son.  Eugene  W..  Oct.  11.  1905,  while  sitting  in  his  chair, 
talking,  and  apparently  in  good  health.  He  was  at  the  time  ninety-tliree  years 
of  age.  Mr.  Fink  held  various  town  offices  in  his  day.  He  married  Char- 
lotte Norris.  whose  father  was  pIso  a  native  of  New  York,  and  a  merchant  of 
Syracuse.    He  came  West  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Kane  county  at  an  early  day. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  541 

and  there  followed  farming.  He  died  there  when  between  seventy  and  eighty 
years  of  age,  and  his  wife  also  attained  advanced  years.  They  had  children : 
Ward,  Carl,  Abbie,  Mary  Ann,  Rillie,  Charlotte,  and  several  others. 

Mr.  Fink  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  seven  children,  four  of  whom  still 
survive:  Charles,  of  Racine;  Eugene;  Edward,  of  Somers  township,  Keno- 
sha Co.,  Wis.;  and  Percy,  of  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  The  mother  of  this 
family  died  Aug.  12,  1877,  aged  forty-six  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist 
Church ;  the  father  was  a  Presbyterian. 

Eugene  Fink  was  reared  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  attended  the  district  schools.  He  lived  at  home  until  grown  to  manhood 
and  then  rented  his  father's  farm  on  shares  for  several  years,  his  present  farm 
of  165  acres,  to  which  he  has  added  ten  acres,  being  deeded  to  him  by  his  fath- 
er in  1902.  Mr.  Fink  was  married  Oct.  3,  1894,  to  Miss  Caroline  Braid, 
daughter  of  Andrew  and  Elizabeth  (Tiegus)  Braid,  and  four  children  have 
been  born  to  this  union :  Julia,  Everett,  Stella  and  Clinton.  Politically  Mr. 
Fink  is  a  Republican. 

Andrew  Braid,  the  father  of  ]\Irs.  Fink,  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  her 
mother  in  Germany.  On  coming  to  America  Mr.  Braid  located  in  Racine 
county,  while  his  future  wife  settled  in  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.  They  were  mar- 
ried in  Racine,  and  made  their  home  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  engaging  in 
farming.  He  died  in  1887,  in  his  sixtieth  year,  while  his  widow  still  survives 
and  lives  on  the  old  homestead  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township.  They  had  four  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  are  now  living,  namely  :  Jessie,  the  wife  of  Edward  Fink ; 
Caroline,  wife  of  Eugene  Fink;  and  Louise,  the  wife  of  William  Nieson, 
who  makes  her  home  in  Corliss. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Eugene  Fink  was  William  Tiegus, 
a  native  of  Germany,  in  which  country  he  died  well  advanced  in  years.  He 
was  a  teamster  by  occupation,  hauling  goods  from  one  city  to  another.  He 
married  Catherine  Schafer,  who  also  attained  advanced  years. 

DR.  WILLIAM  CHRISTIAN  HANSON,  a  progressive  physician  and 
surgeon  of  North  Cape,  Raymond  township,  Racine  countv.  was  born  in  Nor- 
way township,  that  county,  Aug.  6,  1872,  son  of  Thorsten  and  Goro  (Jnnhan- 
nesdatter)   Hanson,  natives  of  Norway. 

Thorsten  Hanson  came  to  America  in  1866,  and  located  in  the  town  of 
Waterford,  Racine  county.  From  1866  to  1880  he  engaged  in  farming,  but 
has  since  been  a  salesman  of  sewing  machines  and  organs,  his  present  head- 
quarters being  at  Seattle,  Wash.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  as 
was  his  wife,  Goro  Johannesdatter,  who  died  Dec.  15,  1898,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
six  years.  They  had  four  sons  and  three  daughters :  Caroline,  who  died 
aged  four  years;  Hans,  who  died  in  Seattle,  Wash.,  in  March,  1906;  Gusta, 
wife  of  G.  H.  Brockman,  of  Spokane,  Wash. ;  Mary,  who  married  Fred 
Springer,  and  resides  in  Racine ;  William  Christian ;  Olie,  of  Seattle,  Wash. ; 
and  Edmund,  of  Chicago. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Dr.  Hanson  was  a  Norwegian  farmer  who 
passed  all  his  life  in  his  native  land.  He  was  the  father  of  a  large  familv, 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  lived  to  be  quite  old.  The  maternal  grandfather 
of  the  Doctor  was  a  stock  raiser  in  Norway.  He  and  his  wife  lived  to  attain 
advanced  years,  and  they  had  a  large  family,  one  daughter,  Carrie,  coming 


54-'  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

to  America  in  1866,  and  marrying'  a  Mr.  Olesun,  a  tailur,  now  in  LaCrosse, 
Wisconsin. 

Dr.  William  C.  Hanson  li\eil  on  his  father's  farm  in  Norway  township 
until  he  was  five  years  of  age.  when  he  went  to  Union  Grove,  obtaining"  his 
more  advanced  education  in  its  high  school  and  in  the  high  school  at  Black 
River  Falls,  Wis.  From  Black  River  Falls  he  removed  to  Duluth,  Minn., 
where  he  was  a  pupil  in  the  Washington  high  school,  the  family  then  returnmg 
to  Union  Grove.  Subsequently  he  pursued  a  scientific  course  at  Ripon  (Wis.) 
College,  after  which  he  was  employed  for  several  years  as  a  bookkeeper  in 
Racine.  In  the  meantime  he  had  commenced  his  medical  studies  with  Drs. 
A.  L.  and  S.  C.  Buchan,  under  whom  he  made  such  satisfactory  progress  that 
in  1897  he  graduated  from  the  Milwaukee  Medical  College.  During  his  course 
in  that  institution  he  was  first  assistant  to  Prof.  G.  F.  Shimonek,  and  served  as 
interne  at  the  National  Soldiers'  Home  at  Milwaukee.  After  his  graduation 
he  opened  an  office  at  Beaver  Dam,  Wis.,  practicing  in  that  city  until  Sei^tem- 
ber,  1898,  since  which  time  he  has  established  himself  in  a  most  promising 
practice  at  North  Cape. 

On  Nov.  2,  1897,  Dr.  Hanson  was  married  to  Jeannette  Gladys  Ander- 
son, daughter  of  Peter  and  Anna  Josephine  (Larson)  Anderson.  Mrs.  Han- 
son is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Fraternally  the  Doctor  is 
affiliated  with  the  M.  W.  A.  and  the  Foresters,  while  poHtically  he  sujjports  the 
Republican  party. 

Andrew  Anderson,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Hanson,  was  a 
native  of  Norway,  who  died  in  that  country  at  an  old  age.  He  married  Isabel 
Hanson,  who  bore  him  a  large  family,  and  lived  to  advanced  years. 

Peter  Anderson,  son  of  Andrew  and  father  of  Mrs.  Hanson,  was  born  in 
N(irway,  and  came  to  America  about  1830,  residing  in  New  York  for  some 
time.  In  1835  he  came  West  and  located  in  Racine.  He  had  been  a  sailor, 
and  after  locating  in  Wisconsin  continued  in  that  calling  on  the  Lakes.  He 
sailed  out  of  the  port  of  Racine  from  1835  to  1887,  and  his  death  occurred  in 
Racine  March  9,  1895.  at  the  age  of  seventy-six.  He  was  twice  married,  his 
first  w'ife,  Maria  Diamond,  bearing  him  four  children,  of  whom  but  one, 
Ella,  wife  of  Edgar  A.  Jenks,  of  Racine,  is  yet  living.  For  his  second  wife  he 
married  Mrs.  Anna  Josephine  (Larson)  Lawson,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Ole 
Larson,  of  Norway.  She  still  survives  now  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight.  Three 
daughters  and  one  son  were  born  of  this  union :  Emma,  wife  of  C.  R.  Sieb ; 
Peter  L. ;  Anna,  wife  of  L.  J.  Olson,  all  the  foregoing  being  residents  of  Ra- 
cine ;  and  Jeannette  Gladys,  wife  of  Dr.  Hanson.  By  her  first  husband,  L, 
W.  Lawson,  Mrs.  Anderson  had  one  son,  L.  M.  Lawson. 

Rev.  Ole  Larson,  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Hanson,  was  a  Lutheran 
minister,  who  passed  his  entire  life  in  his  native  Norway.  He  married  Isabel 
Larson  who  bore  him  several  children,  and  after  her  husband's  death  she  came 
to  America,  and  passed  her  last  years  in  Chicago,  Illinois. 

LOLTIS  HENNINGFELD,  one  of  the  representative  farmers  of  York- 
ville,  Racine  county,  has  a  fine  farm  of  103  acres  in  Section  11.  He  is  a  self- 
made  man  in  all  that  the  term  implies,  having  begun  his  business  career  with- 
out capital,  and  all  that  he  possesses  today  represents  years  of  toil  and  judicious 
management.     He  was  born  Nov.  11,  1861,  in  the  town  of  Norway,  Racine 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  543 

county,  son  of  Henry  and  Christina  (^Holland)  Henningfeld,  natives  of  West- 
phalia, Germany. 

In  1837  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Dahlmannj  Henningfeld.  the  grandpar- 
ents of  our  subject,  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Racine  county,  where  both 
died  soon  after,  he  in  1838,  and  she  in  1840.  They  were  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many, where  Mr.  Henningfeld  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Napoleonic  wars.  On 
the  maternal  side,  Louis  Henningfeld's  grandfather  was  Herman  Holland, 
also  a  native  of  Germany.  He  also  came  to  America  in  1837,  and  settled  in 
the  town  of  Waterford,  Racine  county,  on  a  farm,  which  he  afterwards  sold, 
moving  to  the  village  of  Waterford,  where  he  died,  aged  seventy-two  years. 
He  was  also  a  soldier  in  Germany.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Wink,  lived  to  be 
seventy-one  years  old. 

Llenry  Henningfeld  came  to  America  with  his  parents  in  1837.  and  set- 
tled in  the  town  of  Norway,  Racine  county,  where  his  people  had  taken  up  Gov- 
ernment land.  Until  February,  1905,  he  lived  in  Racine  county,  in  the  latter 
year  removing  to  Phillips,  Price  county,  where  he  and  his  wife  still  reside. 
While  in  Norway  he  owned  a  farm  of  ninety-three  acres,  but  this  he  afterward 
sold  to  purchase  a  piece  of  property  near  Waterford.  Although  drafted  for  the 
Civil  war  Mr.  Henningfeld  obtained  a  substitute.  He  was  prominent  in  town- 
ship affairs,  served  as  assessor,  and  held  numerous  other  offices.  He  and  his 
wife  had  these  children:  Fred,  of  Yorkville  township:  Louis:  Lizzie,  wife 
of  George  Kortendick,  of  Waterford,  Wis.:  John,  of  Waterford;  William,  of 
Phillips:  Henry,  of  the  same  place:  Annie,  wife  of  William  Rusmiller,  also  of 
that  place:  Theodore  and  Joseph,  of  Phillips;  and  Christina  and  Mary,  01 
Price  county. 

Louis  Henningfeld  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Norway  township, 
and  attended  the  district  and  public  schools  of  Waterford.  He  lived  at  home 
until  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  then  worked  out,  by  the  month,  for  a  few  years. 
In  1889  he  purchased  his  present  farm  of  103  acres  in  Yorkville  township,  and 
here  he  has  made  his  home  to  the  present  time.  On  Aug.  20,  1887,  he  married 
Miss  Annie  Stallman,  daughter  of  Arnold  and  Johanna  (Roener)  Stallman, 
and  these  children  were  born  to  this  union :  Charles,  Frank,  Rudy,  Bernie, 
Norby  and  Loretta.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henningfeld  are  members  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church.  He  ser^■ed  as  supervisor  of  Dover  township  for  one  term.  He 
comes  of  an  intelligent  German  family,  and  is  one  of  the  enterprising  and  pro- 
gressive farmers  of  the  township,  his  farm  comparing  favorably  with  any  in 
the  locality. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Henningfeld,  Ernest  Stallman,  came  to 
America  in  1850,  and  settled  in  Waukesha  county,  where  he  died  when  over 
eighty  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Henningfeld's  maternal  grandfather,  a  native  of 
Germany,  also  settled  in  Waukesha  county  on  coming  to  America,  locating  near 
^\'est  Allis,  where  he  followed  coopering.  He  died  at  an  old  age,  his  wife. 
Elizabeth,  being  eighty  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Arnold  Stallman, 
father  of  Mrs.  Henningfeld,  a  tinsmith,  came  to  America  in  i8^o,  in  his  twenty- 
first  vear,  and  settled  in  North  Greenfield,  now  West  Allis,  Wis.  He  now  lives 
in  Waukesha,  where  his  last  years  have  been  spent  in  farming.  He  married  in 
Milwaukee  Johanna  Roener,  who  had  come  to  this  countrv  when  thirteen  years 
of  ao^e.  and  they  had  eleven  children,  as  follows:  Arnold-  Eliza-  Frances- 
Charles:  Paulina;  Annie,  wife  of  our  subject;  Louis;  Adolph;  Emma;  Julia! 
and  Laura. 


544  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

ROBERT  F.  ROBERTS,  a  representative  farmer  of  Woodworth,  Bris- 
tol township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  was  born  at  Pater  (or  Pembroke  Dock), 
Pembrokeshire,  Wales,  Aug.  31,  1833,  son  of  John  and  Lydia  (Faulkner) 
Roberts.  The  parents  were  natives  of  Leicestershire,  England,  and  the  paternal 
grandfather,  Robert  Roberts,  was  also  a  native  of  England,  and  followed  stock- 
ing weaving  at  Leicester.  He  had  one  arm  shot  off  in  the  battle  of  Laswari,  in 
India,  in  the  English  service,  when  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  died  aged  about 
seventy-six  years,  his  wife,  Esther  (Curry)  Roberts,  dying  at  about  the  same 
age.  They  had  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  two  of  these  children  still  sur- 
viving: Samuel,  of  Leicestershire,  England,  and  Lydia,  who  now  lives  in 
Australia. 

On  the  maternal  side,  Robert  Faulkner,  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Roberts, 
was  also  a  native  of  Leicester,  where  he  drove  a  stage,  and  died  in  middle  life. 
His  w-ife,  Lydia,  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  They  had  a  good-sized  family. 

John  Roberts,  father  of  Robert  F.,  was  in  the  marine  service  of  Great 
Britian,  and  was  later  a  bookkeeper,  and  followed  firing  on  a  railway.  He 
came  to  America  in  1844,  locating  first  in  Canada,  whence  he  came,  in  the  fall 
of  1849.  to  Wisconsin,  living  on  a  rented  farm  in  Bristol  township  for  a  year 
and  a  half,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  situated 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  Woodworth  station.  There  he  lived  for  many 
years,  selling  this  place  to  purchase  a  twenty-acre  tract  north  of  Woodworth 
station  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  died  there  July  i,  1895, 
aged  eighty-six  years.  His  wife  passed  away  two  years  prior,  Dec.  30,  1893, 
aged  a  little  over  eighty-one  years.  Both  were  Methodists.  During  the  Civil 
war  Mr.  Roberts  enlisted,  becoming  hospital  steward  in  the  5th  Wisconsin  Reg- 
iment, although  past  age.  He  was  discharged  on  account  of  sickness,  having 
typhoid  fever.  Mr.  Roberts  was  quite  a  public  speaker,  and  spoke  consider- 
ably on  temperance,  both  in  England  and  America.  He  and  his  wife  had  seven 
children :  Robert  F. ;  Lydia,  the  widow  of  Sumner  Fairbanks,  of  Aurora, 
111. ;  John  H.,  of  St.  Paul,  Minn. ;  William  E.,  of  Turin,  Iowa ;  Richard  Ar- 
nold Rainbow,  deceased;  George  F.,  of  Racine;  and  Esther  H..  who  died  when 
a  young  lady. 

Robert  F.  Roberts  lived  in  Canada  from  his  eleventh  to  his  seventeenth 
year,  and  then  came  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  grew  to  manhood  in  Bristol  town- 
ship, on  his  father's  farm.  He  later  w'ent  to  Racine,  wdiere  he  spent  four 
years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he  returned  to  the  old  home,  where  he 
has  lived  ever  since.  He  owns  the  old  homestead  and  a  tract  of  thirty-nine 
acres  of  land  and  the  twenty  acres  adjoining,  altogether  making  175  acres,  all 
of  which  is  finely  improved.  He  built  a  good  home  on  the  old  homestead,  in 
1885  erecting  a  fine  residence  on  the  thirty-nine  acre  tract,  which  is  situated 
right  at  the  station  of  Woodworth.  Here  he  has  lived  for  twenty-five  years. 
Mr.  Roberts  has  been  a  resident  of  Bristol  township  for  over  fifty  years. 

On  Oct.  9,  i860,  Mr.  Roberts  married  Miss  Mary  A.  Moore,  daughter 
of  William  and  Sarah  (Maud)  Moore,  and  four  children  were  born  to  this 
union  :  Frank  W.,  a  farmer,  conducting  the  home  place:  Fred,  who  was  killed 
by  the  kick  of  a  colt,  when  eighteen  years  of  age :  Arnold,  who  died  aged  three 
years ;  and  Emma,  wdio  died  when  past  two  years  old.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roberts 
are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 
He  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years. 


/.  I.   ^,i!^G 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  545, 

Mrs.  Roberts's  parents  were  natives  of  Yorkshire,  England,  and  came  to 
America  in  1848,  settling  at  Kenosha,  where  they  remained  a  few  months. 
Then  they  removed  to  Oak  Creek  (now  Sonth  ^iilwaukeej,  in  1849,  where 
they  remained  about  five  years,  when  the  father  died  of  cholera  in  1834.  About 
1855  the  widow  and  seven  children  removed  to  Racine.  The  mother  survived 
until  May,  1905,  when  she  passed  away  at  ]\Irs.  Roberts's  home,  aged  eighty- 
four  years.  She  and  her  husband  had  seven  children:  Mary  A.,  Mrs.  Rob- 
erts; William;  Martha  Eliza,  wife  of  Emilius  Enos;  Jennie,  wife  of  Dr.  C. 
N.  Hazelton ;  John  Henry ;  Bessie,  widow  of  George  Housam :  and  Emma, 
who  died  when  fourteen  years  of  age. 

William  Moore,  father  of  Mrs.  Roberts,  was  a  machinist  by  trade.  His 
father,  John  Moore,  who  died  when  about  sixty-five  years  of  age  at  Oak 
Creek,  Wis.,  was  also  a  machinist.  He  was  twice  married.  On  the  maternal, 
side,  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Roberts  was  William  ]\Iaud,  a  native  of  York- 
shire, England,  where  he  was  a  manufacturer  of  fine  dress  goods.  He  was- 
also  twice  married,  his  wives  being  sisters. 

Robert  F.  Roberts  was  elected  secretary  of  the  Kenosha  Old  Settlers'" 
Society  in  1889,  and  has  served  as  such  continuously  ever  since.  He  took  a 
prominent  part  in  having  the  society  incorporated,  and  the  present  sound  stand- 
ing and  perfect  organization  of  that  club  are  largely  due  to  his  earnest  and  tire- 
less elTorts.  He  takes  a  great  interest  in  this  work  and  is  one  of  the  society's- 
most  popular  members.  In  1904  Mr.  Roberts's  son  Frank  was  elected  assist- 
ant secretary,  and  father  and  son  have  carried  out  the  duties  of  their  positions 
ably  and  efficiently.  Mr.  Roberts  is  a  man  of  literary  ability,  and  edited  the 
Kenosha  Telegraph  for  some  time.  He  is  a  good  citizen,  and  is  very  highly 
esteemed  in  the  community  in  which  he  has  made  his  home  for  so  many  years. 

JOSEPH  C.  JOHNSON.  One  of  the  well-improved,  well-situated  farms 
of  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  is  the  150-acre  tract  owned  by  Joseph  C.  Johnson,  on 
Section  19,  Dover  township.  Mr.  Johnson  is  one  of  the  good,  practical  farmers 
of  this  section,  and  was  born  in  Rochester  township,  Racine  county.  May  23, 
1857,  son  of  Samuel  and  Jane  (Smith)  Johnson,  natives  of  Lincolnshire,  Eng- 
land. 

The  grandparents  of  Joseph  C.  Johnson  on  both  the  paternal  and  maternal 
sides  were  natives  of  England,  in  which  country  they  died.  Of  the  latter's 
family,  a  son,  Isaac,  and  daughter,  Jane,  came  to  America. 

Samuel  Johnson,  our  subject's  father,  came  to  America  in  1856,  and  lo- 
cating in  Racine  county,  purchased  land  in  Rochester  township,  and  later  in 
Dover  township,  where  he  continues  to  reside  until  the  present  time.  His 
wife  died  aged  about  sixty  years,  while  he  survives  her.  Mrs.  Johnson  had 
been  formerly  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Darnell,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  now  de- 
ceased. To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  born  five  children,  four  of  whom  are 
now  living:  Fannie,  wife  of  George  Bancroft,  of  Dover  township:  Joseph 
C. ;  Smith,  of  Dover  township;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Lewis  Folev,  of  near 
Warren,  111. :  and  Annie,  who  died  aged  seven  years. 

Joseph  C.  Johnson  was  reared  in  Dover  township,  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  attended  the  district  schools.  He  Wved  at  home  until  he  reached  man- 
hood, and  then  worked  out  on  farms,  and  rented  land  until  he  had  accumulated 
enough  to  buy  his  present  150-acre  tract.    Here  he  has  lived  since  his  marriage. 


546  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

On  Dec.  27,  1883,  Mr.  Juhnsun  married  Miss  Mary  Gooder,  who  was  born 
Nov.  29,  1857,  daughter  of  Job  and  Ann  (Haigh)  Gooder,  and  three  children 
were  born  to  this  union :  Roy  M.,  Ervin  W'iUiam  and  Melvin  Gooder.  Ervin 
W.  died  aged  seventeen  months.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  are  members  of  tlie 
Methodist  Church.  Pohtically  j\lr.  Johnson  is  connected  witli  the  ReinibHcan 
party.  He  has  identified  himself  fraternally  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America. 

Mrs.  Johnson's  paternal  grandfather  was  William  Gooder,  a  native  of 
England,  who  came  to  America  with  his  wife  in  1841,  and  settled  in  Burling- 
ton township.  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  died  aged  about  sixty  seven  years. 
He  and  his  wife  had  ten  children.  On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Johnson's  grand- 
father was  John  Haigh.  a  weaver  by  occupation,  who  died  in  England.  He 
and  his  wife  also  had  a  large  family.  Job  and  Ann  (Haigh)  Gooder  were 
natives  of  England,  and  came  to  America  in  1841.  They  settled  in  New  York 
imtil  1842,  when  they  became  residents  of  Dover  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis. 
Job  Gooder  died  Feb.  24,  1891,  aged  seventy-two  years  and  ten  months,  and 
his  wife  survived  until  Aug.  10,  1898,  passing  away  in  her  eighty-first  year. 

JAMES  OSCAR  ESMOND,  whose  fine  farm  of  200  acres  is  located  in 
Section  31,  Yorkville  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  is  one  of  the  prominent  and 
successful  farmers  of  the  locality.  Mr.  Esmond  was  born  in  Yorkville  town- 
ship, Nov.  4,  1847,  son  of  John  Darwin  and  Nancy  Ann  (Hubbard)  Esmond, 
natives  of  New  York  State. 

Nothing  much  is  known  of  the  grandparents  of  our  subject  except  that 
they  died  in  New  York  State.  John  Darwin  Esmond  w'as  a  farmer,  and  a 
pioneer  of  Yorkville  township,  Racine  county.  There  he  took  up  Government 
land,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  passing  away  Nov.  7,  1847,  while 
his  widow,  Nancy  Ann  (Hubbard)  Esmond,  survived  until  1899,  being  eighty- 
one  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Both  were  Congregationalists.  They 
had  four  children:  John  D.,  deceased;  Delilah  Antoinette,  widow  of  Alva 
Winslow:  Harriet  Augusta,  wife  of  Albert  Dimmick,  of  Deer  Park,  111.,  and 
James  Oscar. 

James  O.  Esmond  was  reared  on  the  farm  upon  which  he  now  lives,  and 
received  his  education  in  the  district  schools.  In  1864  he  enlisted  as  a  private 
in  Company  G,  43rd  Wis.  V.  I.  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  par- 
ticipating in  the  battles  of  Johnsonville,  Tenn.,  and  Marble  Hill..  Tenn.,  and 
in  many  skirmishes  as  well  as  in  a  forced  march  on  Nashville,  of  three  davs 
and  four  nights.  After  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  Mr.  Esmond  went 
to  Utica,  111.,  where  he  worked  one  year  in  a  lumber  yard,  whence  he  went  to 
Cairo,  there  successfully  speculating  in  potatoes.  After  some  time  he  re- 
turned to  Yorkville  township,  where  he  has  continued  to  carry  on  farming 
ever  since.  He  has  a  farm  of  200  acres,  part  of  which  he  inherited  from  his 
father,  and  which  is  located  one  half-mile  from  Union  Grove. 

On  Feb.  14,  1871,  Mr.  Esmond  married  Miss  Maria  Dardis,  daughter  of 
James  Dardis.  Her  mother  was  a  Powderly.  Seven  children  were  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Esmond:  May,  who  married  a  Winslow,  lives  in  Michigan, 
and  has  one  daughter,  Mav:  Stella,  who  married  Daniel  Rork,  lives  in  Mil- 
waukee, and  has  two  children,  Verna  and  Vivian :  Inez  married  William 
Crane,  of  Paris  Corners,  and  has  two  children.  William  Esmond  and ; 


COMiMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  547 

Pearl  is  a  dressmaker;  Lilah  is  assistant  in  the  post  office  at  Union  Gro\-e; 
and  Ray  is  at  home  on  the  farm.  Pohtically  Mr.  Esmond  is  a  Republican. 
He  is  a  careful  business  man,  manages  his  affairs  judiciously,  and  is  possessed 
of  tireless  energy.  He  has  many  friends  throughout  the  community  and  is 
exceedingly  popular. 

PIOUS  FEUERER,  who  resides  on  his  well-improved  farm  on  Section 
I,  Yorkville  township,  is  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  Racine  county,  and  has 
been  largely  identified  through  his  position  as  a  prominent  citizen  with  the 
general  progress  of  this  section  since  attaining  the  years  of  manhood.  He  was 
born  July  11,  1853,  in  Caledonia  township,  Racine  county,  son  of  Heenzindt 
and  Secundena  (Schemel)  Feuerer,  natives  of  near  Carlsruhe,  Germany. 

The  grandparents  of  Mr.  Feuerer,  on  both  sides  were  farming  people,  and 
all  died  in  Germany.  Heenzindt  Feuerer  followed  various  pursuits  in  his 
native  country,  and  on  locating  in  Caledonia  township,  at  an  early  date,  en- 
gaged in  farming,  which  he  continued  until  his  death,  in  1874,  in  his  sixty- 
sixth  year.  His  widow.  Secundena  (Schemel)  Feuerer,  survived  him  until 
Feb.  8,  1889,  when  she  passed  away,  aged  seventy-two  years.  They  were 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  In  his  native  country  Mr.  Feuerer  served 
three  years  as  a  soldier.  He  and  his  wife  had  five  children :  .^nthonv ;  Brid- 
get, deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Fred  Rammel ;  Pious ;  Mary,  deceased,  was  the 
wife  of  Albert  Rammel ;  and  Lizzie,  married  Fred  Bauers,  of  Racine. 

Pious  Feuerer  was  reared  in  Caledonia  township,  on  his  father's  farm. 
He  attended  the  district  schools  and  remained  at  home  until  grown.  His 
father  then  gave  him  a  start,  and  in  1870  he  purchased  his  present  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  which  he  has  improved  to  one  of  the  finest  in  the  township.  On 
Nov.  15,  1 881,  he  married  Miss  Adeline  Latterner,  daughter  of  Michael  and 
Adeline  (Seitz)  Latterner,  and  four  children  have  been  born  to  this  union: 
Henry,  Michael,  Annie  and  Adeline.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Feuerer  are  members  of 
the  Catholic  Church.     Politically  he  is  a  Democrat. 

Mrs.  Feuerer's  parents  were  born  in  Germany,  as  were  also  her  grand- 
parents. Michael  and  Adeline  (Seitz)  Latterner  were  married  in  Caledonia 
township,  whither  they  had  come  from  their  native  countrv.  ]Michael  Latter- 
ner had  a  farm  of  eighty-five  acres,  which  he  operated  until  his  death  in  i8qq, 
in  his  seventy-first  year.  Mrs.  Latterner  still  survives  him,  and  is  seventv- 
seven  vears  old.  They  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  and  of  these  four  are 
now  living:  Mary,  at  home;  Adeline,  the  wife  of  our  subject;  Lena,  the 
^^■ife  of  Herman  Roberts,  of  Lyons  township,  Walworth  county;  and  John, 
on  the  old  homestes.d  in  Caledonia  township. 

Mr.  Feuerer  has  a  large  acquaintance  in  Racine  county,  having  lived  in 
this  section  his  entire  life,  and  he  has  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  know 
him.  His  good  wife  has  been  a  faithful  and  loving  helpmate  and  they  and 
their  children  constitute  a  happv  family. 

ANDREW  OVERSEN.  a  highly  esteemed  resident  of  Dover  townshin. 
Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  who  is  carrving  on  agricultural  operations  on  Section  8,  was 
born  between  the  cities  of  Kege  and  Storhedegen.  Denmark,  Sept.  9.  1855, 
son  of  Ove  Massen  and  Kesten  Jensen,  natives  of  Denmark. 

The  grandparents  of  our  subject,  Maas  and  Maren  Oversen  and   Jens 


548  COxMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Petersen,  all  died  in  Denmark.  Ove  Massen  was  the  only  son  of  his  parents. 
He  was  a  laborer  in  Denmark,  where  he  died  about  1859,  leaving  live  chil- 
dren :  Bertha,  who  married  hrst  Hans  Matthiesen,  deceased,  and  second  Paul 
Joerjensen,  and  lives  in  Denmark;  Maas  Oversen,  deceased;  Christina,  wife 
of  Gern  Petersen,  of  Dover  township;  Andrew,  our  subject;  and  Jens,  of  Den- 
mark. After  the  death  of  the  father,  the  mother  married  again,  her  second 
husband  being  Jens  Nelson,  who  is  also  now  deceased.  They  had  two  daugh- 
ters :  Kesten,  and  one  who  died  in  early  childhood.  Our  subject's  parents 
were  both  Lutherans.  The  mother  died  June  12,  1902,  when  close  to  eighty 
years  of  age. 

Andrew  Oversen  was  reared  in  Denmark,  on  a  farm,  and  began  to  work 
on  his  own  account  when  a  small  boy,  never  living  at  home  after  attaining  his 
seventh  year.  His  education  was  obtained  in  the  common  schools  of  his  na- 
tive country,  and  he  followed  farming  there  until  coming  to  America,  in  1884. 
He  landed  at  New  York  on  the  ist  day  of  June  of  that  year,  and  went  West 
to  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  was  employed  for  a  year  and  one-half  at  farm 
laboring  in  Norway  township,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  removed  to  York- 
ville  township  and  remained  two  years.  Renting  land  in  that  township  he 
remained  for  two  years,  and  then  became  a  resident  of  Raymond  township, 
where  he  remained  eight  years,  when  he  purchased  his  present  fine  farm 
of  160  acres  in  Dover  township,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home. 

On  March  11,  1886,  Mr.  Oversen  married  Miss  Anna  Christina  Jensen, 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Anna  M.  (Osen)  Jensen,  and  six  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union:  Sophia  Ann,  Allen,  Andrew,  Martin,  Lovina  and  Wil- 
liam. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oversen  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Polit- 
ically his  sympathies  are  with  the  Republican  party.  While  in  Denmark  Mr. 
Oversen  was  a  soldier  in  the  regular  army. 

LEWIS  C.  WILLIAMS.  This  prominent  and  enterprising  farmer  is 
engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  in  Section  29,  Paris  township,  Kenosha 
Co.,  Wis.,  upon  the  farm  on  which  he  was  born,  April  12,  1866,  son  of  Lewis 
and  Margaret  Ann  (Evans)  Williams,  natives  of  Radnorshire,  Wales. 

Lewis  Williams,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Lewis  C.  came  from  Wales 
to  America,  and  locating  in  Wisconsin,  purchased  an  eighty-acre  farm  from 
the  Government,  on  which  he  died  aged  eighty-four  years.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  he  owned  about  400  acres.  His  wife,  who  had  been  Sarah  Meredith, 
died  in  middle  life.  Our  subject's  maternal  grandfather  died  in  Wales  when 
a  young  man,  after  which  his  wife,  Maria,  came  to  America,  with  her  two 
daughters,  Maria,  the  widow  of  Charles  Dane;  and  ^largaret  Ann,  the  mother 
of  our  subject.  Mrs.  Evans  married  again,  her  second  husband  being  Wil- 
liam Jones.  Both  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  and  at  their  death  left  three  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  are  now  deceased. 

In  his  native  country.  Lewis  Williams,  the  father  of  our  subject  was  a 
shepherd.  He  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-two  years  when  he  accompanied 
his  parents  in  their  emigration  to  America  in  1843,  '^"^1  o"  settling  here  he 
worked  for  John  Bullen  in  Kenosha  for  a  time.  When  he  had  accumulated 
$100  he  walked  to  Milwaukee  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land,  and  this 
he  did  with  each  succeeding  $100  earned  by  him.  His  first  purchase  was  a 
tract  of  eighty  acres  in  Paris  township  in  Section  29,  and  this  he  improved. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  549 

and  added  to,  from  time  to  time.  His  death  occurred  Oct.  2y,  190,3,  in  his 
eighty-third  year,  while  his  wife  passed  away  Oct.  ^6,  1875,  ^s^'J  thirty-tive 
years',  after  a  happy  married  Hfe  of  twenty-three  years,  and  her  remains  were 
interred  in  the  cemetery  at  Paris  Corners,  where  a  beautiful  monument  marks 
her  last  resting  place.  Mr.  Williams'  school  privileges  were  very  limited,  but 
appreciating  the  advantages  of  education  he  did  much  toward  the  establish- 
ment of  good  schools  in  his  community.  His  children  he  provided  with  the 
best  educational  advantages,  thus  fitting  them  for  the  practical  duties  of  life. 

The  wife  of  Mr.  Williams  was  in  her  maidenhood  Miss  Margaret  A. 
Evans.  She  was  a  native  of  Wales,  and  during  her  childhood  crossed  the 
Atlantic  to  America.  The  marriage  was  celebrated  June  4,  1852,  and  by  this 
union  were  born  eight  children,  the  eldest  of  whom.  Charlie,  died  at  the  age 
of  twelve  years;  Sarah,  who  attended  the  high  school  of  Kenosha,  is  the  wife 
of  Gomer  Roberts,  a  farmer  of  Paris  township,  by  whom  slie  has  three  chil- 
dren. Blanche,  William  G.  and  Bryan ;  Frank  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years ; 
Julia  died  at  the  age  of  two  years;  Belle,  who  was  educated  in  the  Kenosha 
high  school,  is  the  wife  of  Ernest  Moe.  an  attorney  at  law  of  ^lilwaukee,  and 
has  one  daughter,  Margaret ;  Lewis  C. :  Nellie  N.,  was  educated  in  the  Brandon 
high  school  and  in  Burlington,  Vt..  was  a  student  at  Evanston,  111.,  and  suc- 
cessfully taught  school  for  several  years  in  this  county,  and  is  now  the  wife 
of  F.  W.  Keuper.  a  druggist  at  Union  Grove,  Wis. ;  and  Margaret  A.,  who 
was  a  student  at  the  Northwestern  University,  at  Evanston,  and  took  a  course 
in  the  Conservatory  of  Music,  is  now  the  wife  of  Warren  Walker,  of  Mil- 
waukee. 

Mr.  Williams  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Democratic  party,  but 
was  never  a  politician  in  the  sense  of  office  seeking.  He  served  as  supervisor 
of  his  township  and  has  been  ofificially  connected  with  its  schools,  but  never 
sought  political  preferment.  His  time  and  means,  however,  were  liberally 
given  for  the  advancement  of  enterprises  calculated  to  prove  of  benefit  to  the 
community  and  for  the  promotion  of  the  general  welfare.  His  duties  of  citi- 
zenship were  faithfully  discharged,  and  none  were  more  worthy  of  the  esteem 
in  which  they  were  held  than  he.  From  a  financial  standpoint  the  career  of 
Air.  Williams  was  one  of  marked  success.  After  coming  to  America,  he 
worked  by  the  month  for  thirteen  dollars,  but  he  was  ambitious  and  indus- 
trious, and  possessed  good  business  ability,  so  that  he  worked  his  way  steadily 
upward  to  wealth  and  affluence.  His  landed  possessions  aggregated  1483 
acres,  and  in  connection  with  this  he  owned  fine  herds  of  cattle,  sheep  and 
horses.  His  example  is  certainly  worthy  of  emulation  and  mav  well  serve  to 
encourage  young  men.  who.  like  himself,  had  to  begin  life's  battle  with  the 
world  empty-handed,  depending  only  upon  their  own  exertions.  To  trickery 
or  unfairness  he  never  resorted,  but  by  honest  dealings  won  his  wealth  and  at 
the  same  time  secured  the  confidence  and  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact. 

Lewis  C.  Williams  was  educated  in  the  Brandon  high  school  and  in 
Ripon  College,  and  was  also  a  student  in  the  law  department  of  the  State 
.LTniversity  at  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.  He  has  lived  on  the  old  homestead,  ujjon 
which  his  father  settled,  all  of  his  life.  He  now  owns  the  old  homestead,  and 
a  tract  of  680  acres  of  land.  On  May  11.  1895.  Mr.  Williams  married  Miss 
Mary  Crane,  daughter  of  William  and  Ann  (Sparks)  Crane,  and  to  this  union 


550  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

were  born  fuur  children,  as  follows:  Willard  Francis,  Judson  Sparks,  Mar- 
garet Ann  and  Lewis. 

William  Crane,  Mrs.  Williams'  Grandfather,  was  a  pioneer  of  Dover 
township,  Racine  connty.  where  he  followed  farming  and  died  in  middle  life. 
His  wife  was  Caroline  Sparks,  who  lived  to  be  seventy-six  years  of  age.  Af- 
ter the  death  of  her  first  husband,  Mrs.  Crane  married  again,  her  second  hus- 
band being  Uriah  Richards  of  Lake  county.  111.  Mrs.  Williams'  maternal 
grandfather  was  Richard  Sparks,  a  native  of  England,  and  a  butcher  by  trade. 
He  died  in  England,  well  advanced  in  years,  as  did  his  wife,  Sophia  Linham. 

William  Crane,  Mrs.  Williams'  father,  was  a  native  of  Somersetshire, 
England,  as  was  also  his  wife.  On  coming  to  America  they  settled  in  Dover 
township,  purchasing  a  farm  of  forty  acres,  and  here  Mr.  Crane  reared  his 
family.  He  and  his  wife  are  still  living,  and  for  the  past  thirty  years  have 
made  their  home  in  Paris  township.  They  had  six  children :  Sophia,  who 
married  Benjamin  Morris,  of  Fargo,  N.  D.,  was  formerly  the  wife  of  T.  R. 
Morris,  brother  of  her  present  husband ;  Clifford  T.,  of  Hobson,  Cal. ;  Charles, 
of  Paris  township,  on  the  old  homestead;  Caroline,  the  wife  of  Herbert  Barnes 
of  Fargo.  N.  D. :  Mary,  the  wife  of  our  subject:  and  W'illiam,  a  merchant  in 
the  village  of  Paris. 

W'hile  Mr.  Crane  was  always  a  farmer,  he  was  also  prominent  in  town- 
ship affairs,  serving  on  the  town  board  a  number  of  times.  In  their  native 
country  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crane  were  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  but  since 
coming  to  this  country  have  been  Methodists.  IMr.  Crane  is  a  man  of  esti- 
mable character  and  pleasing  personality,  and  has  many  friends  throuf^hout 
the  county.  He  has  been  a  very  successful  business  man,  is  a  patriotic  and 
peace-loving  citizen,  and  is  a  true  Christian  gentleman. 

FREDERICK  WILLIAM  KOLANDER,  a  farmer  of  Yorkville  town- 
ship, w^as  born  in  Wisconsin,  in  W^aukesha  county,  Nov.  19.  1862,  but  his 
parents  were  both  of  foreign  birth  and  ancestry. 

Mr.  Kolander  is  a  son  of  Christian  and  Susanna  (Reinhard)  Kolander. 
The  former  was  born  in  Prussia,  Germany,  to  John  and  Louisa  (Riesing) 
Kolander.  and  was  one  of  six  children.  John  Kolander  was  a  farmer  and 
lived  to  the  age  of  thirty-six,  while  his  wife  was  ninety-four  when  she  died. 
Christian  Kolander  followed  his  father's  occupation,  and  remained  in  Ger- 
many until  1859,  when  he  came  to  America,  and  after  locating  in  Milwau- 
kee for  a  time,  made  his  permanent  home  in  Washington  county.  Wis.,  where 
he  has  lived  for  forty-two  years.  His  wife,  Susanna  Reinhard,  was  born  in 
Bavaria,  daughter  of  a  German  farmer,  named  Philip  Reinhard.  He  married 
Mrs.  WolfY,  a  widow  with  two  children,  and  two  more  were  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Reinhard.  Both  parents  died  in  middle  life.  To  the  union  of  Christian 
and  Susanna  Kolander  came  a  family  of  thirteen  chiklren.  ten  of  whom  are 
still  living,  namely:  Frederick  William;  John,  of  Washington  county.  Wis.; 
Louisa,  wife  of  \\'esley  Shunk.  of  Yorkville  township;  Mary,  wife  of  Elmer 
Nehs.  of  Menon-'onee  Falls.  Wis.:  Rose,  of  Milwaukee,  unmarried;  Soijhii, 
w-ife  of  George  Reuhl.  of  Milwaukee;  Susan,  wife  of  Henry  Hoofs,  of  Col- 
gate. Wis.;  Samuel,  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.;  Emma,  wife  of  John  Siemert, 
of  Colgate.  Wis.;  Charles,  of  Colgate,  Wis.  Mr.  anrl  Mrs.  K(ilan(ler  were 
both  members  of  the  Evangelical  Society. 


COMME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  551 

Frederick  W.  Kolaiider  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm,  attending  the  dis- 
trict school.  When  he  reached  manhood  he  left  home  to  shift  for  himself, 
and  followed  various  occupations  for  brief  periods  until  he  was  twenty-seven 
years  old.  By  that  time  he  had  accumulated  enough  money  to  buy  a  farm, 
and  in  1890  purchased  his  present  property,  which  includes  133  acres,  situated 
in  Sections  9  and  16,  Yorkville  township.  He  has  brought  the  farm  to  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  has  one  of  the  best  improved  places  in  the  region. 
His  operations  have  been  very  successful.  Mr.  Kolander  is  also  active  in 
township  affairs,  has  been  school  director  for  some  time,  and  is  now  treasurer 
of  the  board.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  has  been  a  delegate  to  the  County  Con- 
ventions, and  to  the  Second  Assembly  District  Convention. 

On  Feb.  12,  i8go,  Mr.  Kolander  was  joined  in  the  bonds  of  matrimony 
with  Miss  Nellie  E.  Jeffrey.  A  son  and  daughter  have  been  torn  to  them, 
Benjamin  Walter  and  Ella  Lorene. 

Mrs.  Kolander  is  of  English  descent  on  her  father's  side,  and  is  of  Amer- 
ican ancestry  on  the  mother's.  Henry  Jeffrey,  her  father,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land, son  of  William  and  Mary  Ann  Jeffrey,  farming  people  and  the  parents  of 
a  large  family.  William  Jeffrey  brought  his  family  to  America  in  1842,  set- 
tled in  Waukesha  county.  Wis.,  and  there  he  and  his  wife  lived  to  a  good  old 
age,  his  death  occurring  in  his  eighty-fifth  year.  The  son  was  only  seven 
years  old  when  he  came  to  this  country,  and  he  has  lived  ever  since  in  Wau- 
kesha county,  engaged  in  farming.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Cor- 
delia Robbins.  and  who  was  a  native  of  New  York,  bore  him  four  children, 
and  died  in  1870,  aged  twenty-seven.  Mrs.  Kolander  is  the  only  survivor  of 
their  children.  Her  maternal  grandparents  were  Aris  and  Samantha 
(Calkins)  Robbins.  Mr.  Robbins  was  born  in  New  York  State,  of  English 
lineage,  and  became  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  W'aukesha  county,  where  he 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four.    They  had  four  children. 

AHIRA  F.  BOTSFORD,  a  highly  esteemed  retired  citizen  of  Racine, 
residing  at  No.  11 12  North  Wisconsin  street,  was  born  in  Lewis  county.  N. 
Y..  Dec.  17,  1826,  son  of  Jabez  and  Sophia  (Fox)  Botsford,  the  former  a 
native  of  England  and  the  latter  of  Hartford,  Conn.  The  onlv  members  of 
their  family  living  are  Ahira  F.  Botsford  and  Mrs.  Mary  Emily  Reed  of 
Racine. 

Jabez  Botsford  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and  came  to  America  when  twelve 
years  old.  His  father  died  on  the  trip  to  this  country,  and  the  mother  passed 
away  in  her  native  land.  Jabez  Botsford  grew  to  manhood  in  Connecticut, 
and  married  in  Hartford  Miss  Sophia  Fox.  They  afterward  removed  to  New 
York,  settling  first  in  Lewis  county.  The  Botsfords  came  West  to  Illinois, 
whence  they  removed  in  1853  to  Racine,  Wis.,  where  Jabez  Botsford  passed 
away  the  following  year.  He  was  buried  at  Mound  cemetery.  His  wife 
passed  away  three  years  later,  at  Forksville,  Lake  Co.,  111.,  aged  seventy-eight 
years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  her  husband  was  also 
a  member.    The  history  of  our  subject's  grandfather  is  lost. 

Ahira  F.  Botsford  came  to  Racine  in  1849  and  married  here  in  i8qo  Miss 
Lovinia  Liscom.  who  died  Aug.  3,  i860.  She  bore  her  husband  two  children, 
one  of  whom  is  still  living,  Mrs.  Alice  L.  Hocking,  of  Racine.  Mr.  Botsford 
married  (second)  July  30,  1863,  Miss  Carrie  E.  Liscom,  a  sister  of  his  first 


552  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

wife,  and  to  this  union  were  born  two  children :  Lihian  C,  who  lives  with  her 
father,  and  Franklin  A.,  a  carpenter,  who  married  Clara  L.  Peterson,  and  has 
three  children,  Gerald  F.,  Norman  A.  and  Josiah  H.  Mrs.  Carrie  E.  Bots- 
fcrd  died  June  7,  1893,  aged  fifty-three  years. 

Mr.  Botsford  is  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  having  been  a  private  of  Com- 
pany I,  1st  Heavy  Artillery  of  Wisconsin.  He  enlisted  in  September,  1864, 
and"  served  until  the  close  of  the  war,  returning  home  in  June,  1865.  After 
returning  from  the  war,  in  which  he  served  gallantly,  he  took  up  contracting 
and  building,  which  he  continued  until  recent  years.  He  built  his  present 
home,  where  he  has  resided  for  thirty  years. 

ALOXZO  SILAS  TITUS,  president  of  the  Waterford  Milling  Com- 
pany, of  Waterford,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  is  one  of  the  ablest  business  men  of 
this  section.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of  Henrietta,  Richland  Co.,  Wis., 
Feb.  14,  1858,  son  of  Starr  and  Elsa  (Hickox)  Titus,  the  former  a  native 
of  Vermont  and  the  latter  of  New  York. 

Starr  Titus  was  a  carpenter  and  millwright,  and  a  contractor  on  the 
Erie  canal,  helping  to  put  in  the  locks  at  Lockport,  N.  Y.  He  located  in  Mc- 
Henry  county,  111.,  early  in  the  thirties,  and  there  lived  for  a  number  or  years, 
engaged  in  farming.  Later  on  account  of  poor  health  he  removed  to  the 
pineries  of  Richland  county.  Wis.,  where  he  died  three  years  later,  in  1859, 
aged  about  forty-seven  years.  His  wife  survived  until  1861,  and  was  thirty- 
seven  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Both  were  Congregationalists.  Mr. 
Titus  was  a  Republican,  and  was  quite  prominent  in  local  politics,  holding 
various  local  offices.  Nine  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Titus :  Selah 
H..  who  died  of  fever  at  home  shortly  after  returning  from  service  in  the 
Civil  war,  and  is  buried  at  Ottumwa,  Iowa;  Alfred,  who  died  while  serving  in 
the  Civil  war,  at  Brashear  City,  La. ;  Amanda,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife 
of  Elliott  Nourse;  Stephen,  who  died  Dec.  16,  1905,  at  North  Collins,  N.  Y. ; 
Ira,  a  banker  at  Deweese,  Neb.,  who  also  served  three  years  in  the  Civil 
war;  Nellie,  wife  of  Joseph  McGandy,  of  Tacoma,  Wash.;  Millie,  unmarried, 
living  in  Minneapolis,  Minn.;  Frank,  of  Visalia,  Cal. ;  and  Alonzo  S.,  of 
Waterford. 

Alonzo  Silas  Titus  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  Wisconsin.  Illinois  and 
Iowa,  and  after  his  mother's  death  went  to  McHenry  county.  111.,  living  with 
his  sister  Amanda,  and  later  to  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  where  he  received  his 
schooling,  there  making  his  home  with  an  aunt.  He  began  learning  the  mill- 
ing business  when  seventeen  years  old,  and  has  followed  same  ever  since, 
working  first  in  Waterford,  Pa.,  for  one  year,  then  in  Camden,  Minn.,  and 
Marshall,  Alinn.,  thence  going  to  Rochester,  Wis.,  and  to  Waterford,  Wis., 
in  the  spring  of  1902.  He  worked  in  the  latter  place  for  about  three  years 
for  John  Thomas,  and  then  purchased  a  one-third  interest  in  the  Waterford 
]\Iilling  Company,  which  was  reorganized  in  1905  with  A.  S.  Titus  as  presi- 
dent and  treasurer,  and  Harry  Berger  as  secretary.  They  have  a  capacity 
of  100  barrels  daily,  besides  doing  their  custom  milling,  which  amounts  to 
several  hundred  bushels  of  grain  daily.  LTnder  the  management  of  Mr. 
Titus  the  mill  business  has  grown  from  almost  nothing  to  its  full  capacity,  and 
has  been  twice  remodeled  and  enlarged  under  his  supervision.     They  have  re- 


^•/f.Uc^if^^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  553 

cently  installed  an  electric  light  and  power  plant  for  street  and  commercial 
lighting,  and  have  a  large  patronage. 

On  July  24,  1889,  JNIr.  Titus  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Cady,  of  Rochester, 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Whitman)  Cady,  and  she  died  in  1891, 
aged  thirtv-three  years.  On  Oct.  11,  1893,  Mr.  Titus  married  (second) 
Miss  Mary  Kate  Kennedy,  daughter  of  Fletcher  and  Evelyn  (Rutledge) 
Kennedy,  and  five  children  hav'e  been  born  to  this  union,  namely:  Leonard 
Kennedy,  Alice  Evelyn,  Starr  Alonzo,  Leta  Luella  and  Katheryn  Elsa.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Titus  are  Congregationalists.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He 
belongs  to  Temple  Lodge,  No.  96,  F.  &  A.  M..  of  Waterford:  Waukesha 
Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  Waterford  Camp,  No.  31 12,  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica ;  and  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters,  Court  Oak  Grove,  No.  4026. 
Mr.  Titus  has  held  office  in  all  of  the  societies  to  which  he  belongs,  and  has 
served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  six  years.  He  has  shifted  for 
himself  from  almost  infancy,  his  parents  having  died  when  he  was  very 
young,  and  what  he  has  acquired  has  been  through  his  own  efforts.  He  is 
trtdy  a  self-made  man. 

WILLIAM  CRANE,  who  has  occupied  his  fine  farm  in  Paris  township 
for  over  thirty  years,  is  one  of  the  pioneer  residents  of  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.  He 
is  a  native  of  England,  born  in  Somersetshire,  Oct.  21,  1837,  son  of  William 
and  Caroline  (Sparks)   Crane,  natives  of  England. 

William  Crane,  the  father  of  our  subject,  came  to  America  in  1841,  and 
located  in  Dover  township.  In  his  native  country  he  had  followed  carpenter- 
ing, but  here  he  purchased  land,  owning  300  acres  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
in  1863,  aged  about  fifty-three  years.  His  wife  survived  him  manv  vears,  be- 
ing about  seventy-six  years  old  when  she  passed  away.  In  England  this  good 
couple  were  Episcopalians,  but  on  coming  to  this  country  they  became  IMetho- 
dists.  Eight  children  were  born  to  them:  William:  Walter,  of  Dover  town- 
ship: Edwin,  of  Winneshiek  County,  Iowa:  John,  of  Union  Grove.  Wis.: 
Emma  Jane,  wife  of  John  Spriggs,  of  Decorah,  Iowa;  Henry,  of  Franksville. 
Wis. :  Robert,  of  Delavan.  Wis. :  and  one  child  who  died  in  infancv. 

William  Crane  lived  on  his  father's  farm  in  Dover  township,  and  attended 
the  district  schools.  After  his  marriage  he  worked  in  the  pineries  for  one  vear, 
and  then  operated  his  father's  farm  for  several  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
"time  his  father  gave  him  forty  acres  of  land  in  Dover  township.  In  1875  he 
purchased  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Paris  township,  and  a  wood  lot.  later  add- 
ing eighty  acres,  and  from  time  to  time  other  small  tracts,  until  he  accumulated 
260  acres.  On  April  11.  i860  Mr.  Crane  married  Miss  Ann  Sparks,  daughter 
of  Richard  and  Sophia  (Linham)  Sparks,  and  six  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  as  follows:  Sophia,  who  married  (first)  Thomas  R.  Morris,  by  whom 
she  had  children,  Mag'gie,  Benjamin,  Ruth  and  W^eslev.  and  married  (second) 
Benjamin  Morris,  a  brother  of  her  first  husband:  Clififord.  a  miner  of  Cali- 
fornia, married  and  has  two  children.  Dora  and  Inez :  Charles,  farming  the 
old  home  place,  in  Paris  township,  married  Miss  Marv  Shanlev,  and  they 
Tiave  two  children.  Glenna  and  Ovedas :  Caroline  married  Herbert  Barnes, 
and  they  live  near  Fargo.  N.  Dak.,  and  have  one  daughter.  Ruth  Estella; 
Mary  married  L.  C.  Williams,  of  Paris  township,  and  they  have  four  chil- 
dren, Willard   Francis,   Judson,   Margaret  and   Lewis;   and   William   H.,   a 


554  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

niercliaiu  uf  Paris  and  a  farmer,  married  Inez  Esmond,  and  has  twu  children. 
Air.  and  Mrs.  Crane  attend  the  Methodist  Church.  Politicahy  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat, and  has  served  several  terms  as  school  director  and  held  other  town- 
ship offices. 

'I'he  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Crane  was  Thomas  Sparks,  who  was 
also  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Crane.  On  the  maternal  side  the  grandfather 
of  Mrs.  Crane  died  young,  and  all  history  pertaining  to  him  has  been  lost. 
His  wife  was  Mary  Cinham,  who  reached  her  seventieth  year,  dying  in  the 
faith  of  the  Church  of  England.  Mrs.  Crane's  parents  were  natives  of  Eng- 
land. The  father  was  a  butcher  by  trade,  and  was  a  cavalryman  in  the  Brit- 
ish army.  He  died  in  England,  aged  about  seventy-five  years,  his  wife  having 
passed  away  in  1875,  in  her  sixty-seventh  year.  They  were  members  of  the 
Church  of  England.  Richard  and  Sophia  (Linham)  Sparks  had  five  chil- 
dren, lour  daughters  and  one  son,  the  latter  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  The 
daughters  follow :  Sarah  Sophia,  wife  of  Richard  Sherman,  of  Somersetshire,  ' 
England;  Ann,  wife  of  our  subject;  Rhoda,  the  wife  of  John  Hucker.  of 
Somersetshire,  England;  and  Virginia,  Mrs.  Solly,  who  had  two  children, 
and  died  on  her  way  to  this  country. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crane  were  both  born  in  the  same  year,  1837,  her  birth 
occurring  in  April  of  that  year.  They  are  both  pioneers  of  Racine  county, 
where  their  lives  have  been  spent.  Their  son,  William  H.  Crane,  was  born 
in  Dover  township,  March  3,  1875,  and  since  six  weeks  old  has  lived  in  Paris 
township.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  lived  at  home  until  his  mar- 
riage, receiving  his  education  in  the  district  and  public  schools  of  Union 
Grove.  He  then,  with  his  brother,  Charles,  rented  his  father's  farm  until  the 
brother's  marriage.  He  purchased  twenty  acres  of  land  in  the  village  of  Paris, 
where  he  has  farmed  ever  since,  and  operatefl  a  general  store,  also  selling  farm 
machinery  and  implements.  William  H.  Crane  was  married  April  16,  1902, 
to  A-Iiss  Inez  Esmond,  daughter  of  J.  O.  and  Mary  (Dardis)  Esmond,  a  sketch 
of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume.     Two  children  have  been  born 

to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crane:   Esmond  William  and .     Air.  Crane  is  a 

member  of  Purity  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  at  LTnion  Grove;  and  of  the  Alodern 
Woodmen  of  America.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  ser\ed  two  terms 
as  treasurer  of  Paris  township. 

SAMUEL  S.  SIAIMONS,  editor  of  the  Kenosha  Ezriiiiio;  Ncii's.  and 
the  Tclcgrapli  Courier,  Kenosha,  Wis.,  and  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Head  & 
Simmons,  publishers,  was  born  in  Kenosha  Feb.  4,  1870,  son  of  Rouse  and 
Helen  S.  (Lampson)  Simmons. 

Ezra  Simmons,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  was  the  paternal  grand- 
father of  Samuel  S.  Simmons.  He  was  an  early  settler  of  Kenosha  countv. 
where  he  followed  farming  and  died  at  an  advanced  age;  his  wife,  Maria  Gil- 
bert, also  attained  old  age.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Samuel  S.  Sim- 
mons was  also  •&  native  of  New  A^'ork  State,  and  died  when  comparatively  a 
young  man,  leaving  his  wife,  Huldah  ('Phelps),  with  four  daughters  and  one 
son. 

Rouse  Simmons,  father  of  Samuel  S..  wps  born  near  L^tica,  N.  Y.  He 
came  to  Wisconsin  as  a  boy  and  settled  with  his  parents  on  a  farm  near  the 
Illinois  State  line,  in  Kenosha  county,  where  he  was  reared.     He  and  his 


CO?sIMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  555 

brother,  Z.  G.  Simmons,  were  in  the  general  mercantile  business  in  Kenosha 
for  many  years,  and  he  also  followed  milling  and  manufacturing.  At  one 
time  he  was  secretary  of  the  Northwestern  Telegraph  Company,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business.  He  died 
Sept.  10,  1897.  on  his  sixty-fifth  birthday.  His  widow  still  survives.  Both 
were  Episcopalians.  Mr.  Simmons  was  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin  State 
Assembly  in  1875.  and  was  at  one  time  county  supervisor.  He  married  Helen 
S.  Lamp'son.  who  was  born  near  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  and  they  had  children  as 
follows:  Horace  R.,  deceased;  William,  deceased;  Clayton  B.,  of  the  Dalles, 
Ore. ;  and  Samuel  S.,  of  Kenosha. 

Samuel  S.  Simmons  was  reared  in  Kenosha,  where  lie  attended  the  public 
and  high  schools.  He  also  took  a  course  at  the  military  school  at  Cayuga 
Lake,  N.  Y.,  and  afterward  taught  in  the  military  school  at  Manlius,  N.  Y. 
He  was  later  connected  with  the  Chicago  Gas  Company,  being  cashier  for  a 
number  of  years.  Returning  to  Kenosha  in  1901  he  bought  an  interest  in  the 
Kenosha  Evening  Ncics  and  the  Telegraph  Courier,  of  which  he  is  now  the 
editor.  Mr.  Simmons  is  a  member  of  Kenosha  Lodge,  No,  750.  B.  P.  O.  E., 
and  is  connected  with  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  with  the  So- 
ciety of  Colonial  Wars,  in  the  State  of  Wisconsin. 

DAVID  EL:\IER  McFARLAND.  an  enterprising  contractor  and  Ijuild- 
er  of  Union  Grove,  and  formerly  carrier  for  the  Rural  Free  Delivery  in  Paris 
and  Yorkville  townships,  was  born  in  the  latter  section,  Dec.  11,  1866,  son 
of  George  and  Fannie  Dore  McFarland. 

George  McFarland  was  born  Dec.  i,  1832  in  Cambridge,  Washington 
Co.,  N.  Y..  where  his  father,  John,  lived  and  died.  John  McFarland  married 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Buchanan)  Erving,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  where  she 
was  first  married  to  William  Erving,  who  died  soon  after,  leaving  one  son, 
William.  To  her  second  marriage,  with  John  ^McFarland,  were  born  three  chil- 
dren, Alexander,  George  and  Henry.  George  McFarland  moved  to  Ohio  in 
the  year  1855,  and  came  to  Racine  county  in  1862  among  the  earlv  settlers, 
after  a  short  time  buying  160  acres  in  Yorkville  township,  about  two  miles 
and  a  lialf  from  L^nion  Grove,  where  he  passed  the  rest  of  his  life,  engaged  in 
farming.  He  died  there  in  1897,  aged  sixty-one  years.  He  married  Miss 
Fannie  Dore,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  who  still  survives  him.  Onlv  two  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them,  David  Elmer  and  Hattie,  the  latter  the  wife  of  Frank 
Jones,  of  Union  Grove.  Mrs.  McFarland  was  a  daughter  of  David  Dore, 
who  was  born  in  the  Isle  of  Wight.  On  coming  to  America  he  settled  first  in 
Connecticut,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  locomotive  engineer.  Later  he 
joined  the  ranks  of  pioneers  in  Racine  county  and  took  up  government  land 
there  in  Yorkville  township,  on  which  the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent.  He  lived 
to  be  alx)ut  seventy-four  years  old.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Eliz- 
abeth Gradage,  was  born  in  1800,  and  died  in  1861,  aged  sixty-one  years.  They 
were  the  parents  of  five  children. 

David  E.  McFarland  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  and  remained  at  home 
till  1900.  His  first  occupation  after  starting  out  for  himself  was  selling  light- 
ning rods,  a  line  he  pursued  for  several  years.  On  Feb.  i,  1904.  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  L'nited  States  Mail  service  and  was  in  charge  of  the  rural  de- 
livery through  Paris  and  Yorkville  townships  for  eighteen  months,  when  he 


556  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

resigned  and  engaged  in  his  present  line.  He  is  an  industrious  and  progres- 
sive young  man,  and  owns  not  only  his  own  home,  but  other  residence  prop- 
erty and  real  estate  in  Union  Grove.  He  commands  the  respect  of  his  wide 
acquaintance  through  the  country. 

On  May  13,  1903,  Mr.  McFarland  was  joined  in  matrimony  to  Miss 
Mabel  W'ilmore.  and  one  daughter  has  been  born  to  them,  Mildred  Elizabeth. 
Mrs.  McFarland's  parents  were  William  J.  and  Amelia  E.  (Martin)  Wil- 
more.  The  former  was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1865,  and  after  living  in  Racine  county  for  thirteen  years  moved 
across  the  line  into  Kenosha  county;  twelve  years  later  he  returned  to  Racine 
county  and  has  since  resided  in  Union  Grove.  He  has  been  a  farmer  most 
of  his  life.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss  Amelia  E.  Martin,  was  born  in  Ray- 
mond township,  Racine  county.  She  bore  her  husband  three  children,  viz. : 
Mabel,  Mrs.  McFarland;  Lillian,  a  teacher;  and  Leslie,  a  carpenter  in  Union 
Grove. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McFarland,  as  may  be  seen,  came  from  old  families  in  the 
county,  and  are  both  held  in  high  esteem.  He  has  been  elected  a  trustee  for 
the  village  for  five  years,  as  a  candidate  of  the  local  Republican  party.  So- 
cially he  belongs  to  Purity  Lodge,  No.  39,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Court  Welcome,  No. 
152.  Independent  Order  of  Foresters,  and  the  E.  F.  U.,  of  Union  Grove. 

JAMES  P.  TORREY,  superintendent  of  the  Stephenson  Farm  in  Sec- 
tions 31  and  32,  Somers  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  was  born  Feb.  16, 
1869,  at  Turner,  Maine,  a  son  of  Roscoe  and  Euphemia  (Wishart)  Torrey, 
also  natives  of  Maine.  The  paternal  grandfather,  Henry  Torrey,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Maine,  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  married  ]\Iary  Howe,  and  thev 
reared  eight  children. 

Roscoe  Torrey  married  Euphemia  Wishart,  daughter  of  James  Wishart. 
a  native  of  Scotland,  who  was  an  early  settler  at  De  Pere,  Wis.,  where  he  and 
his  wife  lived  to  old  age :  they  reared  six  children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Torrey  had 
eight  children,  as  follows:  Julia,  wife  of  Hugo  Spannagle.  of  Spokane, 
Wash. ;  Mary  H.,  wife  of  Alexander  Strachan.  of  Deadwood.  S.  Dak. :  Tames 
P.:  Frank  L..  of  Spokane,  Wash.:  Benjamin  B. ;  Bessie  H.,  wife  of  Charles 
Sings,  of  Chicago ;  and  two  sons  w-ho  died  in  infancv. 

Roscoe  Torrey  was  a  farmer  in  Maine,  from  which  State  he  came  to 
Wisconsin  in  1875,  locating  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed on  the  Simmons  farm  for  eight  years.  He  then  moved  to  Scotland, 
S.  Dak.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  in  a  coal  and  grain  business,  and  also 
in  the  manufacture  of  flax  tow.  Upon  his  return  to  Kenosha  countv  he  settled 
on  the  Stephenson  farm,  which  he  operated  for  six  years,  and  there  he  died 
in  April,  1903.  aged  seventy  years.     His  wife  died  in  1901,  aged  sixtv  vears. 

James  P.  Torrey  was  six  years  old  when  his  parents  came  to  Wisconsin. 
where  he  lived  for  eight  years  prior  to  the  family's  removal  to  South  Dakota. 
His  education  was  secured  in  the  public  schools  and  the  Scotland  Academv. 
and  he  remained  at  home  until  he  reached  his  majoritv.  During  his  residence 
in  South  Dakota  he  was  interested  with  his  father  in  the  coal,  grain  and  feed 
business  and  also  carried  on  farming,  but  for  the  past  eight  vears  his  home 
has  been  on  the  Stephenson  farm,  he  having  succeeded  his  father  here.  It  is 
an  immense  tract  of  880  acres,  conducted  as  a  dairy  farm,  and  is  undoubtedly 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  557 

one  of  the  finest  in  all  Kenosha  county,  supporting  240  head  of  dairy  cattle. 
In  its  management  Mr.  Torrey  has  been  emmently  successful. 

On  Sept.  4,  1892,  Mr.  Torrey  was  married  to  Ina  L.  Berry,  daughter  of 
Robert  C.  and  Anna  M.  (^Sharpe)  Berry,  and  they  have  had  three  children, 
viz.:  Verne  D.  (who  died  aged  fourteen  months)  Delia  May  and  Earl  W. 
Politically  Mr.  Torrey  is  a  Republican,  and  fraternally  he  belones  to  the 
A.  O.  U.  W. 

SILAS  HARRIS  BULL,  superintendent  of  the  Racine  County  Asylum 
for  the  Insane,  located  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  was  born  in  Racine  county. 
Wis.,  July  21,  1874.  son  of  Daniel  and  Ellen  B.  (Harris)  Bull,  the  former  of 
New  York  State  (Cayuga  county)  and  the  latter  of  Xew  Jersey.  De  Grove 
Bull,  the  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  New  York. 

Daniel  Bull,  father  of  Silas  H.,  was  reared  in  New  York  State  as  a  farmer 
boy.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  at  an  early  day  and  located  in  Racine,  being  in 
the  wagonmaking  business  for  some  years,  but  later  became  connected  with 
the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Works,  and  still  later  engaged  in  the  butcher 
business.  He  then  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  fanning  mills,  and  finally 
turned  his  attention  to  farming,  following  that  occupation  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
township  for  about  ten  years,  this  being  his  occupation  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  Feb.  19.  1899,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  He  married  Ellen  B.  Harris 
daughter  of  Abraham  H.  Harris,  a  native  of  New  Jersey  who  was  married 
four  times,  and  died  in  New  Jersey  in  1903,  aged  ninety-three  years. 

Mrs.  Bull  still  survives  and  resides  in  Racine.  She  is  a  Baptist,  as  was 
also  her  husband.  Their  children  are  as  follows:  Carrie,  the  widow  of 
George  W.  Griswold,  of  Detroit,  Mich.:  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Rev.  W'.  H. 
Clement,  of  Union.  Iowa:  Charles  W..  of  Racine:  Daniel  E..  of  Racine:  Silas 
H. :  and  Ellen  Louise,  the  wife  of  James  M.  Cram,  of  Racine. 

Silas  Harris  Bull  lived  in  Racine  until  seven  years  of  age,  and  attended 
the  public  schools,  also  spending  one  year  at  Rowland's  Academy  in  Racine. 
He  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm,  and  then  went  back  to  Racine,  and 
became  stockkeeper  for  the  Wisconsin  Wheel  Works  and  the  Mitchell  Motor 
Car  Company,  continuing  to  act  in  that  capacity  until  Jan.  i.  1905,  when  he 
was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  Racine  County  Asylum,  which  now  con- 
tains 114  patients.  New  buildings  were  erected  in  1904-05.  and  were  occupied 
on  Aug.  10.  1905.  The  buildings  and  land  cost  $154,000.  there  being  333 
acres  of  land.  The  main  structure  is  350x158  feet,  the  other  structures  in- 
cluded in  the  institution  being  a  laundry  power  house,  pumping  station,  barns, 
chicken  house,  slaughter  house  and  cold  storage  building. 

On  Nov.  2,  1898,  Mr.  Bull  married  Miss  Julia  J.  Dull,  daughter  of 
James  Alfred  and  Adelaide  (Jamieson)  Dull,  and  one  daughter  has  been  born 
to  this  union,  Adelaide  Ellen.     Politically  Mr.  Bull  is  a  RepuVilican. 

L^pton  Dull,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Bull,  was  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, of  German  descent.  He  was  a  tailor  by  trade.  He  owned  Peach  Or- 
chard farm  in  partnership  with  another  man — the  farm  on  which  the  famous 
battle  of  Gettysburg  was  fought — and  Mr.  Dull  died  there  at  an  advanced  age. 
He  and  his  wife.  Caroline,  had  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  war.  and  lost  a  limb  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 


558  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

James  Alfred  Dull,  Mrs.  Bull's  father,  was  a  native  uf  Pennsylvania,  and 
■was  a  map  publisher.  His  wife,  Adelaide  Jamieson,  was  a  native  of  Castle- 
ton,  Vt.,  and  a  daughter  of  Egbert  Jamieson,  a  native  of  Scotland,  who  came 
to  America  and  settled  first  in  Vermont.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1835,  lo- 
cating in  Racine.  He  was  a  physician  and  surgeon,  and  served  as  such  in  the 
Civil  war,  dying  in  the  service,  in  1862,  when  in  the  prime  of  life.  He  mar- 
ried Caroline  Woodward,  daughter  of  Theodore  Woodward,  a  surgeon,  who 
founded  the  first  medical  college  at  Castleton,  Vt. ;  his  wife  was  Adelaide 
Woodward.  Mrs.  Dull  came  with  her  father  to  Wisconsin  in  1835,  when  a 
child  of  one  year,  and  grew  to  womanhood  in  Racine.  Mr.  Dull  came  to  Ra- 
cine about  1853,  and  here  continued  map  publishing,  in  connection  with  an 
insurance  business.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dull  had  four  children:  Caroline  E.,  the 
wife  of  William  E.  Towle.  of  Chicago;  Egbert  R.,  of  that  city;  Julia  J.,  the 
wife  of  our  subject,  and  Helen,  wife  of  Henry  Dowser,  of  Milwaukee.  Mr. 
James  A.  Dull  died  in  1885,  aged  forty-three  years,  while  his  wife  passed 
away  in  1898,  aged  fifty-four  years.  They  were  members  of  the  Episcopal 
Church. 

REV.  GEORGE  FRAXKLIX  GEHR,  pastor  of  the  English  Lutheran 
Church  of  the  Holy  Communion,  at  Racine,  resides  at  No.  745  Villa  street. 
He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in  Greensburg,  Westmoreland  county, 
July  24,  1 87 1,  son  of  Andrew  and  Barbara  (Gehring)  Gehr,  both  of  whom 
were  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany.  The  paternal  grandfather  was  a  native 
of  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  and  a  miller  by  occupation.  He  came  to  America 
with  his  wife,  settling  in  Westmoreland  county.  Pa.,  where  he  died  in  middle 
life. 

Mr.  Gehr's  father  has  spent  nearly  his  entire  life  in  farming,  but  for  the 
last  few^  years  has  lived  retired  in  Greensburg,  Pa.  His  wife,  Barbara  (Geh- 
ring) was  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Mary  Gehring,  the  former  of  whom  was 
a  soldier  in  Germany,  his  native  country,  and  a  farmer  in  the  Lmited  States. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew  Gehr  had  the  following  named  children:  Jacob  T-; 
John  M. ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Daniel  Rumbaugh ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Jacob 
Q.  Truxal;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Homer  Stough ;  Rev.  George  Franklin;  Tean- 
nette,  the  wife  of  Ernest  Callahan,  and  a  daughter  that  died  in  infancy.  With 
the  exception  of  our  subject,  all  of  this  family  live  in  Greensburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Rev.  George  F.  Gehr  was  reared  in  Westmoreland  county.  Pa.,  on  a 
farm.  He  attended  first  the  district  schools,  later  the  preparatory  school,  the 
Thiel  College,  at  Greenville,  Mercer  Co.,  Pa.,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
with  first  honors  in  1897,  and  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Theological  Semi- 
nary at  Chicago,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1900.  He  had  begun  preaching 
in  i8q8,  when  he  received  his  license,  and  was  ordained  in  1900.  In  1899 
Mr.  Gehr  came  to  Racine  and  took  charge  of  the  English  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church  of  the  Holy  Communfon,  of  which  he  is  still  pastor.  Mr.  Gehr's 
congregation  numbers  280.  and  the  Sunday-school  attendance  is  425. 

On  June  11,  IQ02.  Rev.  Mr.  Gehr  married  Miss  Mary  Lucinda  Pansing. 
daughter  of  Bernard  and  Christina  Ann  (Schuster)  Pansing.  and  to  this  union 
has  been  born  one  son,  Paul  Franklin.     Politicallv  Mr.  Gehr  is  a  Democrat. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  559 

JOHN  WESLEY  ADAMS,  general  secretary  of  the  Young;  Men's 
Christian  Association  at  Kenosha,  Wis.,  is  one  of  the  most  popular  young 
men  of  that  city.  His  birth  occurred  in  Elgin,  111.,  June  14,  1870,  and  he  is 
a  son  of  John  S.  and  Fannie  A.  (Smith)  Adams,  natives  of  Massachusetts. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Rehoboth,  Mass.,  where  he  carried 
on  farming  and  died  in  young  manhood.  His  wife  died  aged  seventy-two 
years. 

John  S.  Adams  was  a  mechanical  engineer,  and  came  West  in  1868, 
locating  in  Elgin,  111.,  where  he  was  employed  in  the  Elgin  Watch  Factory 
until  1882.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  Jenney  Electric  Company  of 
Indianapolis  and  Fort  Wayne,  later  went  to  New  Orleans  for  two  vears,  in 
the  employ  of  the  Fort  Wayne  Electric  Company,  and  died  there  in  1893, 
aged  fifty-nine  years.  His  wife  still  survives,  living  at  Elgin,  111.  Her  fatl-i,er 
was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  of  English-Scotch  descent,  and  lived  to  an  ad- 
vanced age,  as  did  his  wife.  Mrs.  Adams  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church, 
as  was  also  Mr.  Adams.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war.  belonging  to  a 
regiment  of  Massachusetts  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  in  New  Orleans  for 
two  years  with  Gen.  Butler.  He  was  later  in  the  ordnance  department  in  Wash- 
ington, as  an  inventor.  A  member  of  the  city  council  of  Elgin,  he  was  also 
prominent  in  church,  Sunday-school  and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  work,  and  was  president 
of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  in  Elgin.  He  and  his  wife  had  eleven  children,  eight  of 
whom  are  now  living:  Frederick  U.,  of  Hastings  upon  Hudson,  N.  Y. ;  Hat- 
tie,  wife  of  James  R.  Myers,  of  Elgin,  111.;  Charles  F.,  of  Pittsfield,  Mass.; 
Nehie,  wife  of  A.  L.  Anderson,  of  Elgin,  111.;  John  W.,  of  Kenosha;  George 
S.,  of  Elgin;  Albert  B.,  of  Elgin;  and  Alfred  C.,  of  Waukesha,  Wis.  Those 
that  died  were:  Arthur;  Henrietta,  wife  of  B.  A.  Dumser.  of  Indianapolis, 
Ind. ;  and  Howard  P. 

John  Wesley  Adams  was  reared  in  Elgin,  111.,  and  there  attended  the  inib- 
lic  schools  and  later  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  night  school.  He  also  went  to  the  Chi- 
cago Art  Institute,  and  graduated  from  the  Secretarial  Institute  and  Training 
School  of  Chicago.  In  1884  he  removed  from  Elgin  to  Indianapolis,  Ind., 
and  was  employed  with  the  Bowen-Merrill  Book  Company,  and  later  as  fore- 
man with  the  Jenney  Electric  Company.  In  1889  he  removed  to  Fort  Wayne, 
Ind.,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  electrical  construction  department  of  the 
Fort  Wayne  Electric  Company.  Two  years  of  the  time  of  his  employment 
with  this  company  were  spent  as  a  mechanical  draughtsman,  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  works  of  the  Louisiana  Electric  Light  Company.  The  year  pre- 
vious to  the  World's  Fair  he  removed  to  Chicago,  and  was  employed  as  a 
draughtsman  by  the  firm  of  Dayton,  Poole  &  Brown,  patent  lawyers,  and  also 
as  designer  for  the  J.  H.  Anderson  Granite  Company.  He  left  this  firm  to 
liegin  his  training  school  course.  In  1897  he  became  general  secretary  of  the 
Ravenswood  Department,  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  and  continued  there  two  vears,  after 
which  he  removed  to  Lake  Geneva  and  took  charge  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  camp 
office.  In  September,  1900,  he  came  to  Kenosha,  where  he  has  had  charge 
of  the  association  ever  since. 

The  membership  of  the  association  in  Kenosha  is  at  present  481.  The 
society  was  organized  June  24.  1886.  at  the  home  of  Mr.  E.  L.  Grant,  with  a 
membership  of  but  twenty,  its  first  home  being  over  the  First  National  Bank, 
-which  rooms  they  occupied  for  several  years,  securing  the  quarters  from  Mr. 


56o  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Z.  G.  Simmons.  They  then  removed  to  an  old  building  at  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Soutli  streets,  the  site  of  the  present  handsome  new  building,  the 
erection  of  which  was  begun  in  March,  1900.  and  finished  that  same  year. 
This  building  is  beautiful  in  external  and  internal  appearance,  commodious 
and  well-equipped  in  all  its  appointments,  and  answermg  fully  the  needs  of 
a  thoroughly  active  association.  Young  men  find  here  influences  that  go  far  to- 
ward building  up  a  stalwart  Christian  manhood,  and  the  people  of  Kenosha  can 
see  the  work  of  the  association  manifested  in  the  lives  of  her  citizens.  It  is 
the  purpose  of  the  association  to  make  the  young  man  more  useful  to  his  em- 
ployer, more  loyal  to  his  home  and  his  country ;  to  make  the  citizen  more  con- 
scientious in  the  discharge  of  his  social  and  political  duties,  and  to  assist  and 
supplement  the  activities  of  the  church  in  practical  Christian  work.  The  Ke- 
nosha Association  holds  property  valued  at  $32,000.  The  building  complete 
with  furnishings  cost  $25,000,  and  the  lots  are  valued  at  $7,000.  In  the 
basement  are  located  bowling  alleys,  shower  baths,  lockers,  lavatories,  store- 
room and  heating  plant.  On  the  first  floor  are  the  reception  hall,  reading  room 
and  library,  the  office  of  the  Association,  gymnasium,  physical  director's  of- 
fice, store-room  and  visitors'  gallery.  The  second  floor  contains  the  parlors 
and  game-rooms,  classroom,  lecture  hall,  cloakroom,  kitchen  and  four  dormi- 
tories. The  third  floor  is  given  over  entirely  to  dormitories,  there  being  sev- 
enteen in  all.  At  the  landing  on  this  floor  there  is  a  spacious  reception  hall 
for  the  use  of  young  men  living  in  the  building.  The  privileges  of  the  build- 
ing are  exclusively  for  members.  Visitors  are  welcomed  in  the  reception  hall, 
and  on  stated  occasions  to  the  gymnasium  gallery.  The  building  is  heated 
bv  steam  and  lighted  by  gas  and  electricity.  The  entire  plant  is  splendidly 
furnished  as  the  gift  of  one  citizen,  and  through  the  co-operation  of  the 
Ladies'  Auxiliary.  The  building  is,  without  doubt,  one  of  the  handsomest 
and  best  equipped  among  the  Wisconsin  Associations,  and  Mr.  Adams  is 
entitled  to  no  small  meed  of  praise  for  the  successful  working  of  the  Asso- 
ciation during  the  time  he  has  had  the  management  of  its  affairs. 

On  July  9,  1902,  Mr.  Adams  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Biehn,  and  one  son 
has  been  born  to  this  union,  Walter  Burt.  Mr.  Adams  is  a  member  of  the  Park 
Avenue  Methodist  Church ;  his  wife  is  a  Congregationalist.  Politicallv  he 
affiliates  with  the  Republican  partv.  He  is  connected  with  the  Kenosha  Coun- 
try Club. 

ALZO  B.  PIERCE,  a  lifelong  resident  of  Kenosha  county  and  one  of  the 
prominent  farmers  of  Bristol  township,  was  born  in  Pleasant  Prairie  town- 
ship. May  5.  1839,  son  of  Ira  and  Phoebe  (Stevens)  Pierce. 

Ira  Pierce  was  born  in  Maine  in  1807,  of  Scotch  descent.  His  father  was 
a  sailor  and  died  in  Maine.  There  were  two  sons  and  two  daughters  in  the 
family.  Ira  Pierce  became  a  teacher  in  the  East,  later  was  a  hotel  clerk,  and 
finally  in  1838  came  to  Wisconsin  and  took  up  320  acres  of  Government  land. 
Of  this  original  tract  he  sold  160  acres,  but  bought  other  property  afterward 
until  at  his  death  he  owned  200  acres.  He  w'as  an  influential  man  in  that 
region,  was  clerk  of  the  board  of  supervisors  in  the  days  when  Racine  and 
Kenosha  counties  were  united  under  the  former  name,  and  when  he  died  was 
serving  as  clerk  of  the  Kenosha  county  board.  He  passed  away  in  1862,  aged 
fiftv-five  rears. 


COM  MELIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  561 

Twice  married,  Ira  Pierce  took  fur  his  first  wife  Miss  Phoebe  Stevens,, 
one  of  four  daughters,  born  to  Joseph  Ste\'ens.  The  father,  who  was  of  Ger- 
man descent,  was  born  in  Vermont  and  died  there  at  a  good  old  age,  and  his 
daughters  were  natives  of  that  same  State.  Of  this  first  union  Alzo  B.  w'as  the 
only  child.  Mrs.  Pierce  was  killed  by  a  stroke  of  lightning  w'hen  only  twenty- 
eight  years  old.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Pierce  married  Julia  Townsend,  who 
became  the  mother  of  five  children,  viz. ;  Angeline ;  Eugene ;  Belle ;  Jennie, 
Mrs.  Frank  Shuart,  of  Bristol  township;  and  Nellie,  Mrs.  Warner  Rankins. 

Alzo  B.  Pierce  was  sent  to  the  district  schools  during  his  boyhood  and 
then  worked  on  the  farm,  living  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-one.  At  that  age 
he  started  out  for  himself  and  for  the  first  three  years  rented  the  place  which 
is  his  present  homestead,  located  in  Section  13,  Bristol  township.  It  then  con- 
tained 160  acres,  with  no  buildings  upon  it,  but  Mr.  Pierce  has  added  to  it 
till  he  now  owns  205  acres  of  farm  land,  all  finely  improved,  with  an  additional 
three  and  one-half  acres  of  timber  land.  While  agricultural  interests  have 
naturally  absorbed  much  of  Mr.  Pierce's  attention,  he  has  yet  found  time  for 
many  public  duties.  A  Republican  in  his  politics,  he  has  served  as  chairmaii 
of  the  town  board,  as  district  clerk  and  as  school  treasurer,  besides  being  on 
the  side  board  for  two  or  three  years. 

Mr.  Pierce  was  first  married  March  23,  1859.  to  Phoebe,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  and  Sophia  (Bacon)  Vaughn.  She  died  Dec.  9,  1875,  aged  thirty- 
four  years,  ten  months,  and  four  days.  There  had  been  three  sons  born  to  this 
union,  but  the  youngest,  Charles,  died  when  but  eight  months  old.  The  twO' 
who  survived  their  mother  were  Ira  and  Milton,  the  latter  still  unmarried.  Ira 
married  Miss  Edith  Huntley,  by  whom  he  has  one  son,  Charles,  and  the  fam- 
ily resides  on  a  farm  in  Washington  county,  Kans.,  near  Morrowville. 

Mr.  Pierce's  second  union  was  to  Miss  Louise  Gamble,  and  the  marriage 
took  place  May  5,  1878.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce  attend  the  Methodist  Church, 
but  are  not  connected  with  any  denomination.  Mrs.  Pierce  was  born  in  Tus- 
carawas county,  Ohio,  Sept.  7,  1849,  and  was  one  of  eleven  children,  seven 
sons  and  four  daughters,  born  to  John  and  Hannah  (Riggle)  Gamble.  John 
Gamble's  father  was  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  father  of  fourteen  children. 
John  Gamble  went  West  at  an  early  day  and  settled  in  Livingston  countv.  111., 
near  Pontiac,  where  he  died  in  July,  1856.  aged  fifty-five.  His  wife  was  also 
of  Ohio  parentage,  and  was  one  of  two  daughters  born  to  Adam  and  Eliza- 
beth Riggle.  She  died  in  September,  1856,  aged  forty-seven.  Six  of  their 
children  are  still  living,  viz. :  Martha  Jane,  widow  of  Jeremiah  Cremer,  of  Cass 
county.  Neb. :  Harvey,  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township :  John,  of  Grant  Park, 
Kankakee  Co.,  111.;  Robert,  of  Denver,  Colo.;  Cook,  of  Nevada:  and  Louise, 
Mrs.  Pierce. 

GEORGE  E.  NEWELL,  M.  D.  Among  th.e  prominent  memliers  of  the 
medical  profession  in  Wisconsin  is  Dr.  George  E.  New-ell.  physician  and  sur- 
geon, of  Burlington,  Racine  county.  He  was  born  at  Waterford,  that  cfuinty, 
Oct.  15,  1850,  son  of  Dr.  George  F.  Newell,  and  grandson  of  Dr.  Oliver 
Newell,  on  the  paternal  side  coming  of  a  family  of  physicians. 

Dr.  Oliver  Newell  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  but  early  settled  in  Canada. 
He  was  a  graduate  of  Castleton  (Vt. )  Medical  College  and  of  McGill  Col- 
lege, ]\Iontreal,  Ouebec,  and  in  middle  life  removed  to  Canada  and  located 


562  COMMEMORATI\'E    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

near  Nelsonville.  He  dietl  in  Canada  in  1866,  aged  sevent3--five  years.  He 
married  Eliza  Cowie,  and  they  had  a  family  of  two  daughters  and  six  sons, 
namely:  George  F.,  Seymour,  Herbert.  Charles,  Levi,  Warren,  Lucy  (who 
■died  unmarried)  and  Cynthia  (wife  of  Herbert  Shufeldt).  Three  of  the  sons 
were  doctors,  George  F.,  Seymour  and  Charles. 

Dr.  George  F.  Newell  was  born  in  \'ermont,  and  graduated  from  Castle- 
ton  ^vledical  College,  Castleton,  Vt.  He  was  a  school  teacher  in  young  man- 
hood. He  began  practice  at  Waterford,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  in  1842,  after 
some  years  going  to  Racine,  whence,  however,  he  returned  to  Waterford, 
■continuing  in  practice  there  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  died  in  Rochester, 
Racine  county,  March  5,  1898,  aged  eighty-two  years.  Dr.  Newell  was  in 
Wisconsin  before  the  days  of  her  Statehood,  and  being  interested  in  the  public 
welfare  at  one  time  served  in  the  Territorial  Legislature,  and  was  superin- 
tendent of  schools  under  the  old  town  system.  During  the  Civil  war  he  was 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  15th  Regiment,  Wis.  V.  L,  under  Col.  Hans  C.  Heg, 
and  after  the  war  returned  to  his  regular  practice.  He  took  care  of  many 
soldiers'  widows,  never  charging  them  for  medical  attendance,  and  showed 
himself  a  very  benevolent  man  in  many  other  ways  as  well.  He  had  a  high 
reputation  as  a  skilled  physician  and  surgeon. 

Dr.  Newell  married  Delia  Sproat.  like  himself  a  native  of  Vermont, 
daughter  of  David  C.  Sproat,  also  a  native  of  Vermont,  who  was  a  papei 
manufacturer,  and  operated  a  paper-mill  at  White  Hall.  Vt.  Mr.  Sproat 
married  Sarah  Kitridge.  and  they  had  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Both 
were  pioneers  of  Racine  county,  and  died  at  Waterford,  he  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five  and  she  when  seventy-six  years  old.  Dr.  George  F.  Newell  and 
his  wife  had  five  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living:  Dr.  Henry  Bovd, 
of  Waterford:  Nellie  B.,  wife  of  Charles  E.  Clench,  of  Burlington;  and  Dr. 
George  E.  The  mother  died  March  3,  1877,  aged  fifty-five  years,  in  the  faith 
of  the  Congregational  Church.     Dr.  Newell  was  an  Episcopalian. 

George  E.  Newel!  was  reared  in  Waterford.  and  attended  the  district 
schools  there  and  at  Racine.  He  began  studying  medicine  in  his  father's 
office  in  1867,  and  graduated  from  Rush  Medical  College  in  1871.  beginning 
practice  at  Waterford,  where  he  remained  until  189.=;.  He  has  since  been 
located  in  Burlington.  He  has  gained  and  maintained  the  reputation  for  skill 
and  success  in  the  profession  which  seems  to  be  his  birthright,  and  attends 
devotedly  to  a  large  practice,  and  two  of  his  sons  are  also  following  the  same 
line. 

On  Oct.  16.  1872.  Dr.  Newell  married  Miss  Serie  Heg.  daughter  of  Ole 
and  Amelia  (Cliristian.son)  Heg.  wiiose  sketch  appears  elsewhere,  and  seven 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  namely :  Cora,  living  at  home,  who  was 
formerly  a  kindergarten  teacher,  but  gave  up  teaching  on  account  of  her 
health ;  Olene,  who  married  B.  E.  Miles,  of  Peoria,  111.  and  has  one  son.  George 
Newell ;  George  W..  a  physician,  a  graduate  of  the  Northwestern  Medical 
College.  Chicago ;  Frank  Fordyce,  a  physician,  associated  in  practice  with 
his  father,  who  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work;  Nellie  B..  who  died  aeed 
sixteen  vears :  Edward,  who  died  in  infancy:  and  Howard  H.,  who  is  attend- 
ing hish  school. 

The  Doctor  is  a  stanch  Democrat.     His  profession  connects  him  with  the 


COiMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  563 

Wisconsin  State  Medical  Society  and  the  American  ^ledical  Association,  and 
fraternally  he  unites  with  the  I.  O.  F.  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 

FRANK  H.  VOS,  general  merchant  at  Burlington.  Wis.,  was  born 
June  22,  1869,  in  New  Munster,  Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  county,  a 
son  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Plate)  Vos.  The  parents  were  born  in  Germany 
and  New  York  respectively.  They  had  a  family  of  twelve  children  born  to 
them,  eleven  of  whom  still  survive,  Carrie,  the  oldest,  having  died  March  20, 
1903.  The  survivors  are:  William,  of  Muskegon,  Mich.;  Agnes,  widow  of 
John  Bushman,  of  Burlington;  Benjamin,  who  is  on  the  old  homestead  in 
New  Munster ;  Henry,  of  Burlington ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Theodore  Richter, 
of  Wheatland;  Frank  H.,  of  Burlington;  Josephine,  wife  of  Benjamin  Roth- 
ering,  of  Burlington;  Adolph,  of  Burlington;  Emma,  wife  of  John  Koenen, 
of  Milwaukee;  Christina,  of  Burlington;  and  Dora,  of  New  Munster.  The 
father,  Joseph  Vos,  was  a  cooper  by  trade  in  his  young  manhood,  and  later 
settled  on  the  farm  near  New  Munster.  Only  ten  years  of  age  when  he  ac- 
companied his  parents  to  America,  he  was  reared  in  Kenosha  county  and  still 
resides  there  with  his  wife  and  several  of  his  children.  They  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church.  He  has  been  a  useful  citizen,  and  has  served  several 
times  as  town  supervisor.  His  father,  Nicholas  Vos,  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  in  Kenosha  county  and  died  on  his  farm  there  aged  eighty-eight  years. 
He  had  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 

On  the  maternal  side  Mr.  Vos'  grandfather  was  Frank  Plate,  who  came 
from  Germany  and  settled  in  New  York,  anl  in  the  early  days  of  the  settle- 
ment of  Kenosha  county  came  to  Wisconsin.  He  had  a  farm  and  hotel  in 
Wheatland  township,  and  died  there  aged  sixty  years.  His  family  consisted 
of  one  son  and  two  daughters. 

Frank  H.  Vos  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Wheatland  township,  and  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  the  parochial  and  district  schools,  later  attending 
the  Burlington  high  school  and  taking  a  course  in  the  business  college  at 
Muskegon,  Mich.  For  two  years  following  he  was  a  clerk  in  a  store  in  New 
Munster,  and  in  1891  he  came  to  Burlington,  where  he  opened  a  general  store 
in  partnership  with  his  brother  Henry.  Two  years  later  he  bought  his  broth- 
er's interest  and  has  continued  the  business  alone  since  then.  He  carries  a 
large  and  well  assorted  stock  of  dry  goods,  groceries,  and  crockery,  and  has 
a  large  and  constantly  increasing  trade. 

Politically  Mr.  Vos  is  a  Democrat.  In  religious  faith  he  is  a  Catholic, 
end  he  belongs  fraternally  to  the  Catholic  Order  of  Foresters. 

MYRON  A.  GOULD,  who  conducts  a  blacksmith  and  wagonmaking 
business  at  Somers  Station,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  was  born  June  25,  1864.  in 
Somers  township,  son  of  Amos  T.  and  Laura  B.  (Baker)  Gould,  natives  of  the 
State  of  New  York.  Of  their  seven  children,  the  survivors  are :  Frances, 
I'ife  of  lohn  Mitchell  of  Somers:  Kittie.  wife  of  Fred  Leonard,  of  Bristol; 
Myron  A.,  of  Somers  Station:  Warren  E.,  of  Woodstock.  111.:  and  Maurice 
A.,  of  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin. 

Amos  T.  Gould  was  a  carriage  builder  in  young  manhood,  later  a  black- 
smith and  horse-shoer  in  Kenosha,  where  was  an  early  settler,  coming  immerli- 
ately  after  his  marriage.    He  worked  for  some  years  at  Kenosha,  and  then  came 


564  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

to  Soniers  township  where  he  built  a  shop  and  carried  on  all  lines  of  his  trade 
up  to  within  two  years  of  his  death,  hie  was  considered  a  man  of  skill  and 
reliability,  and  farmers  and  purchasers  would  come  miles  out  of  their  way 
in  order  to  deal  with  him.  iie  lived  until  1900,  dying  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
seven  years,  his  wife  having  passed  awav  in  the  previous  year  at  the  age  of 
sixty-four  years.  'I  hey  were  Methodists  in  religious  belief.  The  paternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject  died  in  New  York  when  100  years  old.  He  was 
twice  married  and  left  issue  from  both  marriages.  Elisha  Baker,  the  maternal 
grandfather  was  also  an  early  settler  in  Kenosha  County. 

Myron  A.  Gould  was  reared  in  Somers  township,  and  w^as  educated  in 
the  district  schools.  \\'hen  about  fifteen  years  of  age  he  began  learning  his 
trade  with  his  father,  working  in  the  summer  seasons  and  going  to  school  in 
the  winters.  He  thus  acquired  a  very  good  knowdedge  of  the  business,  and  by 
the  time  he  was  ready  to  marry,  was  able  to  establish  himself  at  Somers  Sta- 
tion, where  he  owns  his  shop  and  a  very  comfortable  home. 

On  July  4,  1888,  Mr.  Gould  was  married  to  Miss  Addie  Heidersdorf, 
daughter  of  Christian  and  Margaret  (Meyers)  Heidersdorf.  The  parents  of 
Mrs.  Gould  were  born  in  Germany  and  they  had  live  sons  and  five  daughters, 
viz.:  William;  Christian;  Frank;  Fannie;  Margaret,  of  Paris  township,  wid- 
ow of  William  Coughlin;  Addie,  Mrs.  Gould;  Hattie  (twin  to  Mrs.  Gould), 
wife  of  Frank  Holmes,  of  Yorkville  township,  and  Minnie,  Henry  and  John, 
still  at  home.  The  father  came  to  America  and  settled  as  a  farmer  in  York- 
ville township,  where  he  died  in  1874.  His  widow-  still  survives,  and  lives 
on  the  old  homestead  in  Paris  township.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs. 
Gould,  Conrad  Heidersdorf,  lived  and  died  in  Germany,  his  children  being: 
Christian,  William,  Fannie  and  Eliza,  the  latter  the  widow  of  Jacob  Barnes, 
of  Union  Grove,  Wis.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Gould  lived  his 
w'hole  life  in  Germany,  married  and  became  the  father  of  four  children,  the 
three  survivors  being:  Margaret,  mother  of  Mrs.  Gould;  and  Jacob  and 
Peter,  both  of  Racine. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gould  have  had  four  cliildren,  viz. :  Loren  Jay,  Max  A., 
Gladys  and  Berenice,  the  latter  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Politically  ]\Ir. 
Gould  supports  the  Republican  ticket.  He  is  a  member  of  the  fraternal  order 
of  M.  W.  A.  He  is  a  self-made  man — one  who  through  his  own  exertions 
has  not  only  secured  a  fair  allowance  of  this  world's  goods  Ijut  has  also  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  high  regard  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

ALBERT  J.  TOPP,  postmaster  and  general  merchant  at  Waterford, 
Wis.,  was  born  in  that  town  June  2.  1871,  and  is  one  of  Racine  county's 
energetic  and  enterprising  young  business  men.  He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and 
Maria  (Koehnke)   Topp,  natives  of  Germany. 

Christopher  Topp,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Albert  J.,  was  1  native 
of  Germany,  w'ho  resided  in  Mecklenberg,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age, 
after  following  farming  all  of  his  life.  His  wife,  Dorothea,  bore  him  eight 
children,  among  whom  were:  Joseph,  of  Waterford:  Christopher,  deceased, 
r-nd  John  and  William,  of  Germany.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, Frederick  Koehnke.  was  also  a  native  of  Germany,  a  laborer  by  occupa- 
tion, and  the  father  of  eleven  children  :  Sophia,  the  wife  of  Christopher  Topp; 
Maria,  the  wife  of  Joseph   Topp;   Dorothea,   the   wife  of  S.   C.   ^^^^^mar; 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  565 

of  ^lukwonago,  Wis.;  Charlotte,  the  widow  of  Fred  Miher,  of  Waterford; 
Fredericka,  the  wife  of  Fred  Koch,  of  Waterford;  Fred,  of  Appleton,  Wis.; 
Lizzie,  wife  of  Fred  Wangehn.  of  Waterford ;  Henry,  of  Appleton,  Wis. ; 
Christina,  the  wife  of  William  Voss,  of  jMilwaukee,  and  two  who  died  in  Ger- 
many. 

Joseph  Topp,  father  of  our  suhject,  was  a  carpenter  most  of  his  life. 
He  came  to  America  in  1869,  and  located  at  Waterford,  where  he  still  resides, 
now  living  retired,  having  followed  his  trade  here  until  1895.  His  wife  died 
Oct.  24,  1905,  aged  seventy-four  years.  They  had  been  Lutherans  in  their 
native  country,  but  on  coming  to  America  united  with  the  German  Metho- 
dist Church.  Of  their  four  children,  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  our  sub- 
ject is  the  only  one  living,  the  others  having  died  young. 

Albert  J.  Topp  was  reared  in  Waterford,  and  this  city  has  always  been 
his  home.  He  attended  the  public  schools,  and  later  spent  two  years  in  Law- 
rence Lhiiversity  at  Appleton.  When  fourteen  years  of  age  he  began  working 
by  the  month  on  a  farm,  and  at  this  he  continued  for  four  or  five  years,  when 
he  went  to  Milwaukee  and  began  clerking  in  a  grocery  store,  remaining  in  this 
capacity  until  he  had  accumulated  enough  to  pay  for  his  tuition  at  the  univer- 
sity. After  leaving  that  institution  he  became  bookkeeper  in  a  grocery  store 
in  Appleton,  and  then  returned  to  Waterford  and  clerked  for  A.  H.  Palmer  for 
six  years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he  embarked  in  the  general  merchandise 
business  for  himself  in  Waterford,  and  this  he  still  continues.  On  Tan.  i, 
1902,  he  took  charge  of  the  postoffice  at  Waterford,  and  he  still  retains  that 
responsible  office. 

On  Jan.  i.  1906,  ]\Ir.  Topp  married  Miss  Lillian  Shenkenberg,  daughter 
of  Jacob  and  Sophia  (Wangelin)  Shenkenlierg,  natives  of  Wisconsin,  and 
farmers  of  Waterford  township,  where  they  have  lived  for  manv  years.  Mr. 
and  ]\Irs.  Shenkenberg  have  a  family  of  six  children:  Jacob.  Jr.:  \\'illiam; 
Leo :  Eldon ;  Tillie.  the  wife  of  Orrin  Longley ;  and  Lillian. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Lillian  Topp  was  also  named  Jacob 
Shenkenberg.  He  was  a  native  of  Germany,  and  an  early  settler  of  Water- 
ford township,  Racine  county.  He  died  when  upwards  of  sixty  years  of  age, 
while  his  widow  still  survives  him.  They  had  six  children  as  follows:  Jacob, 
the  father  of  Mrs.  Topp;  William;  Peter;  Fred;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Ernest 
Kasiski.  of  IMilwaukee:  and  Mary,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  John  Rein. 

Mrs.  Lillian  Topp's  maternal  grandfather  W^angelin  was  also  a  native 
of  Germany,  who  came  to  America  and  settled  in  W^^terford  township,  dying 
there  in  middle  life.  He  was  the  father  of  Fred;  Mary,  deceased,  wife  of 
Charles  Shenkenberg.  of  Racine ;  and  Sophia,  the  mother  of  Airs.  Topn. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Albert  J.  Topp  are  very  popular  in  all  circles,  and  Mr. 
Topp  is  highly  esteemed  for  his  good  business  capacity,  his  kindly  character, 
and  his  sterling  worth. 

FREDERICI-^  T.  SEXGBUSCH.  Among  the  representative  business 
men  of  Burlington.  Wis.,  may  be  mentioned  Frederick  J.  Sengbusch,  the  well 
known  hardware  dealer.  He  was  born  Sept.  8,  1871,  near  Milwaukee,  son 
of  Frederick  and  Wilhelmina  (Roehrdanz)  Sengbusch.  of  Germany. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  ]\Ir.  Sens:busch  came  to  America  in  1844, 
and  settled  in  Milwaukee,  where  the  remainder  of  their  lives  was  spent.     They 


566  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

had  five  sons.  Carl  Roehrdanz,  Mr.  Sengbusch's  grandfather  on  the  maternal 
side,  came  to  America  in  1847  ^'""d  settled  in  Milwaukee.  He  was  a  shep- 
herd in  his  native  country,  and  on  locating  in  America  followed  various  occu- 
pations. He  also  owned  a  small  tract  of  land  near  Milwaukee.  He  died  aged 
eighty-one  years,  while  his  wiie  was  also  well  advanced  in  years  at  the  time 
of  her  death.     They  had  two  children. 

Frederick  Sengbusch,  father  of  Frederick  J.,  was  a  farmer  most  of  his 
life.  He  came  to  America  with  his  parents  and  settled  in  Milwaukee  for  a 
year  or  two,  and  then  removed  to  a  farm,  where  he  died  in  1884,  aged  fifty- 
four  years.  His  wife  still  survives  him  and  lives  in  Milwaukee.  She  is  a 
Lutheran,  as  was  also  her  husband.  They  had  a  family  of  five  sons,  namely : 
William  F.,  of  Great  Falls,  Mont.;  Albert,  of  Racine  county.  Wis.;  Frederick 
J.,  of  Burlington;  Gustave  J.,  of  Milwaukee,  and  Louis,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Frederick  J.  Sengbusch  was  reared  on  the  farm  upon  which  he  was  born, 
and  attended  the  district  schools  and  Spencer's  Business  College.  After 
clerking,  bookkeeping,  and  working  in  a  hardware  store,  for  a  time,  he  went 
into  partnership  with  his  brother,  Albert,  in  the  flour  and  feed  business  in 
Milwaukee,  where  he  remained  five  years.  In  April,  1899.  Mr.  Sengbusch 
came  to  Burlington,  and  established  his  present  business,  handling  a  fine  line 
of  first  class  goods. 

On  Oct.  7,  1894,  Mr.  Sengbusch  and  ]\lisi  Sophia  Fiene  were  united 
in  marriage.  Mrs.  Sengbusch  is  a  daughter  of  Christian  and  Eliza  (Freuden- 
berg)  Fiene.  Two  children  were  born  to  this  union.  Royal  W.  and  Elsie. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sengbusch  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  In  his  politi- 
cal sympathies  he  is  a  Repuljlican. 

WALTER  THOAIAS  MARLATT,  of  Kencsba,  Wis.,  citv  editor  of  the 
Kenosha  Evctiiug  Nczvs.  was  born  Feb.  19,  1874,  at  Franklin,  Johnson  Co., 
Ind.  His  parents.  Rev.  Abram  Xewton  and  Anna  (Collins)  Marlatt,  were 
natives  respectively  of  Wayne  county,  Ind.,  and  New  Albany,  Ind.  Their 
family  consisted  of  five  sons  and  eight  daughters,  the  sur\-i\-ors  be- 
ing: Mary,  who  is  a  teacher  at  Dubuque,  Iowa;  Sarah,  wife  of  }.  H.  Scholl, 
of  Rushville,  Ind. :  ^^^alter  T..  of  Kenosha ;  Anna  Ora,  a  teacher  at  Rensse- 
laer. Ind. ;  Ella,  a  teacher  at  Connersville.  Ind. ;  Jessie  Pearl,  of  Connersville ; 
and  Earl  and  Ernest,  b(^th  of  Connersville.  The  father  was  reared  in  Indiana 
and  is  now  a  resident  of  Connersville,  where  he  is  a  minister  in  the  M.  E. 
Church. 

The  ]\Iarlatt  family  is  of  English  extraction,  but  the  paternal  grandfather 
of  Walter  T.  ]\Iarlatt,  Thomas  Marlatt,  was  born  in  Virginia.  He  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  married  Elizabeth  Bellar.  of  Virginia,  and 
they  both  lived  to  be  ninety  years  of  age.  .\bram  Marlatt,  the  father  of  Thom- 
as Marlatt.  and  our  subject's  great-grandfather,  fought  under  Col.  .\rmand 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution  for  three  years. 

On  the  maternal  side,  Mr.  Marlatt's  grandfather  was  Nelson  Collins, 
who  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent  and  was  born  in  Kentucky.  He  married 
Lydia  Swope.  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  left  but  two  children.  Although  he 
died  in  comparati\e  youth  he  had  become  a  man  of  prominence,  and  after 
locating  at  New  .-Mbany,  Ind.,  entered  into  politics  and  was  elected  State  sena- 
tor.    His  occupation  was  that  of  a  farmer. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  567 

Walter  Thomas  Marlatt  was  reared  in  Indiana  and  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  and  the  high  school  at  Columbus,  graduating  from  the  latter 
in  1889.  He  then  entered  De  Pauw  University  at  Greencastle,  Ind.,  where 
he  was  graduated  in  1896,  following  which  he  was  engaged  during  the  suc- 
ceeding year  in  teaching  Latin  to  the  university  classes,  it  was  then  that  he 
first  entered  into  newspaper  work,  becoming  a  staff  writer  on  the  Chicago 
dailies,  and  he  was  associated  with  one  for  two  years  and  has  been  a  contribu- 
tor to  its  pages  for  the  past  ten  years. 

In  1896  Mr.  Marlatt  came  to  Kenosha  and  accepted  the  position  of  as- 
sistant head  master  of  the  University  School.  In  1897  he  became  editor  of 
the  Kenosha  Daily  Union,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  became  city 
editor  of  the  Kenosha  Evening  Nczt^'s,  a  position  he  still  most  efficiently  fills. 
At  that  time  he  had  been  connected  with  the  editorial  departments  of  the 
Chicago  Tribune,  the  Chicago  Inter  Ocean,  the  Chicago  Record-Herald ,  the 
Milwaukee  Sentinel,  the  Ez'cning  Wisconsin,  the  Cincinnati  Enquirer  and  the 
New  York  World. 

Mr.  Marlatt  was  married  Sept.  12,  1900,  to  Miss  Mary  De  Forrest, 
daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  Joseph  W.  Marsee,  dean  of  the  Medical  College  of 
Indianapolis,  and  Flora  Wilson.  Mrs.  Marlatt  died  July  8,  1901.  Mr.  Mar- 
latt was  married  (second)  Nov.  24,  1904,  to  Miss  Una  Isabel  Colby,  of  Kan- 
sas City,  Mo.,  daughter  of  Byron  and  Nancy  (Bliss)  Colby,  of  Liberty ville, 
Illinois. 

Mr.  ]\Iarlatt  is  a  member  of  l.)0th  the  Chicago  and  the  [Milwaukee  Press 
Clubs,  the  American  Philological  Society  and  the  American  Society  of  Book 
Reviewers,  the  Columbia  Club  of  Indianapolis,  the  Phi  Kappa  Psi  college  fra- 
ternity, the  Wisconsin  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Re\'olution,  and 
Kenosha  Lc^rlge,  Xo.  750,  Benevolent  and  Protecti\e  Order  of  Elks. 

FRANK  LINTNER,  Racine's  well  known  \\h<ilesale  and  retail  baker, 
who  is  located  at  Nos.  613-619  Wisconsin  street,  was  born  Jan.  13,  1873,  in 
Vienna,  Austria,  son  of  Franz  and  Clara  (Glasser)  Lintner.  natives  of 
Austria.  They  had  eight  sons  and  three  daughters,  the  five  survivors  of  the 
familv  being:  Frank,  of  Racine;  Leopold,  of  Atlanta,  Ga. :  Maria,  wife  of 
Johan  Winter,  of  Vienna,  Austria;  Famiie.  wife  of  Antoine  Hable.  of  A'ienna ; 
and  Anna,  wife  of  Richard  Aschbauer,  of  Gmunden,  Tapper  Austria.  Franz 
Lintner  was  a  farmer  and  wholesale  fruit  dealer.  He  died  in  \'ienna  in  1881, 
aged  fifty-seven  j^ears.  His  wife  died  in  1885.  aged  forty-seven  years.  Both 
were  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  ' 

Franz  Lintner,  Sr.,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Frank  Lintner,  died 
at  Maissau,  Austria,  in  old  age.  He  had  been  a  farmer  all  his  life.  He  mar- 
ried Theresa  Aleierhofer.  and  they  had  but  one  child,  the  father  of  our  subject. 

Frank  Lintner  was  reared  in  Vienna,  but  spent  three  years  of  his  school 
days  in  Wiedling.  When  but  thirteen  years  old  he  began  to  learn  the  baking 
business,  and  when  he  came  to  America,  ]\Iarcli  17,  1893,  he  was  skilled  in  all 
kinds  of  baking.  He  landed  in  Philadelphia,  and  worked  there  and  in  Brook- 
lyn, and  then  went  to  Chicago  in  June  of  that  year,  and  still  later  came  to 
Racine.  Here  he  was  in  the  employ  of  O.  B.  Schultz  for  one  year,  and  then  he 
returned  to  Chicago,  where  for  six  months  he  ran  a  restaurant.  Going  then 
into  the  bakery  business  again  he  woi'ked  in  Chicago  until   i8g6,  when  he 


568  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

made  a  \isit  to  Europe  for  a  few  months,  but  subsequently  returned  to  Ra- 
cine, where  he  now  is  operating  a  hirge  wholesale  and  retail  bakery,  having 
some  sixteen  men  in  his  employ.  He  thoroughly  understands  his  business, 
and  his  patronage  is  constantly  on  the  increase.  Politically  he  votes  as  his 
judgment  decides.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  in  which  he  is 
a  fourth  degree  member.     He  is  a  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 

LATHROP  A.  UDELL,  in  his  day  a  well-known  resident  of  Salem  town- 
ship. Kenosha  county,  was  born  in  that  township  May  14,  1852,  on  a  farm  ad- 
joining the  one  now  occupied  by  his  son-in-law  and  daughter,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Frederick  R.  Schreck.  He  was  reared  to  farming  and  after  reaching  manhood 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  on  his  own  account,  meeting  with  such  suc- 
cess that  he  became  the  owner  of  a  very  large  acreage  in  this  locality.  The 
farm  upon  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schreck  reside  was  formerly  his,  and  it  is  con- 
ceded to  be  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county.  Mr.  Udell  was  also  a  merchant  for 
seven  years,  in  the  village  of  Salem,  but  returned  to  the  farm,  where  he  died 
April  13,  1903,  aged  nearly  fifty-one  years.  Mr.  Udell  was  quite  prominent 
in  his  home  locality,  and  held  various  township  offices,  serving  as  school  clerk, 
etc.,  for  he  was  a  man  of  excellent  judgment,  and  was  well  thought  of  by  all. 
]Mr.  Udell  married  (first)  Emma  E.  Hoffman,  who  was  born  May  25. 
1S53,  at  Genoa  Junction,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis.,  where  the  father,  Michael  Hoff- 
man, lived  from  an  early  day  and  continued  to  carry  on  farming  all  his  active 
life.  Michael  Hoffman  was  born  in  Germany,  came  to  the  LTnited  States  when 
only  ten  years  old,  and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty.  He  married  Minnie  Kimball, 
who  survives,  and  they  reared  a  large  family  of  children,  the  survivors  being: 
John,  of  Lake  Geneva,  Wis.;  Richard,  of  Genoa  Junction;  Louis,  of, Three 
Oaks,  Mich.;  Stella,  wife  of  Henry  Matheison,  of  Glen  Ellyn,  111.,  Carrie,  wife 
of  Herman  Bunth,  of  Waverly,  Iowa;  Martha,  wife  of  Patrick  McCabe.  of 
Geneva,  Ohio ;  and  Jennie,  wife  of  Edward  Bailey,  of  Minnesota. 

]Mrs.  Emma  E.  (Hoffman)  Udell  died  Aug.  g.  1900,  aged  fortv-seven 
years,  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  to  which  Mr.  Udell  also  belonged.  They 
had  two  children,  namely :  May.  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Frederick  R. 
Schreck,  of  Salem  township;  and  Florence  E..  ]\Irs.  George  W.  Higgins.  For 
his  second  wife  Air.  Udell  married  Mary  Hugett,  who  died  a  few  days  before 
he  died,  on  April  9,  1903. 

Thomas  LfdeH.  the  father  of  Lathrop  A.,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and 
was  an  early  settler  in  Salem  township,  Kenosha  county,  where  he  died  in  Octo- 
ber, 1880.  rged  seventy-one  vejirs.  His  first  wife,  Laura  Bulleine.  died  when 
a  youn.g  woman,  leaving  three  children,  as  follows;  Thomps,  of  Genoa  Junc- 
tion: Lathrop  A.;  and  Anna,  wife  of  Albert  Kennedy,  of  Salem  township. 
The  second  wife  of  Thomas  L^dell  was  Phebe  Jones,  who  is  also  deceased. 
One  daughter  was  born  to  this  marriage,  Carrie,  who  is  the  wife  of  George 
W'.  Faulkner,  of  Wilmot. 

FREDERICK  R.  SCHRECK.  a  prominent  farmer  and  substantial  citi- 
zen of  Kenosha  county,  owns  the  fine  farm  upon  which  he  resides,  in  Section 
2Q.  Salem  township.  He  was  born  at  Libertyville,  Lake  Co..  111.,  March  20, 
1877.  a  son  of  Gerhart  and  Anna  (Beimer)  Schreck.  His  grandfather.  Fred- 
erick Schreck,  passed  his  whole  life  in  Germany,  where  his  wife.  Elizalieth, 
still  resides. 


CUcUc 


J^A,  l(c^clC 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  569 

Gerhart  Schreck  was  born  in  Germany,  became  a  carpenter  in  young  man- 
hood, and  came  to  America  when  nineteen  years  old.  He  worked  industriously 
until  he  had  accumulated  enough  to  purchase  twenty  acres  of  land  near  Lib- 
erty ville,  to  which  he  has  added  until  his  farm  now  contains  210  acres.  As  his 
prosperity  would  indicate,  he  is  an  efficient  worker  and  a  good  manager.  He 
has  been  school  trustee  for  a  number  of  terms  at  Libertyville.  Mr.  Schreck 
married  Anna  Beimer,  who  was  born  in  Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  Co., 
Wis.,  of  German  e.xtraction,  her  parents,  Rudolph  and  Christina  (Elfers) 
Beimer,  being  natives  of  Westphalia,  Germany.  Rudolph  Beimer  was  an  early 
settler  in  New  Munster,  Kenosha  Co..  Wis.,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schreck  had  a  family  of  seven  children,  namely :  Anna,  wife  of 
Henry  Shottman.  of  Mount  Rose,  111. ;  Frederick  R. ;  Catherine,  of  Liberty- 
ville: William;  and  Carl,  Rose  (wife  of  William  Sage,  of  Lake  Forest,  111.) 
and  Louise  (the  two  last  named  twins),  all  of  Libertyville.  The  mother  of 
this  family  died  in  May,  1903,  aged  forty-eight  years.  She  was  a  member 
of  the  Lutheran  Church,  as  is  also  Mr.  Schreck. 

Frederick  R.  Schreck  was  reared  at  Libertyville,  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  was  educated  in  the  district  schools.  After  he  was  twenty-one  he  worked 
for  his  uncle,  Walker  M.  Curtiss,  in  Salem  township,  Kenosha  Co..  Wis.,  for 
four  years,  and  then  married,  and  settled  on  the  farm  where  he  now  lives,  and 
which  now  contains  about  348  acres,  finely  improved. 

^Ir.  Schreck  was  married  May  17,  1903,  to  May  Udell,  who  was  born  on 
an  adjoining  farm,  daughter  of  Lathrop  A.  and  Emma  E.  (Hoffman)  Udell. 
One  daughter  has  been  born  to  this  union,  Flossie  Phebe.  In  their  religious 
views  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schreck  are  Methodists.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and 
he  holds  the  office  of  clerk  of  school  district  No.  7,  town  of  Salem. 

CHARLES  C.  PFEXXIG,  president  of  the  Charles  Pfennig  Company 
of  Kenosha  and  for  many  years  engaged  there  as  a  dealer  in  groceries,  flour, 
feed,  etc.,  is  as  his  name  indicates  of  German  lineage,  and  the  line  can  be 
traced  back  to  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

The  first  of  whom  there  is  now  record  is  Ferdinand  Pfennig,  who  was 
born  in  1684,  and  died  in  1761.  His  grandson.  Franz  Henry  was  born 
March  9,  1770,  and  died  in  1814.  A  miller  by  trade,  he  built  the  first  mill  at 
Paradise,  Barntrup  Muhl,  and  spent  his  life  in  the  work  there.  He  married 
a  IMiss  Becker,  by  whom  he  had  eight  sons.  One  of  them  Henrv  was  the 
father  of  Charles  C,  while  the  next  younger  was  named  Ferdinand,  was  born 
in  1795  and  died  in  1872. 

Henry  Pfennig  was  born  Aug.  2,  1793.  His  military  service  was  done 
•during  the  war  between  France  and  Germany.  Otherwise  his  life  was  spent  as 
a  miller,  in  the  same  place  where  his  father  was  before  him.  and  he  carried  on 
a  flour  mill,  saw  mill,  oil  mill,  etc.  He  died  Sept.  11,  1849,  ^t  Paradise,  Barn- 
trup IMuhl,  but  his  wife  survived  him  many  years.  She  was  before  her  mar- 
riage JMiss  Ella  Kraft,  born  June  21,  1802,  and  was  one  of  a  large  familv.  The 
father  was  a  paymaster  in  the  German  army  and  lived  at  Polle  an  der  Weser, 
Koenigreich  Hanover.  One  of  the  children  is  still  living,  a  resident  of  Ger- 
many. ]Mrs.  Ella  (Kraft)  Pfennig  lived  to  be  seventy-five  years  of  age. 
Like  her  husband  she  belonged  to  the  Evangelical  Church.  They  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  five  sons  and  four  daughters,  all  now  deceased,  ex- 


570  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

cept  the  following :  Frederick,  of  Antigo,  Wis. ;  Charles  C. ;  Henry,  of  Fond 
du  Lac,  Wis. ;  and  Mary,  ^Irs.  .]Myers,  of  Bega,  bei  Barntrup,  Lippe-Detmold, 
Germany. 

Charles  C.  Pfennig  was  born  in  Prussia  Oct.  25,  1S35.  and  remained  there 
for  the  first  twenty  years  of  his  life,  attending  the  common  schools  and  learn- 
ing the  milling  business  under  his  father.  In  1855  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  landing  at  New  Orleans  and  going  from  there  direct  to  Woodstock, 
Canada.  There  he  married  and  remained  until  after  the  birth  of  his  first 
child.  He  then  came  to  the  L'nited  States,  and  for  several  years  was  engaged 
in  the  mills  at  Xeenah,  Wis.  From  there  he  went  to  Racine,  and  formed  a 
partnership  with  his  brother  Henry  in  the  grocery  business,  but  after  a  few 
years  he  sold  his  interest  to  his  brother  and  went  into  business  alone  in  the 
same  line  in  Kenosha,  establishing  himself  there  in  the  fall  of  1873.  He  h".s 
been  very  successful  and  is  one  of  Kenosha's  prominent  and  influential  citi- 
zens. 

Mr.  Pfennig  has  found  a  true  helpmate  in  his  wife,  to  whom,  as  Miss 
Barbara  Fettick,  he  was  united  Xov.  8,  1865  at  Woodstock,  Canada.  Thev 
have  had  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  namely:  Frederick,  who  died  Sept.  5,  1888 
at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years;  Charles  H.,  who  served  two  years  as  mavnr  of 
Kenosha,  1902- 1904,  and  is  now  vice  president  of  the  Charles  Pfennig  Com- 
pany; and  Helen  Eleanor,  who  is  now  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Charles 
Pfennig  Company.  Mr.  Pfennig  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Lutheran 
Church.  He  is  a  Republican  and  an  active  one.  doing  his  utmost  to  promote 
the  political  welfare  of  Kenosha. 

The  Charles  Pfennig  Co.  was  incorporated  July  i.  1905  and  is  now  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  business  at  163-165  Market  St.,  as  successor  to  Chas. 
C.  Pfennig,  who  is  the  president  of  the  company. 

REV.  JOHN  HENRY  SCHIEFEN,  pastor  of  St.  Alphonsus'  Church, 
New  Munster,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  is  a  native  of  Germany.  He  was  born 
Dec.  29,  i860,  in  a  town  named  after  his  forefathers  Schiefen,  situated  in  the 
picturesque  valley  of  the  River  Sieg,  a  tributary  to  the  Rhine,  and  is  a  son  of 
Henry  and  Gertrude  Schiefen.  His  paternal  grandfather  was  Philip  Schie- 
fen, a  farmer  by  occupation,  prominent  and  influential  in  his  communitv.  He 
and  his  wife  Barbara,  nee  Bergmann,  had  four  sons  and  three  daughters.  On 
the  maternal  side.  Father  Schiefen's  grandfather  was  John  Feld,  a  well- 
to-do  farmer,  who  was  married  to  Mary  Catherine  Schonauer.  They  left  a 
family  of  ten  children,  four  of  whom  came  to  the  L'nited  States ;  Joseph,  who 
lives  at  Carroll,  Iowa ;  Henry,  of  Cedar  Falls.  Iowa ;  John,  who  died  at  Mar- 
shalltown,  Iowa ;  and  William,  of  Idaho  Springs.  Colorado,  who  died  at 
Marshalltown,  Iowa. 

Henry  Schiefen.  our  subject's  father,  was  born  July  19,  1S21,  at  Schiefen. 
As  a  loyal  and  generous  son  of  his  churcli  and  a  public  spirited  citizen  of  his 
country  he  has  held  various  positions  of  trust  and  honor  in  his  community.  In 
1900  he  received  from  Emperor  William  II  a  gold  medal  as  a  token  of  es- 
teem for  having  held  the  elective  ofiice  of  chairman  of  his  town  during  fifty 
years  without  intermission.  Having  at  this  writing  reached  the  noble  age  of 
four-score  and  five,  he  enjoys  excellent  health  and  mental  and  bodily  vigor. 
His  beloved  wife,  Gertrude,  departed  hence  on  Dec.  7.  1891,  at  the  age  of 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  571 

sixty  years.  They  had  a  family  of  ten  children,  who  are  all  living,  namely : 
Philip,  of  Schiefen,  Germany;  Mary,  wife  of  Peter  Lichtenberg,  of  Eitorf, 
Germany;  Miss  Catherine,  of  Schiefen;  Rev.  J.  H.,  of  New  Mnnster,  Wis.; 
Gnstave,  of  Schiefen ;  Miss  Elizabeth,  who  keeps  house  for  Rev.  John  H. ; 
William,  on  the  old  homestead,  in  Schiefen ;  Miss  Gertrude,  who  keeps  house 
for  Rev.  Edward ;  Joseph,  of  Lake  Geneva,  Wis. ;  and  Rev.  Edward  B. 
Schiefen,  pastor  of  St.   Mary's  Church,  Kansasville,   Wisconsin. 

Rev.  John  Henry  Schiefen  received  his  early  education  in  the  efficient 
elementary  schools  of  his  home  city,  Eitorf.  To  prepare  himself  for  his  sacred 
calling-  he  was  sent  to  the  pro-gymnasium  at  Siegburg.  For  the  completion 
of  his  classical  studies  he  attended  the  gymnasium  of  Essen,  wdiere  he  studied 
under  Professor  Dr.  Fischer,  who  is  now  Cardinal  Archbishop  of  Cologne. 
Having  completed  the  higher  preparatory  studies  he  decided  to  devote  his 
life  to  the  mission  work  of  his  Church  in  the  United  States.  He  arrived  at 
New  York  Oct.  29.  1880,  and  directly  proceeded  to  St.  Francis.  Wis.,  where 
at  the  Salesianum  he  took  up  the  study  of  philosophy  and  theolog>'.  On  June 
June  24,  1884,  he  was  ordained  priest  by  the  Most  Rev.  Archbishop  Michael 
Heiss.  Father  Schiefen's  first  charge  was  the  Immaculate  Conception  Church, 
at  Kingston.  Green  Lake  Co.,  Wis.,  whence  he  attended  the  parish  at  Buffalo, 
Marquette  Co.,  AVis.  He  resided  at  Kingston  from  Aug.  7,  1884,  until  March 
IQ,  1886,  the  field  of  his  labors  covering  ten  townships. 

Father  Schiefen  was  then  transferred  to  St.  Anne's  parish,  St.  Anna, 
Calumet  Co.,  W'is.  Besides  ministering  to  a  large  home  parish,  he  had  charge 
of  St.  Peter  and  Paul's  Church  at  Kiel,  Calumet  Co.,  Wis.  This  latter  parish 
Father  Schiefen  organized  into  a  home  parish  with  a  resident  pastor.  WHiile 
located  at  St.  Anna,  he  made  a  trip  to  his  native  country  in  the  summer  of 
1891,  several  of  his  parishioners  joining  him  on  the  journey.  On  his  return 
he  brought  w'ith  him  a  cousin,  John  Feld,  who  is  now  pastor  of  St.  Mary's, 
Fennimore,  Wis.,  and  his  youngest  brother,  Edward,  who  is  pastor  of  St. 
Mary's,  Kansasville,  Wis.  Father  Schiefen  remained  at  St.  Anna  over  eight 
years,  working  successfully  in  church  and  school,  beloved  and  highlv  esteemed 
by  his  parishioners.  Among  various  improvements  upon  the  church  property 
made  under  his  charge  may  be  mentioned  a  commodious  parsonage  built  of 
solid  brick. 

WHien  St.  Alphonsus'  parish  of  New  Munster  became  vacant.  Father 
Schiefen  w'as  appointed  pastor  and  took  charge  on  July  26.  1894.  From  New 
Munster  Father  Schiefen  attended  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus  Church  at  Wil- 
mot.  St.  Alphonsus"  parish  of  New  Munster  is  one  of  the  oldest  parishes  in 
the  Archdiocese  of  Milwaukee.  The  early  Catholic  settlers  of  Wheatland 
first  belonged  to  St.  Mary's  congregation  at  Burlington.  From  the  year  1847 
the  priests  of  Burlington  came  to  New  Munster,  then  called  Wheatland,  offer- 
ing the  Holy  Sacrifice  and  administering  the  Holy  Sacraments  in  private 
houses.  On  Aug.  16.  1849,  St.  Alphonsus"  parish  was  organized  with  a  mem- 
bership of  thirty  families.  That  same  year  the  building  of  a  solid  stone  church 
and  parsonage  was  begun  and  on  Oct.  14,  185 1.  the  church  was  dedicated  by 
the  Right  Rev.  John  Martin  Henni,  then  Bishop  of  Milwaukee.  Rev.  Mar- 
tin Weiss  was  the  first  resident  pastor  and  Messrs.  Henry  Toelle.  Henrv 
Schuermann  and  Henry  Brueggemann  acted  as  the  first  trustees,  fointlv 
with  the  parish  was  established  a  parochial  school,  which  is  to-dav  attended 


S72  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

by  105  children.  The  parish  has  experienced  a  remarkable  growth  during 
the  last  decade  and  counts  at  present  125  families.  Among  the  many  pastors 
of  St.  Alphonsus'  Father  J.  W.  Blum  deserves  special  mention.  Under  his 
direction  the  present  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $12,000.  The  church  is 
a  beautiful  specimen  of  pure  Gothic  architecture. 

The  handsome  and  commodious  parsonage  of  to-day  was  built  b_\-  Father 
Schiefen  in  the  year  1895.  Father  Schiefen  has  resided  at  New  Munster 
longer  than  any  one  of  his  predecessors.  In  the  summer  of  1904  he  took 
practically  his  first  vacation  since  at  New  Munster,  making  a  trip  to  Europe. 
After  spending  some  weeks  at  the  old  home  with  his  aged  father  he  traveled 
through  Switzerland  and  Italy.  While  at  Rome  he  had  the  good  fortune 
to  be  received  in  audience  by  our  Holy  Father,  Pope  Pius  X.  Besides  the 
countries  mentioned,  he  visited  also  England  and  Ireland,  and  France  and 
Belgium.  He  was  accompanied  on  his  trip  by  his  cousin.  Rev.  John  Feld. 
Upon  his  return  from  abroad  his  parish  welcomed  him  home  with  a  reception 
warm  and  enthusiastic  as  it  was  spontaneous  and  expressive  of  the  happy 
relation  that  exists  between  him  and  his  Hock.  His  kindly  disposition,  com- 
bined with  prudence  of  method  and  a  keen  foresight,  have  not  only  made  his 
labors  spiritually  and  temporally  successful,  they  have  also  won  for  him  the 
highest  esteem  and  affection  of  his  parishioners.  Father  Schiefen's  popular- 
ity is  not  restricted,  however,  to  his  flock  and  parish.  He  is  cherished  by  his 
brother  priests  and  favorably  known  throughout  Kenosha  and  Racine 
Counties. 

CHARLES  C.  BROWN,  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Kenosha, 
is  liy  virtue  nf  his  relation  to  the  business  life  of  that  city  one  of  the  best 
known  men  in  cnmmerical  circles  there.  That  he  is  also  one  of  the  most 
trusted  is  due  to  his  consistently  upright  conduct,  both  in  his  present  position 
and  his  previous  connection  with  the  business  afifairs  of  Kenosha. 

Mr.  Brown's  parents,  Charles  C.  and  Katharine  (Lampson)  Brown, 
came  West  from  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  settling  in  Kenosha  in  the  early  days, 
when  it  was  still  known  as  Southport.  Mr.  Brown  carried  on  a  mercantile 
business  there  until  1858.  in  which  year  he  removed  to  Milwaukee,  con- 
tinuing there  in  the  same  line  until  the  close  of  his  life.  His  death,  which  oc- 
curred at  Fan  Claire.  Wis.,  in  1879,  was  very  sudden,  and  his  wife's  death 
occurred  in  Kenosha  in  1882.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  had  a  family  of  four  children,  namely :  Charles  C. ; 
Mrs.  H.  K.  Brooks,  of  Chicago:  Frank  L..  who  is  of  the  firm  of  Brown,  Wil- 
son &  Co..  New  York  and  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  and  Mrs.  Frank  L.  Bern- 
ritter,  of  Chicago,  Illinois. 

Charles  C.  Brown  was  born  May  20,  1854,  in  Kenosha,  and  was  a  mere 
child  when  the  family  removed  to  Milwaukee,  where  he  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated. He  attended  the  public  schools  and  an  academy  there,  and  was  but 
fifteen  when  he  left  school,  in  1868  returning  to  Kenosha  to  enter  the  employ 
of  Rouse  Simmons,  as  clerk.  After  seven  years'  service  with  him  he  purchased, 
in  partnership  with  Gilbert  M.  Simmons,  the  stock  of  his  employer,  and  for  two 
years  was  in  business  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Simmons  &  Brown.  Sub- 
sequentlv.  for  ten  years.  Mr.  Brown  was  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in  com- 
pany with  Seth  Doan,  the  pioneer  merchant  of  Southport,  their  stock  and  good- 


CO^LME^IORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  573 

will  being  disposed  of  to  William  l''isher  in  iSyo.  That  year  !Mr.  Brown  was 
elected  cashier  ol  the  I'irst  National  Bank,  and  he  has  held  that  position  con- 
tinuously until  the  present  time.  The  regard  in  which  he  was  held  by  busi- 
ness men  generally  is  amply  attested  by  the  fact  that  at  the  time  he  was  chosen 
cashier  of  the  bank  he  was  not  a  stockholder  in  the  institution,  his  selection  be- 
ing made  solely  upon  his  merits  as  a  business  man  and  his  tact  and  ability  in 
dealing  with  men  and  commercial  questions,  qualities  which  had  long  been 
noted  by  all  with  whom  he  was  associated,  and  which  have  commanded  that 
recognition  in  his  present  incumbency.  His  genial  disposition  has  won  him 
friends  as  well  as  admirers,  an  agreeable  state  of  affairs  not  general  enough 
to  pass  as  unworthy  of  notice.  Mr.  Brown  has  the  absolute  contidence  and  re- 
spect of  all  with  whom  he  has  dealings.  He  has  made  his  own  way  in  the 
world,  which  perhaps  accounts  in  a  measure  for  his  sympathy  and  liberality  with 
others  who  are  obliged  to  do  the  same,  for  on  this  as  on  all  questions  he  is 
fair-minded  and  liberal,  always  endeavoring  to  support  the  best  principles, 
whether  they  are  his  own  or  those  of  any  other  worthy  man. 

On  May  31,  1877,  Mr.  Brown  was  united  in  marriage  with  the  daughter 
of  his  business  associate,  Miss  Minnie  B.  Doan,  and  the  ceremony  was  the  first 
marriage  ceremony  performed  in  the  new  Episcopal  Church  of  Kenosha,  of 
which  both  are  members.  They  have  had  one  daughter,  Edith  M.  Mr.  Brown 
is  independent  in  his  political  activities,  supporting  the  candidates  and  measures 
he  deems  most  worthy,  regardless  of  their  political  connection.  He  may  be 
counted  on  to  do  what  he  considers  right,  in  all  the  relations  of  life. 

FRANK  JOSEPH  PRASCH,  who  conducts  a  pharmacy  in  Burlington, 
Wis.,  is  one  of  that  city's  prominent  and  influential  citizens  and  successful  busi- 
ness men.  He  was  born  Nov.  22,.  1858,  in  Burlington,  son  of  Jacob  and  Cath- 
erine (Kailing)  Prasch,  natives  of  Orb,  Germany. 

Jacob  Prasch,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was  born  at  Orli.  Germany,  and 
came  to  America  in  1844,  settling  at  once  in  Racine  county.  Wis.  He  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  Lyons  township,  upon  which  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  His  widow  lived  to  be  ninety-three  years  old.  On  the  maternal  side  Mr. 
Prasch's  grandfather  was  Jacob  Kailing,  who  worked  in  the  salt  works  at  Orb 
for  fiftv  years  and  served  in  the  German  army.  He  died  in  his  native  country 
at  the  age  of  eighty-two  vears.  The  Kailings  of  this  branch  of  the  family  are 
all  in  Europe  with  the  exception  of  Philip  Kailing,  a  cousin  of  Mr.  Prasch,  who 
resides  in  Milwaukee. 

Jacob  Prasch  followed  carpentering  in  his  native  country,  and.  on  com- 
ing to  America  settled  for  a  time  in  New  York  City,  where  he  worked  at  the 
carpenter's  trade.  He  came  West  to  Racine  county  among  the  early  settlers, 
and  took  up  forty  acres  of  Government  land  in  Lyons  township,  near  Spring 
Valley  Mills.  He  lived  on  this  land  for  a  number  of  years,  and  on  selling 
it  took  up  a  tract  of  120  acres  in  the  same  township.  After  living  there  for  a 
few  vears,  he  sold  out,  removing  to  the  city  of  Burhngton.  where  he  lived 
thirtv  or  thirty-five  years,  passing  the  last  sixteen  years  of  his  life  in  retirement. 
He  died  in  Burlington  IVIay  28,  1898.  agerl  eighty-one  years,  while  his  wife 
passed  away  aged  seventy-eight.  Both  were  among  the  first  members  of  the 
Catholic  Church  of  Burlington.  Eight  children  were  born  to  them,  three  of 
whom  are  now  living,  as  follows  :    Kate,  the  wife  of  Reinhardt  Briegel,  of  Lake 


574  COM-MEAIORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Geneva,  Wis. ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  August  Germann,  postmaster  at  North 
Bloomtield,  Wis.;  and  Erank  Joseph.  Ihe  deceased  were  as  follows:  Adam 
John,  who  was  organist  and  a  teacher  at  St.  Emanuel's  Catholic  Church,  in 
Dayton,  Ohio,  was  one  of  the  first  students  at  St.  Erancis"  Seminary,  and 
studied  for  the  priesthood ;  Ann  Margaret,  married  William  Dietrich,  of  Cass- 
ville;  Marie,  married  Nicholas  Gill,  of  Burlington;  Barbara  was  the  first  wife 
of  William  J.  Eink,  a  brewer  of  Burlington;  Martin  G..  who  died  Nov.  22, 
1903,  had  been  the  partner  of  his  brother  Erank  in  the  drug  business  from 
1877,  was  organist  of  St.  Mary's  congregation  for  thirty-two  years,  treasurer 
of  Burlington  high  school,  and  city  treasurer  for  three  years. 

Erank  Joseph  Prasch  attended  the  parochial  and  public  schools,  and  in 
1870  began  clerking  for  Henry  J.  Rittmann,  who  carried  on  a  general  store 
near  the  Catholic  church.  He  later  became  connected  with  J.  S.  Crane,  the 
general  merchant,  and  then  clerked  in  the  drug  store  of  Dr.  J.  H.  Cooper,  and 
afterward  for  Charley  Wood.  His  brother  Martin  G.  Prasch  bought  out  Mr. 
Wood,  and  our  subject  worked  for  his  brother  until  1881,  at  which  time  he 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  business.  Erank  J.  Prasch  also  took  a  course  in 
pharmacy  in  the  Illinois  College  of  Pharmacy.  The  brothers  were  associated 
in  the  drug  business  for  twenty-eight  years,  taking  the  firm  name  of  Prasch 
Brothers,  which  is  still  retained  by  Mr.  Prasch,  who  continues  the  business  with 
his  brother's  widow. 

On  Oct.  25,  1882,  Erank  Joseph  Prasch  and  Miss  Helen  Odenbrett  were 
united  in  marriage.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Johannes  and  Elizabeth  (Biegel) 
Odenljrett,  the  former  a  native  of  Koelin,  Germany,  and  the  latter  of  Baden, 
Germany.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Prasch  had  nine  children :  Philip ;  Lizzie,  the 
widow  of  Michael  Stolz,  of  Milwaukee;  Theresa,  the  wife  of  Henry  Stolz.  of 
Edgewater,  111.;  Maggie,  the  wife  of  Charles  Roth,  of  Milwaukee;  Anna,  the 
wife  of  Peter  Rummel,  of  Milwaukee;  Jacob,  of  Milwaukee;  Henry,  of  Chi- 
cago; William,  of  White.  S.  Dak.;  and  Helen,  the  wife  of  our  subject. 

Nine  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Erank  J.  Prasch,  as  fol- 
lows :  Armella  Theresa,  Cecelia  Victoria,  Roman  Martin,  Roman  Jacob, 
Erancis  Xaphier  Michael,  Roman  Erancis,  Helen,  Leo  and  Hildegard.  Roman 
Martin,  Roman  Jacob  and  Roman  Erancis  died  in  infancy.  Miss  Cecelia  Vic- 
toria is  a  violin  teacher,  and  took  lessons  at  the  Bush  Temple  of  Musicin  Chi- 
cago; she  graduated  from  St.  Catherine's  Academy  at  Racine,  and  also  took 
a  business  course  there,  as  did  his  sister,  Armella  Theresa.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Prasch  are  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  Burling- 
ton, of  which  Mr.  Prasch  was  organist  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  the  leader 
of  two  choirs,  the  adults'  and  the  children's.  He  was  director  of  C.  A.  Brown- 
son's  Cornet  Band  for  eight  years,  and  later  organized  the  Burlington  Cornet 
Band,  of  which  he  was  director  for  two  years.  Mr.  Prasch  belongs  to  the 
Sacred  Heart  Society,  the  St.  Cecelia  Society,  the  Catholic  Order  of  Eorest- 
ers.  the  Teutonia  Society  and  St.  Eustachius  Benevolent  Society. 

G.  HARRY  CURTIS,  a  prominent  business  man  and  influential  citizen 
of  Kenosha,  the  secretary  of  the  Chicago-Kenosha  Hosiery  Company  and  iden- 
tified with  various  other  enterprises  in  that  city,  has  during  his  residence  here 
won  for  himself  a  high  place  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  community. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  575 

He  was  bom  in  Chicago,  III,  March  20,  i860,  son  of  Henry  and  Lucy  (BeUj 
Curtis. 

Joel  Curtis,  the  paternal  great-grandfather,  was  a  clock  manufacturer  and 
learned  his  trade  while  working  beside  Seth  Thomas.  He  died  in  New  York 
when  somewhat  past  middle  life.  His  son,  George  S.  Curtis,  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut and  became  an  inventor  and  furniture  manufacturer.  He  was  rather 
prominent  locally,  serving  as  justice  of  the  peace,  besides  filling  several  minor 
offices.  He  and  his  wife,  Thena  (Miller)  Curtis,  reared  a  small  family  and 
lived  to  a  good  old  age. 

Henry  Curtis,  son  of  George  S.,  was  born  in  New  York  State.  He  in- 
herited his  father's  in\-entive  genius  and  devoted  his  life  to  such  occupations. 
In  1840  he  went  to  Chicago,  later  locating  in  southern  Illinois,  but  he  returned 
to  the  city  in  1856  and  lived  there  until  1900,  when  he  came  to  Kenosha,  now 
making  his  home  with  his  son.  He  married  Miss  Lucy  Bell,  who  was  born  in 
Ireland,  and  died  in  1893,  aged  fifty  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  three 
children  :  G.  Harry,  of  Kenosha ;  Lewis  E..  of  Chicago ;  and  Eva  C,  also  of 
that  city,  unmarried.    Mrs.  Curtis  was  an  Episcopalian. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  G.  Harry  Curtis  was  a  native  of  Scotland, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  on  an  extensive  scale.  Coming  to  America 
he  settled  at  Southport,  and  lived  there  in  retirement  until  his  death.  He  had 
a  large  family. 

G.  Harry  Curtis  passed  his  boyhood  in  Chicago,  where  he  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools.  On  leaving  school  he  became  an  errand  boy  for  a  while, 
and  then  went  East,  where  he  worked  for  a  year  in  the  harvester  works  of  Wil- 
liam Anson  Woods.  Returning  to  Chicago  he  was  employed  for  four  or  five 
years  as  assistant  cashier  for  the  William  Deering  Company,  and  then  worked 
two  years  with  the  Walter  A.  Woods  Manufacturing"  Company.  He  was  next 
oiYered  the  position  of  acting  cashier  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Broken 
Bow,  Xeb.,  and  accepting  it  spent  five  years  in  that  place.  His  next  offer  came 
from  the  Commercial  Loan  &  Trust  Company's  Bank,  in  Chicago,  and  he  went 
back  to  that  city  to  become  the  paying  teller  of  that  institution.  He  next 
entered  the  office  of  the  Chicago-Rockford  Hosiery  Company,  continuing  with 
same  until  1903,  when  the  name  was  changed  to  the  Chicago- Kenosha  Hosiery 
Company.  The  establishment  was  moved  to  Kenosha  in  1893.  For  the  past 
vear  Mr.  Curtis  has  held  the  office  of  secretary  of  the  company  .  It  is  a  large 
concern,  employing  over  eleven  hundred  people. 

Mr.  Curtis  was  married  Jan.  17.  1886.  to  Miss  Minnie  Gibson,  daughter 
of  George  and  Frances  (Toombs)  Gibson,  and  four  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union :  Percy  Gibson.  Ralph  George,  Herbert  Harry  and  Harold  Con- 
way. Their  residence  is  at  No.  967  Prairie  avenue.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Curtis  are 
members  of  the  Congregational  Church  and  active  workers  in  it,  Mr.  Curtis 
being  one  of  the  deacons ;  he  is  also  a  director  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  an  institu- 
tion in  which  he  takes  a  vital  intertest.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  in- 
fluential in  the  party  locally,  for  he  has  always  sought  to  do  his  full  duty  as  a 
citizen  and  has  been  active  in  municipal  affairs.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the 
board  of  aldermen,  representing  the  Third  ward,  and  is  president  of  the  board 
of  police  and  fire  commissioners. 

Mr.  Curtis  was  endowed  by  nature  with  unusual  capacity  in  business  af- 
fairs and  this  ability  was  early  recognized  by  his  employers.    His  services  have 


576  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

always  been  in  demand,  and  his  energy,  acumen,  sound  judgment  and  devotion 
to  his  employers'  interests  have  brougnt  him  to  his  present  responsible  position. 
where  he  is  a  recognized  power  in  Kenosha's  financial  circles.  He  has  other 
interests  aside  from  the  Chicago-Kenosha  Company,  being  secretary  of  the 
Cooper  Underwear  Company,  and  a  director  of  the  Racine  Building  &  Loan 
Association. 

ERED  J.  BUELL,  a  highly  esteemed  citizen  of  Burlington,  Wis.,  holds 
the  responsible  position  of  postmaster  at  that  city,  having  been  appointed  in 
1904.  He  was  born  July  9,  i860,  in  Beloit,  Wis.,  son  of  Thomas  W.  and 
Clara  L.   (Thurston)   Buell,  natives  of  New  York  State. 

Three  Buell  brothers  came  from  England  to  America  in  the  seventeenth 
century  and  settled  in  New  Hampshire.  From  a  letter  from  Thomas  W. 
Buell,  to  his  son,  Ered  J.,  dated  Milwaukee,  March  3,  1905,  we  have  the  fol- 
lowing record  in  his  own  language :  "Dear  Ered :  Concerning  your  paternal 
ancestry,  I  have  the  record  back  to  16 10,  as  follows  :  William  Buell,  born  at 
Chesterdon,  in  Huntingdonshire,.  England,  born  in  16 10.  He  was  the  first 
to  come  to  America,  and  no  doubt  he  was  a  Puritan.  He  landed  at  Nan- 
tucket, June  12,  1630.  It  will  be  remembered  that  Charles  I  came  to  the 
throne  in  1625,  and  that  he  was  a  cruel  and  oppressive  leader,  false  to  the 
core,  and  w'as  beheaded  Jan.  30,  1649.  No  doubt  that  William  Buell  came 
to  America  with  others  to  escape  religious  persecution.  He  died  in  1681. 
Succeeding  generations  down  to  your  grandfather  are  as  follows:  (II) 
Samuel  Buell,  first  child  of  William  Buell,  born  in  Windsor,  Conn.,  Sept. 
2,  1641,  died  July  11,  1720. 

(III)  "General  Samuel  Buell,  first  child  of  Samuel  Buell,  born  at  Wind- 
sor, Conn.,  July  20,  1663,  died  Nov.  2,  1732. 

(IV)  "Joseph  Buell,  eleventh  child  of  General  Samuel  Buell,  was  born  at 
Killingworth,  Aug.  24,  1710. 

(V)  "Thomas  Buell  (my  grandfather)  was  the  tenth  child  of  Joseph 
Buell.  He  was  born  at  Somers,  Conn.,  May  15,  1756,  and  married  Irene 
Blodgett,  daughter  of  Captain  John  Blodgett,  of  Hartford,  Conn.  He  died 
at  Lebanon,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  i,  1820. 

"Concerning  your  maternal  ancestry,  the  records  show  that  your  grand- 
father, Jonathan  Thurston,  was  born  at  Eitchburg,  Mass.,  May  8,  1785,  and 
your  grandmother,  Abigail  (Allen)  Thurston,  was  born  at  Eitchburg,  Mass., 
Dec.  8,  1786.  They  were  married  April  28,  1806.  They  removed  to  the 
State  of  New  York,  Chenango  county,  about  1825.  Your  mother.  Clara 
L.,  was  born  in  Smyrna,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  19,  1828,  and  was  the  youngest  of  ten 
children.  Your  grandfather  died  at  Burlington,  Wis.,  Aug.  20,  1855.  Your 
grandmother  died  at  Burlington.  Wis.,  Sept.  4,  1867.  Your  mother  died  at 
Burlington,  Wis.,  Nov.  24,  1868." 

(\^I)  Joseph  Buell,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  na- 
tive of  New  York,  torn  in  Lebanon.  Madison  county.  He  and  his  wife, 
Permelia  (Stowell)  Buell.  had  eight  children,  and  of  this  family  Thomas  W., 
was  the  father  of  our  subject. 

(VII)    Tlinmas  W.  Buell  was  depot  agent  at  Burlington  from   1856  to 


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COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  577 

i860  for  the  old  Racine  &  Mississippi  Railroad  Company,  and  in  the  lat- 
ter 'year  removed  to  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  being  agent  there  tor  the 
next  three  years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he  moved  back  to  Burlmgton  and 
eno-ao-ed  in  general  merchandising,  which  he  carried  on  for  a  short  time.  Mr. 
Budrthen  took  up  life  insurance  and  was  general  agent  in  the  agent  and  loan 
departments  for  the  Northwestern  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  of  Wis- 
consin, for  eighteen  years.  He  now  lives  in  Milwaukee,  having  removed 
there  in  1869,  and  is  president  of  the  Associated  Charities  there.  His  first 
wife  Clara  L.  Thurston,  died  in  1868,  aged  forty  years.  She  was  a  member 
of  the  Congregational  Church,  as  is  also  Mr.  Buell.  By  this  marriage  three 
children  were  born :  Charles,  who  died  aged  twenty-six  years ;  Myron,  who 
died  aged  fifteen  years;  and  Fred  J.  Thomas  W.  Buell  married  (second) 
Mary  E.  Bliss,  of  Readstown.  Vernon  Co.,  W^is.,  and  to  this  union  were  born 
three  children :  Florence,  who  married  Dr.  J.  F.  Brown,  physician  and  sur- 
geon in  the  prison  at  Waupun,  has  three  children,  Kenneth,  David  and  Mar- 
garet; Dudley,  a  lawyer  of  South  IMcAlester,  I.  T. ;  and  Victor,  cashier  of  a 
bank  at  Krebs.  Indian  Territory. 

Fred  J.  Buell  was  but  one  year  old  when  brought  to  Burlington  by  his 
parents,  and  here  he  was  reared  and  attended  the  public  schools,  afterward 
spending  a  few  years  in  the  Seventh  ward  and  High  schools  of  Milwaukee. 
The  next  five  years  Mr.  Buell  put  in  on  a  farm  near  Burlington,  and  then 
engaged  in  the  hardware  business  for  ten  years,  after  which  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  his  father-in-law  in  the  general  merchandise  business,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Theodore  Riel  Company,  continuing  in  that  until  Mr.  Riel's  death 
in  the  summer  of  1904.  Mr.  Riel  was  postmaster  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
and  Mr.  Buell  was  his  deputy,  he  being  appointed  postmaster  after  the  death 
of  his  chief.     That  office  he  still  holds. 

On  Oct.  7.  1885,  Mr.  Buell  married  Miss  Carrie  ]\I.  Riel,  daughter  of 
Theodore  and  Martha  (Bradshaw)  Riel.  and  three  children  were  born  to  this 
union:  Nora,  Theodore  and  Persis.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buell  are  members  of 
the  Plymouth  Congregational  Church,  in  which  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 
choir  and  a  trustee  for  the  past  sixteen  years,  or  longer.  Politically  he  is  a 
Rcpulalican,  and  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  school  board. 

Theodore  Riel  was  born  in  Berlin.  Germany.  Feb.  22,  1843.  and  came  to 
this  country  in  1848,  settling  with  his  parents  on  a  farm  near  Burlington 
when  he  was  but  five  years  old.  In  this  community  he  resided  until  the  time 
of  his  death.  When  the  first  gun  was  fired  on  Fort  Sumter,  he  espoused  the 
Union  cause,  and  on  Aug.  i,  1862,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  22d  Regiment, 
Wis.  V.  I.  He  served  his  country  faithfully,  and  among  the  battles  in  which 
he  engaged  may  be  mentioned:  Resaca,  Ga.,  Cassville,  Dallas,  Kenesaw 
Mountain.  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Atlanta,  Monteith  Swamp.  Savannah,  Averys- 
boro  and  Bentonville.  At  the  battle  of  Resaca,  where  the  comrade  carrying 
the  flag  of  the  regiment  fell  dead,  Theodore  Riel  seized  the  banner  and  held 
it  aloft  through  the  storm  of  shot  and  shell,  until  he  went  with  his  surviving 
comrades  on  to  victory.  He  was  with  Sherman  in  the  great  Atlanta  cam- 
paign and  in  that  famous  General's  march  to  the  sea,  and  rounded  up  at  the 
Grand  Review  on  Pennsylvania  avenue.  W^ashington,  D.  C.  at  the  close  of 
the  war,  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  June  12,   1865.     He  returned  to 


578  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

his  old  home  in  BurHngton.  where  the  remainder  of  his  Hfe  was  spent  in  the 
mercantile  business.  He  was  chosen  commander  of  Luther  Crane  Post,  No. 
201,  G.  A.  R.,  for  several  years  in  succession,  and  was  senior  commander  of 
the  Department  of  Wisconsin,  and  a  member  of  the  Council  of  Administra- 
tion. In  February,  1900,  he  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Burlington,  by 
President  McKinley,  and  re-appointed  in  1904  by  President  Roosevelt.  His 
death  occurred  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  E.  J.  C.  Sward,  in  Oak- 
land, Neb.,  June  22,  1904. 

The  father  of  our  subject  also  prepared  a  genealogical  and  biographical 
history  of  the  family  in  1895,  from  which  we  take  the  following  interesting 
facts  in  his  own  language,  written  to  his  brothers  and  sisters : 

"Grandfather  and  Grandmother  Buell,  with  seven  or  eight  children,  emi- 
grated from  their  New  Haiupshire  home  to  the  then  far  distant  West.  They 
traveled  by  the  most  approved  methods  of  the  times.  Household  furniture 
and  wearing  apparel  packed  in  the  Saratogas  of  the  times,  with  the  seven 
or  eight  children,  were  loaded  into  a  single  cart,  to  which  were  attached  two 
o.x-teams.  followed  by  one  or  more  milch  cows.  In  this  manner  the  journey 
over  the  New  England  mountains  was  undertaken.  Arriving  at  their  desti- 
nation, to  wit,  Lebanon,  Madison  Co.,  N.  Y..  at  a  date  not  positively  known 
to  the  writer,  they  invested  in  land  at  five  dollars  per  acre.  Their  first  and 
most  necessary  tool  was  the  axe.  Trees  were  felled  and  burned,  a  garden  spot 
prepared,  and  civilization  introduced  as  rapidly  as  strength  and  means  w-ould 
permit.  A  log  house  was  soon  erected,  with  split  logs  for  its  floor,  and  your 
and  my  father  was  the  first  child  born  in  this  humble  cottage ;  to  preserve 
their  artistic  floor  from  damage  by  his  little  knees  in  creeping,  he  was  per- 
mitted to  wear  leather  aprons. 

"On  the  other  side,  we  find  as  stated  that  our  grandparents.  Dr.  Joseph 
and  Content  (Alexander)  Stowell,  emigrated  from  Winchester,  N.  H.,  in 
1802,  with  one  child,  and  that  our  own  mother,  who  was  then  two  years  of 
age.  This  being  a  period  of  somewhat  later  date  than  that  of  the  emigration 
of  Grandfather  Buell's  family,  it  was  but  natural  that  there  should  be  nn- 
provements  in  the  modes  of  traveling.  It  is  true  that  neither  steam  or  elec- 
tricity were  then  available,  but  a  single  ox-team  with  a  horse  in  the  lead  was 
■considered  an  improvement,  and  with  this  power  attached  our  grandparents 
with  all  their  wordly  goods,  together  with  our  infant  mother,  were  packed 
into  an  ox-cart,  and  hauled  to  their  Western  home  near  Earlville,  Madison 
Co.,  X.  Y.  We  are  not  advised  that  even  a  cow  could  be  persuaded  to  follow. 
With  these  interesting  surroundings,  our  parents,  living  not  more  than  two 
miles  apart,  grew  to  manhood   and  womanhood  together. 

"The  pioneer  vmdertakings  of  our  ancestors  have,  I  believe,  ne\er  been 
largely  imitated  or  followed  by  succeeding  generations,  except  perhaps  in  a 
single  instance,  and  of  recent  date,  when  the  sixth  member  of  our  tribe,  be- 
coming a  little  weary  of  his  adopted  home  in  a  W'estern  State,  packed  his  bed 
and  other  traps  into  a  'prairie  schooner,'  the  motive  power  of  which  was  a 
pair  of  mustang  ponies,  and  with  his  wife  crossed  the  plains  of  Illinois,  and 
through  the  blue  grass  valleys  of  Kentucky,  across  the  mountains  of  Tenn- 
essee, where  even  the  rabbits  have  too  high  regard  for  life  to  dare  to  travel. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  579 

anil  on  through  the  black  belts  of  Alabama  and  Mississippi,  into  Louisiana, 
where  the  sun  is  always  expected  to  shine." 

GUSTAVE  \'.  KRADWELL,  president  and  treasurer  of  The  Kradwell- 
Thiesen  Drug  Company,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  is  one  of  that  city's  leading  and  in- 
fluential citizens.  He  was  born  in  Boscobel,  Wis.,  July  6,  1867,  son  of  Vandy 
and  Elizabeth  (Weibel)  Kradwell,  the  former  a  native  of  Austria  and  the  lat- 
ter of  Switzerland. 

Albert  Kradwell.  the  grandfather  of  Gustave  V.,  was  a  native  of  Austria 
and  came  here  after  his  sons  had  located.  He  followed  farming  in  his  native 
country,  and  continued  the  same  after  locating  in  Wisconsin.  He  died  in  Grant 
county,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  He  and  his  wife  had  a  large  family.  Ben- 
jamin Weibel,  the  maternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Switzerland. 

Vandy  Kradwell  ran  away  from  home  wdien  twelve  years  of  age  to  escape 
service  in  the  Austrian  army,  and  coming  to  America  settled  in  Grant  county. 
Wis.,  where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade,  and  en- 
gaged in  business  as  a  boot  and  shoe  merchant  for  a  number  of  years.  Air. 
Kradwell  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Boscobel  by  President  Cleveland,  and 
died  while  holding  that  office  in  1895,  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  His  widow 
still  survives.  Mrs.  Kradwell  has  always  been  a  Lutheran,  while  her  husband 
was  a  Catholic.  However,  he  joined  the  Masons  and  Odd  Fellows  fraterni- 
ties. During  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Kradwell  enlisted  in  Company  I.  20th  Wis. 
V.  I.,  serving  in  the  sutler's  department.  After  Mr.  Kradwell's  death  his 
daughter.  Miss  Ida,  who  had  been  his  assistant  in  the  post  oflice,  was  appointed 
to  fill  the  unexpired  term,  which  she  did.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kradwell  were 
born  children  as  follows:  Gustave  V..  Miss  Ida  C,  Frank  A.,  Wieland  W., 
Benjamin  S.,  Dr.  William  T.  and  Louis  J. 

Gustave  V.  Kradwell  was  reared  at  Boscobel,  and  there  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools.  He  graduated  from  high  school  in  1886,  and  then  entered  the 
University  of  Wisconsin,  graduating  from  the  pharmacy  department  in  1891. 
He  began  his  pharmaceutical  practice  in  Madison,  where  he  remained  until 
1892,  when  he  came  to  Racine,  clerking  for  about  nine  months,  and  then 
became  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Robinson  Drug  Company,  of  wdiich  he 
was  secretary.  This  company  was  incorporated  in  1895,  although  it  had  ex- 
isted prior  to  that  time.  The  corporate  name  was  changed  to  The  Kradwell- 
Thiesen  Drug  Company,  and  Mr.  Kradwell  was  made  the  president  and  treas- 
urer in  1903.  The  company  has  five  large  and  well  appointed  stores  in  Ra- 
cine.    Mr.  Kradwell  is  secretary  of  the  Citizens  Telephone  Company. 

On  Nov.  6,  1895,  Mr.  Kradwell  married  Miss  Nettie  Clark,  daughter  of 
Harvey  and  Eliza  Jane  (Skiff)  Clark,  and  to  this  union  were  born  two  chil- 
dren :  Richard  Gustave  and  Frederick  Clark,  the  former  of  whom  died  at  the 
age  of  ten  months.  Mrs.  Kradwell  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church. 
Mr.  Kradw-ell  is  a  member  of  Grant  Lodge,  No.  169,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Bosco- 
bel;  Orient  Chapter,  No.  12,  R.  A.  M. ;  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  K.  T. ; 
is  a  32d  degree  Scottish  Rite  Mason ;  and  also  belongs  to  Tripoli  Temple, 
Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  also  belongs  to  Racine  Lodge,  No.  32,  K. 
of  P. :  to  the  Elks,  and  to  the  Maccabees,  being  finance  keeper  in  the  last  named 
organization.     Politically  Mr.  Kradwell  is  indepenflent,  voting  rather  for  the 


58o  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

man  than  the  party.    His  residence,  at  No.  1705  Wisconsin  street,  is  one  of  the 
fine  homes  of  Racine. 

JAMES  BRYANT,  a  prominent  farmer  of  Bristol  townsliip,  Kenosha 
county,  is  one  of  the  old  residents  of  the  section,  having  made  his  home  there 
for  half  a  century.  He  was  born  in  Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  31,  1827,  a 
son  of  Jonas  and  Mary  (Seism)  Bryant,  both  natives  of  that  State. 

Jonas  Bryant  was  a  son  of  Herman  Bryant,  who  died  well  advanced  in 
years,  at  his  home  in  Columbia  county,  N.  Y.  Jonas  Bryant  was  a  blacksmith 
by  trade  but  spent  the  latter  half  of  his  life  in  farming.  He  left  New  York 
for  Wisconsin  in  1845,  and,  locating  in  Salem  township,  worked  land  on  shares 
for  some  time.  About  1852  he  removed  to  Bristol  towaiship  and  spent  the 
rest  of  his  life  there.  His  death  occurred  in  1893,  at  the  age  of  ninety-three, 
but  his  wife  had  passed  away  some  years  previously,  when  over  seventy  years 
old.  While  not  identified  with  any  church,  both  were  of  a  religious  tempera- 
ment and  in  their  lives  displayed  admirable  characters.  They  were  the  parents 
of  six  children,  viz. :  Charity,  Mrs.  Eli  Bloss,  of  Salem,  Wis. ;  James :  Mar- 
garet; Herman,  of  Bristol;  Susan,  deceased  wife  of  John  Brazee;  and  Jane, 
deceased.  The  maternal  grandparents  of  James  Bryant  were  of  the  state  of 
New  York  and  there  they  died  at  an  advanced  age. 

Although  born  in  Otsego  county,  N.  Y..  James  Bryant  grew  up  on  a  farm 
in  Columbia  county  and  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  there. 
He  lived  at  home  till  seventeen  or  eighteen,  but  after  his  parents  moved  West, 
he  remained  in  the  East  and  learning  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  was 
engaged  for  some  years  in  that  occupation.  In  1852  he  made  a  trip  to  Wis- 
consin to  look  over  the  country,  and  in  1854  and  1855  repeated  the  visit.  In 
the  latter  year  he  bought  107  acres  and  in  1856  went  to  Wisconsin  to  locate 
permanently,  following  his  trade  there  for  about  five  years.  In  the  spring  of 
i860  he  journeyed  with  an  ox-team  overland  to  Pike's  Peak,  to  prospect  for 
gold,  but  while  he  did  some  mining,  he  decided  not  to  remain  and  in  October 
of  the  same  year  he  returned  to  Wisconsin  and  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  bought  120  acres  more  but  has 
sold  two  and  one-half  acres  to  the  railroad.  He  built  a  handsome  residence 
on  the  second  tract  and  has  made  it  his  permanent  home.  In  addition  to  farm- 
ing he  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  stock.  Of  late 
years  he  has  given  up  shipping,  but  still  continues  to  buy  and  feed  stock.  He 
has  been  most  successful  in  his  operations  and  is  one  of  the  leading  agricultur- 
ists of  the  region. 

On  March  16,  1868.  James  Bryant  was  united  in  marriage  to  Lenora, 
daughter  of  Alanson  and  Hannah  (Curtis)  Shumway.  The  two  children  bom 
to  this  union  were:  Etta  M.,  ^Irs.  Rollin  B.  Price,  of  :\It.  Carroll,  111.,  who 
has  one  son.  Earl  M. ;  and  George  E..  unmarried,  who  is  the  manager  of  his 
father's  farm.  Mrs.  Bryant  died  April  13.  1895,  aged  fifty-four  years.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church,  which  her  husband  also  attended.  T^Ir. 
and  Mrs.  Shumway,  Mrs.  Bryant's  parents,  were  natives  of  New  York,  but 
settled  in  Bristol  township,  Kenosha  county,  in  the  early  days.  Both  lived  to 
old  age,  the  husband  dying  when  over  eighty,  a  few  years  after  his  wife's  de- 
mise.   They  had  six  children,  of  whom  the  following  three  are  living:    James, 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  581 

of  Bristol  township;  Marietta,  who  married  tiie  late  Walter  Hale,  of  Bristol; 
and  Curtis,  of  Los  Angeles,  California. 

On  Dec.  3,  1896,  Mr.  Bryant  was  married  a  second  time,  the  lady  chosen 
being  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Tabor,  widow  of  George  S.  Tabor  and  a  daughter  of  Rob- 
ert and  Mary  E.  (Williams)  Best.  Mrs.  Bryant  had  one  son  by  her  first  mar- 
riage, who  died  unmarried.  Mr.  Bryant  was  again  left  a  widower  after  seven 
years  of  companionship,  his  wife  passing  away  Aug.  8,  1903,  aged  seventy- 
three. 

James  Bryant,  while  a  well-known  man  in  the  township,  and  a  lifelong 
Democrat,  has  never  taken  any  part  in  politics,  devoting  his  time  to  his  ex- 
tensive business  interests.  Fraternally  he  belongs  to  Washburn  Lodge,  No. 
145,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  to  Kenosha  Chapter,  Red  Men  of  America. 

JACOB  C.  LUND,  treasurer  of  the  Racine-Sattley  Company,  manufac- 
turers of  carriages,  buggies,  wagons  and  implements,  at  Racine,  Wis.,  was 
born  at  Drammen,  Norway,  Feb.  24,  1870.  His  parents.  Martin  and  Thorine 
(Olsen)  Lund,  also  natives  of  that  country,  had  eight  children,  four  sons  and 
four  daughters,  six  of  whom  are  living :  George  Otto,  of  Chicago ;  Thora, 
wife  of  J.  C.  Wheeler,  of  Racine;  Carl  Lott,  of  Chicago;  Augusta,  wife  of 
James  Gorton,  of  Racine;  Helga,  wife  of  George  G.  Roberts,  of  Racine,  and 
Jacob  C,  of  that  city.  The  father  was  a  cabinetmaker,  and  came  to  America 
in  1870,  locating  in  Racine,  where  he  engaged  in  his  trade.  He  continued 
this  until  his  death,  in  1884,  when  he  was  fifty-six  years  old.  His  widow,  who 
still  survives  him  and  lives  in  Racine,  has  just  passed  her  seventy-eighth  birth- 
day.    Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lund  were  Lutherans. 

Jacob  C.  Lund  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Racine,  where  he  attended  the 
public  schools.  He  then  entered  the  dry-goods  house  of  Martin  Clancy  for 
two  years,  after  which  he  took  a  position  as  office  boy  with  the  Racine  Wagon 
&  Carriage  Company,  and  was  gradually  promoted,  in  1899  being  made  treas- 
urer of  that  company.  L'pon  the  consolidation  of  the  Racine  Wagon  &  Car- 
riage Company,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  and  the  Sattley  Alanufacturing  Company, 
of  Spring'field,  III.,  into  the  Racine-Sattley  Company,  Mr.  Lund  was  made 
treasurer  of  the  cou'pany.  At  the  Racine  plant  they  employ  from  eight  hun- 
dred to  one  thousand  hands,  and  in  the  Springfield  plant  from  four  .hundred 
to  five  hundred  hands,  the  concern  being  the  largest  of  the  kind  in  the  United 
States. 

On  July  12,  1893,  ^I''-  Lund  married  Miss  Louise  Goehner,  daughter  of 
Carl  and  Matilda  Goehner,  and  two  sons  have  been  born  to  this  union,  Carl 
Howard  and  Burton  Goehner.  The  pleasant  family  home,  at  No.  1805  Col- 
lege avenue,  was  built  by  Mr.  Lund  in  1901.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lund  are  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Congregational  Church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Ar- 
canum and  the  National  Union. 

REUBEN  LE  ROY  BASSETT.  one  of  the  best  known  of  the  old  su- 
tlers of  Kenosha  county,  who  was  station  agent  at  Bassett  for  thirty  years,  and 
postmaster  for  a  like  period,  is  now  living  retired.  He  was  born  in  Washing- 
ton county,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  12,  1822.  son  of  Henry  and  Deborah  (Norton)  Bas- 
sett. the  former  of  Martha's  Vineyard.  Mass..  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Cani- 
t ridge  township,  Washington  Co.,  New  York. 


582  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Tlie  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  native  of  England,  and 
was  a  sea-faring  man.  On  coming  to  America  he  settled  in  Washington  coun- 
ty, N.  Y.,  where  he  purchased  a  fine  farm,  later  buying  one  on  the  Hudson 
river,  near  Fort  ^filler,  where  he  died  at  ^n  advanced  age.  On  the  maternal 
side  our  subject  is  a  grandson  of  Elijah  Norton,  who  was  known  as  Capt. 
Norton,  having  been  a  captain  during  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  was  born 
April  9,  1759,  and  married  Rebecca  Moore  at  Martha's  Vineyard,  Oct.  13, 
1785 ;  she  was  born  Jan.  25,  1766.  They  had  eleven  children  :  Elizabeth,  born 
Aug.  14,  1786;  Deborah,  Aug.  12,  1788;  Eunice.  May  18.  1790;  Robert,  Sept. 
26,  1792;  Anna  M.,  June  23,  1794;  Reuben  M.,  Sept.  20,  1796;  Alexander, 
Feb.  II,  1799:  Susanna  B.,  Oct.  22,  1800;  Rebecca,  Jan.  2t,,  1803;  Lydia,  Jan. 
8,  1805;  and  Delia,  June  27,  1806.  One  of  the  above  named  sons,  Reuben 
Norton,  was  the  first  mayor  of  Racine,  Wis.,  was  the  first  president  of  the 
Western  Union  Railroad  Company,  and  threw  the  first  shovelful  of  dirt  when 
the  grading  of  that  road  was  commenced. 

Henry  Bassett,  father  of  Reuben  L.,  followed  farming  principally,  but 
also  had  other  business  interests.  He  was  a  captain  in  the  war  of  181 2.  He 
was  a  pioneer  of  Randall  township,  coming  here  in  1842,  and  purchasing  a 
farm  of  120  acres,  upon  which,  after  improvements  were  made,  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  born  Aug.  19,  1785,  and  died  Oct.  2,  1848, 
while  his  wife,  born  Aug.  12,  1788.  died  April  4,  1872.  Their  children  were: 
Eliza,  born  April  2,  1805,  died  Oct.  11,  1879;  Sophie,  born  Aug.  22,  1807, 
died  Aug.  24,  1807;  Emeline,  born  Sept.  14,  1808,  died  March  i.  1900:  Mary 
Ann,  born  Nov.  17,  1810,  is  deceased;  Elnora,  born  Oct.  21.  1813,  died  March 
5,  1904;  Elijah  Norton,  born  May  5,  1817,  died  June  30,  1903;  John  Henry, 
born  July  12,  1819,  is  deceased:  Reuben  LeRoy  was  born  Jan.  12,  1822; 
Charles  B.,  born  April  24,  1824.  died  April  5,  1825:  Edgar  was  born  Jan.  14, 
1826:  Alexander,  born  May  29,  1828,  is  deceased;  Helen  F..  born  Nov.  6, 
1830,  is  deceased;  and  Julia  Norton,  born  Nov.  6,  1835,  '^  deceased.  The 
family  were  members  of  tlie  Presbyterian  Church. 

Reuben  LeRoy  Bassett  was  reared  in  Washington  county,  N.  Y.,  and 
there  received  his  education.  He  lived  with  his  grandfather  Norton  from  the 
time  he  was  twelve  tmtil  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age,  then  going  to  Troy, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  learned  the  coachmaker's  trade  with  Eaton  &  Gilbert,  a  busi- 
ness which  he  followed  altogether  about  ten  years.  He  came  to  Wisconsin 
in  1846,  and  located  at  his  father's  place  in  Randall  township  for  two  years, 
after  which  he  he  spent  two  years  in  Racine,  and  while  there  erected  a  grain 
warehouse  and  a  bridge  pier  in  Lake  Michigan.  After  a  time  he  sold  out  and 
returned  to  the  home  farm,  which  has  been  his  home  ever  since.  The  village 
of  Bassett  is  mostlv  built  on  this  farm,  and  was  named  for  the  Bassett  family. 

On  Jan.  5,  1854,  Mr.  Bassett  married  Mrs.  Sarah  Elizabeth  Van  Ness, 
daughter  of  John  and  Lucy  (Baldwin)  Bessey,  and  to  this  union  came  seven 
children:  Henry,  born  Oct.  24,  1854,  died  Oct.  12,  1877;  Harvey  Church, 
born  May  i,  1857,  died  Aug.  13,  1877;  Howard  LeRoy.  born  Feb.  24,  1861, 
died  April  13.  1862;  Deborah,  born  Aug.  16,  1864,  died  Nov.  24.  187s; 
George  was  born  Jan.  15,  1868;  Edgar,  Oct.  11,  1870,  and  Sarah  Elizabeth, 
Aug.  12.  1873.  George  and  Edgar  are  general  merchants  of  Bissett.  Sarah 
Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  G.  Barton,  of  Chicag<i,  and  they  have  two 
children.  Elizabeth  and  William  LeRov. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  583 

Mrs.  Sarah  Elizabeth  Bassett  had  one  daughter  by  her  former  marriage, 
Charlotte  Catherine,  wlio  married  Benjamin  Richter,  both  being  now  deceased. 
They  had  two  daughters  and  one  son :  Delwrah,  of  Chicago ;  Maude,  the 
wife  of  John  Barton,  of  near  Rockford,  III.,  and  Reuben  L. 

Mrs.  Bassett's  parents  were  natives  of  New  York  State,  and  at  an  early 
day  removed  to  Michigan,  and  thence  to  Wisconsin,  settling  in  the  township 
of  Wheatland,  Kenosha  county,  among  the  very  first  settlers  of  that  township. 
Mrs.  Bassett's  father,  John  Bessey,  owned  a  tract  of  640  acres  of  land  in  that 
township,  where  he  resided  until  his  death.  His  wife  survived  him  a  number 
of  years,  being  eighty  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  They  had  a  family 
of  eleven  children,  of  whom  but  three  are  now  living,  namely :  John  Bessey ; 
Mariette,  the  wife  of  Harry  Varguson,  a  farmer  of  Floyd  county,  Iowa,  and 
Sarah  Elizabeth. 

In  addition  to  carrying  on  agricultural  operations  Mr.  Bassett  acted  as 
station  agent  at  Bassett  for  over  thirty  years,  and  as  postmaster  for  about  the 
same  length  of  time.  He  has  held  various  township  offices,  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Wisconsin  Assembly  for  one  term.  He  and  his  estimable  wife  are 
honored  and  esteemed  for  their  many  sterling  traits  of  character. 

ADOLPH  WEBER,  ex-mayor  of  Racine.  Wis.,  and  a  progressive  and 
public-spirited  citizen,  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  sash,  doors  and  blinds. 
He  was  born  in  the  Rhine  Proxince,  Germany,  Nov.  2^,  1843,  one  of  the  two 
sons  of  Philip  and  Agnes  (Fleischer)  Weber,  natives  of  Germany,  the  other 
son  being  named  x\nthony. 

The  grandparents  of  our  subject,  both  paternal  and  maternal,  died  in 
their  native  country,  Germany.  Philip  W^eber,  the  father  of  Adolph,  was  a 
shoe  manufacturer  in  Sinzig,  Prussia,  where  he  died  about  1846.  His  widow 
survived  him  a  few  years,  until  1849  o''  1850,  when  she  passed  away,  in  the 
faith  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  to  which  her  husband  had  also  belonged. 

Adolph  Weber  lived  in  Germany  until  his  twelfth  year,  and  there  attended 
the  public  schools.  In  1856  he  came  to  America  with  his  brother  Anthony, 
and  made  his  way  to  Racine,  where  their  uncle,  Adolph  Fleischer,  was  re- 
siding, and  with  whom  they  remained  several  years.  Adolph  began  learning 
the  cabinetmaker's  business  in  1859,  in  the  establishment  of  James  Tomlinson, 
and  later  with  W^aite  &  Hilton,  following  that  trade  until  1861,  when  he  en- 
listed in  Company  I,  9th  Wis.  V.  I.,  with  which  he  served  four  years  and  five 
months.  He  remained  with  this  regiment  from  the  commencement  of  the  war 
until  the  finish:  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Jenkins  Ferry,  Ark.,  and  cap- 
tured April  30,  1864,  being  sent  to  Tyler,  Tex.,  where  he  was  in  prison  until 
in  February,  1865.  ]\Ir.  Weber  was  a  non-commissioned  officer,  holding  the 
rank  of  orderly  sergeant,  and  he  participated  in  the  following  battles :  New- 
tonia.  Pea  Ridge,  Prairie  Grove,  Cane  Hill  and  many  others.  After  the  war 
he  returned  home,  and  resumed  his  trade  for  a  short  time,  after  which  he 
spent  four  years  in  the  brewery  business,  and  then  went  into  the  grocery  and 
dry  goods  business.  In  1881  he  embarked  in  his  present  business,  the  man- 
ufacture of  sash,  doors  and  blinds,  and  he  has  built  his  business  up  from  a 
small  beginning,  now  employing  on  an  average  fifty  men. 

In  October,  1867,  he  married  Miss  Barbara  Garecht,  daughter  of  VtX- 
er.tine  Garecht,  and  to  this  union  six  children  were  born — two  sons  and  four 


584  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

daughters — all  uf  wIkhh  are  now  deceased :  Catherine,  Elizabeth,  Mary, 
Adolph,  Barbara  and  Joseph.  Mrs.  Barbara  Weber  died  in  1878,  aged  thirty- 
four  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Weber  married  (second) 
in  January,  1881,  Miss  Theressa  Ziesel,  daughter  of  August  and  Agatha 
Ziesel,  and  seven  children  were  born  to  this  union :  Anthony  J.,  William  A., 
Julietta  E.,  Joseph  J.,  (died  Dec.  7,  1905),  Gertrude  M.,  Adolph  E.,  and 
Philip  T.  Anthony  J.  is  a  partner,  with  his  father,  in  the  manufacturing 
business;  he  married  Miss  Lizzie  Ruetz,  and  they  have  one  child,  Geraldina. 
William  is  a  student  at  St.  Francis'  Institute,  Milwaukee.  The  other  chil- 
dren are  at  home.  Mrs.  Theressa  Weber  died  Sept.  14,  1901,  aged  forty- 
three  years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  to  which  faith  Mr. 
Weber  adheres.  He  is  a  member  of  the  German  Catholic  Young  Men's  So- 
ciety ;  St.  Joseph's  Society ;  St.  Boniface  Society,  and  of  Governor  Harvey 
Post,  No.  17,  G.  A.  R.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  German  Central  So- 
ciety of  the  United  States  of  America,  of  which  he  w'as  president  for  eight 
years.  He  is  at  present  president  of  the  State  organization  of  German  Cath- 
olics' Society.  Politically  Mr.  W^eber  is  a  Democrat,  and  was  alderman  of 
the  Sixth  ward  eight  different  times.  He  was  supervisor  for  one  term,  and 
during  1890  and  1891  was  mayor  of  Racine.  Mr.  Weber  resides  at  No.  1642 
College  avenue,  where  he  owns  a  fine  residence. 

CHARLES  H.  W'HITCHER,  a  well-to-do  agriculturist  of  Bristol  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Racine  county.  Wis.,  of  English  ancestry. 

John  Charles  Whitcher,  father  of  Charles  H.,  was  born  in  Hampshire, 
England,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  WHiitcher,  both  of  whom  were  of  Eng- 
lish parentage  and  both  of  whom  died  in  England ;  they  had  three  other  sons 
and  two  daughters.  In  1836  John  Charles  Whitcher  came  to  America.  He 
had  been  a  coachman  in  England,  and  probably  was  engaged  in  some  such  line 
of  work  for  the  first  six  years  he  was  in  America.  In  1836  he  drove  from 
WHieeling,  W.  Va.,  to  Racine.  Wis.,  and  settling  in  Yorkville  township,  took 
up  eighty  acres  of  government  land,  to  which  he  afterward  added  eighty  more 
acres,  and  improving  it  all  made  a  good  home  for  his  family.  About  eisrht 
years  before  his  death  he  and  his  wife  moved  to  L^nion  Grove,  where  he  died 
in  1890.  aged  eighty-two  years. 

John  Charles  \\'hitcher  married  Sarah  Holden.  wdio  was  born  in  London, 
daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  Holden,  who  both  died  in  old  age  in  their 
native  England :  they  were  the  parents  of  three  daughters  and  one  son.  To 
John  C.  Whitcher  and  his  wife  came  five  children,  namely:  Charlotte, 
widow  of  Adam  Hunter,  of  Yorkville  township :  Martha,  widow  of  Henry  C. 
Powles,  of  Union  Grove:  Thomas  J.,  of  Yorkville  township:  Charles  H. :  and 
Elizabeth,  who  died  young.  Mrs.  Whitcher  died  a  vear  before  her  husband, 
aged  eighty-two.     She  was  an  Episcopalian. 

Charles  H.  Whitcher  was  born  in  Yorkville  township  July  11,  185,'^.  His 
youth  was  spent  on  the  farm  there  and  in  LTnion  Grove,  and  he  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools.  WHien  twenty  years  old  he  began  working  as  a  butcher 
and  finally  established  a  meat  market  of  his  own  in  the  village  of  Bristol,  which 
he  carried  on  for  twenty-three  years.  In  1900  Mr.  \\niitcher  was  elected  sheriff 
of  Kenosha  county  on  the  Republican  ticket,  and  served  efficientlv  in  that 
capacity  two  years.    He  also  served  as  assessor  of  Bristol  township  for  three 


Zf^/^3^.^1^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  585 

years.  Since  1902  he  has  devoted  himself  to  farming,  having-  a  farm  of  164 
acres  in  Bristol  township,  finely  improved.  ]\Ir.  W'hitcher  has  good  business 
judgment,  and  has  been  successful  all  through  his  career,  so  that  he  now  ranks 
among  the  substantial  men  of  the  township. 

Charles  H.  Whitcher  was  married  May  i,  1879,  to  Miss  Jennie  Gunter, 
born  in  Brighton  township,  Kenosha  county,  daughter  of  William  and  Eliza- 
beth ( Blackmore)  Gunter.  To  this  union  have  come  two  sons  and  three 
daughters,  as  follows :  Florence,  who  died  when  eight  years  old ;  Bessie,  who 
married  Harvey  B.  Gaines,  of  Bristol ;  Myra ;  Roy,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ten 
months;  and  Lawrence.  Mrs.  Whitcher  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Church. 
Mr.  Whitcher  is  much  interested  in  fraternal  orders,  and  is  a  member  of  sev- 
eral, viz. :  Washburn  Lodge,  No.  145.  F.  &  A.  M. :  Lodge  No.  750,  B.  P.  O. 
Elks,  of  Kenosha ;  and  the  K.  P.  of  Kenosha.  The  family  are  held  in  high 
esteem  in  Bristol  township  and  have  many  friends. 

William  and  Elizabeth  (Blackmore)  Gunter,  jiarents  of  Mrs.  Charles  H. 
Whitcher,  were  natives  of  England,  where  they  were  married.  They  came 
to  Kenosha  county  in  1857,  and  remained  there,  engaged  in  farming,  until 
they  died,  he  in  April,  1893,  aged  seventy-one  years,  and  she  in  April,  1889, 
aged  sixty-two.  They  were  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Children  as  fol- 
lows were  born  to  them :  William,  who  died  in  Bristol,  Wis. ;  Sarah,  who 
married  Charles  Murdock,  of  Bristol,  Wis.;  Jennie,  wife  of  Mr.  Whitcher; 
Mary,  deceased  in  infancy ;  and  Charles,  Edward  and  Herbert,  all  farmers  of 
Paris,  Wisconsin. 

MARVIN  W^  ACKER,  a  very  highly  esteemed  retired  citizen  of  Salem, 
Wis.,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Geneseo,  Livingston  Co.,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  16,  1849, 
son  of  Newman  and  Samantha  Jane  (Richmond)  Acker,  natives  of  Living- 
ston county.  New  York. 

Silas  Acker,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  also  a  native 
of  New  York  State,  where  he  followed  farming  and  hotel  keeping,  and  where 
he  died  aged  about  eighty  years.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  and 
his  wife.  Elizabeth  John,  had  seven  children,  one  of  whom  still  survives, 
Sallie  Ann  Warner,  who  lives  in  Kansas.  Elijah  Richmond  was  the  maternal 
grandfather  of  IMarvin  W.  Acker.  He  was  also  a  native  of  New  York  State, 
and  followed  farming,  likewise  being  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  181 2,  in  which 
he  drove  an  ammunition  wagon.  He  came  West  in  1852.  and  located  two 
and  one-half  miles  from  Genoa  Junction,  Walworth  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years,  si.x  months 
and  two  days.  His  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Elizabeth  Fowler.  She 
lived  to  be  seventy-six  years  of  age,  and  bore  her  husband  nine  children. 

Newman  Acker  learned  the  blacksmith  trade  in  the  East,  and,  on  com- 
ing to  Wisconsin  in  1851,  located  in  Bloomfield,  Walworth  county,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death,  in  1900,  aged  seventy-seven  years.  His 
widow  survived  him  about  eight  months,  and  was  seventy-two  years  old  at 
the  time  of  her  death.  They  were  Methodists.  Newman  Acker  and  his  wife 
had  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living :  Wilbur,,  of  Elkhorn,  Wis. ; 
Marvin  W. ;  Orel  Loretta,  wife  of  Edward  Davis,  of  Genoa  Junction,  Wis.; 
Dollie  lane,  wife  of  Oscar  Van  Dvke  of  Sharon;  and  Delia  Luretta,  wife  of 


586  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Myron  Lambert,  on  tlie  old  homestead  of  tlie  father,  in  tlie  town  of  Bloomfield, 
Walworth  county. 

Marvin  W.  Acker  was  two  years  old  when  his  parents  brought  him  to 
\\'isconsin,  and  he  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  in  WalwortTi  county, 
there  attending  the  district  schools.  He  lived  at  home  until  reaching  maturity, 
when  his  father  started  him  out  with  a  team,  he  renting  land,  which  he  worked 
oil  shares  for  three  years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he  purchased  a  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  in  the  town  of  Bloomfield.  and  added  forty-seven  acres  thereto, 
living  there  until  1890. 

On  Aug.  26.  1869.  Mr.  Acker  married  Miss  Jane  Gifford.  daughter  of 
Constant  and  Letitia  (Moore)  Gifford,  and  to  this  union  four  children  were 
born :  Addle  Luella.  who  married  Elmer  Strickland,  lives  in  Bloomfield  town- 
ship, and  has  one  son.  Glen ;  Georgiana,  who  married  Charles  Hermance,  lives 
at  Genoa  Junction,  and  has  a  son,  Clarence :  Millie  Maud,  who  married  Sam- 
uel Matthews,  resides  at  Woodstock,  and  has  one  son,  Lyle ;  and  Mary  Lucy 
is  a  bookkeeper  in  Kenosha.  Mrs.  Jane  (Gififord)  Acker,  died  in  1890.  aged 
forty-one  years. 

On  Sept.  29.  1896.  Mr.  Acker  married  (second)  Mrs.  Dora  Struck, 
widow  of  Nicholas  Struck,  and  daughter  of  Almon  D.  and  Cordelia  (Tichnor) 
Cornwell.  There  were  no  children  born  to  this  union.  Ixit  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Acker  are  rearing  a  little  girl.  Lena  Kath. 

In  1896  Marvin  W.  Acker  located  in  Salem,  and  followed  well-drilling 
for  a  time,  and  then  operated  a  meat  market  for  five  vears.  He  and  his  wife 
own  a  fine  home  and  a  business  house,  and  another  residence  property  in  Sa- 
lem. Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  was  deputy  under  Sheriff  Timme, 
serving  in  that  ofifice  in  Genoa  Junction  also,  for  two  years.  He  belongs  to 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  in  which  order  he  is  very  popular,  and 
has  been  Head  Banker  of  Hooker  Lake  Camp  for  eight  years. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Dora  Acker  w-ere  natives  of  Cayuga  County.  New 
York.  They  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1844,  settling  in  what  was  then  Racine 
county,  but  which  later  became  Kenosha  county,  in  Salem  township,  purchas- 
ing a  tract  of  160  acres;  at  one  time  they  owned  640  acres.  Almon  D.  Corn- 
well  ilied  in  Salem  township  in  1893.  aged  seventy-three  years,  while  his 
wife  still  survives,  being  eighty-one  years  old.  They  had  eight  children,  six 
of  whom  are  now  living:  Mrs.  Julia  Johnson,  of  Salem:  Edwin,  of  Racine; 
Frank,  of  Osage,  Iowa;  Adelbert,  of  Bristol;  Flora,  the  wife  of  W.  R.  Tur- 
ner, of  Bristol,  and  Dora,  the  wife  of  IMarvin  W.  Acker.  Almon  D.  Corn- 
well  was  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin  Legislature  in  1856-57. 

Stephen  Cornwell.  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Acker,  was  a  farmer  and  a  native 
of  New  York.  He  and  his  wife.  Patience  Curtis,  had  four  children.  Mrs. 
Acker's  maternal  grandfather  was  William  Tichnor,  a  native  of  Columbia 
County,  N.  Y..  and  a  farmer  l)y  occupation.  His  wife  was  Lydia  Ann  Bald- 
win, who  came  from  Connecticut.  They  came  West  in  1844.  and  purchased 
land  in  Salem,  where  be  died  in  the  fall  of  1845,  aged  forty-nine  years.  His 
wife  survived  until  1873,  and  w'as  seventy-five  years  old  at  the  time  of  her 
death.  They  had  two  sons,  and  two  daughters,  and  two  of  these  children  are 
still  living:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Perry  Cornwell;  and  Cordelia,  the  widow  of 
Almon  D.  Cornw^ell.  Mrs.  Cordelia  Cornwell  has  twentv-one  great-grand- 
children, the  last  two  of  wdiom  are  twins.     Her  father.  William  Tichnor.  was 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  587 

a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  his  father,  Joseph,  served  in  the  Revolution- 
ary war.    Joseph  Tichnor  marrietl  Hannah  Reid. 

Marvin  W.  Acker  had  an  uncle,  Samuel  Acker,  wlm  enlisted  as  a  100- 
dav  man  in  the  Civil  war.  and  served  throughout  that  struggle.  A  son  of 
his  brother  Silas,  Sidney  Acker  by  name,  lost  his  life  in  that  conflict,  being 
wounded,  but  died,  however,  of  a  lingering  fever.  His  father,  who  went 
South  to  bring  the  body  home,  contracted  the  disease,  from  the  effects  of 
which  he  also  died. 

CHARLES  KRENZKE.  a  member  of  the  legal  profession,  has  prac- 
ticed his  chosen  calling  in  Racine  since  1897.  His  birth  occurred  in  Racine. 
March  2.  1871.  and  he  is  a  son  of  August  and  Wilhelmina  (Reinke)  Krenzke, 
natives  of  Prussia,  Germany. 

In  1870.  Friederich  Krenzke.  the  paternal  grandfather  came  to  America. 
He  had  been  a  farmer  in  his  native  country,  and  on  locating  in  ^^'isconsin 
worked  the  farm  operated  by  his  son  August  for  some  years.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Racine,  from  whence  he  went  to  his  son's  farm  in  Milwaukee  coun- 
ty, where  he  died,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
had  been  Fredericka  Kuehne,  died  ten  years  earlier,  aged  about  sixty  years. 
Friederich  Krenzke  was  a  soldier  of  the  regular  army  in  Germany.  He  and 
his  wife  had  five  children. 

August  Krenzke  was  a  wagon  maker  in  Germany,  and.  on  coming  to 
America  in  1869.  located  in  Racine,  where  he  was  employed  in  the  Fish 
Brothers  Wagon  Works  until  1883.  He  then  followed  building,  as  a  contrac- 
tor, for  a  year  or  two.  after  which  he  sold  his  house  in  town,  and  located  on 
his  farm  in  Caledonia  township,  which  he  had  purchased  some  years  before. 
This  farm  consists  of  fifty  acres  and  is  still  owned  by  Mr.  Krenzke,  but  for 
the  past  ten  years  he  has  lived  on  a  much  larger  farm  in  Milwaukee  county. 
Mr.  Krenzke  married  Wilhelmina  Reinke,  daughter  of  Carl  and  Sophia 
Reinke,  natives  of  Germany.  Carl  Reinke  was  a  shepherd  and  died  in  young 
manhood.  His  wife  married  (second)  William  Lueckfeld.  now  deceased, 
while  she  still  survives,  being  nearly  eighty  years  old.  They  had  a  large  fam- 
ily. Mr.  and  Mrs.  August  Krenzke  had  these  children:  Charles:  August; 
Louisa,  the  wife  of  George  Steelier  of  Caledonia  township :  Friederich,  also 
of  Caledonia  township:  George  of  Racine;  Leonard,  of  Oak  Creek  township. 
Milwaukee  county:  \Mlhelmina,  the  wife  of  Edward  Berg,  of  Oak  Creek 
township:  William  (i),  who  died  aged  six  years:  William  (2).  of 
Oak  Creek  township :  and  Edward,  attending  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Krenzke 
are  Lutherans. 

Charles  Krenzke  was  reared  in  Racine,  where  he  remained  until  about 
fifteen  years  old.  at  this  time  going  to  a  farm  upon  which  he  worked  by  the 
month.  He  attended  St.  John's  Lutheran  School,  and  continued  at  farm  work 
until  twenty-four  years  old.  While  working  on  the  farm  he  spent  his  spare 
time  in  studying  law  through  correspondence,  law  and  business  schools,  and 
during  two  winter  seasons  attended  the  Racine  Academy,  which  was  conduct- 
ed by  W.  W.  Rowlands :  'Mr.  Rowlands  discontinued  his  school  and  took  up 
the  practice  of  law.  and  Mr.  Krenzke  studied  law  with  him  for  two  years  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1897.  beginning  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 


590  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

LOUIS  HEGEMAN,  the  popular  proprietor  of  the  well  known  "Wil- 
mot  Hotel,"  of  Wilniot,  Wis.,  was  born  in  New  Munster.  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.^ 
March  29,  1864,  son  of  John  and  Anna  (Hienau)  Hegeman,  natives  of  West- 
phalia, Germany.  His  grandfather,  a  native  of  Germany,  died  there  well 
advanced  in  years.     He  was  twice  married. 

John  Hegeman,  father  of  Louis,  followed  farming  in  his  native  country, 
and  on  coming  to  America  in  1847,  located  on  a  farm  near  New  Munster,  in 
Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  continued  agricultural 
pursuits  for  many  years.  He  then  moved  into  the  village  of  New  Munster, 
where  he  conducted  a  saloon.  He  was  also  postmaster  and  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  held  numerous  town  otifices.  In  1868  he  removed  to  Wilmot,  where 
he  conducted  the  "Wilmot  Hotel"  from  1868  until  1872,  and  from  1876  to 
1896,  dying  in  the  latter  year,  aged  seventy-six  years.  His  wife  passed  away 
Nov  .12,  1902,  aged  seventy-four  years;  in  religious  belief  she  was  a  Lutheran. 
Their  children  were  eight  in  number,  as  follows :  Henry,  who  is  deceased ; 
John,  of  Kenosha;  Anna,  the  wife  of  Gustave  A.  Voltz,  of  Salem  township; 
Louis;  ]\Iary,  the  wife  of  F.  J.  Sabin.  of  Watertown;  and  three  who  died  in 
infancy. 

Louis  Hegeman  was  but  four  years  old  when  he  came  to  Wilmot  with 
his  parents,  and  here  he  has  made  his  home  ever  since.  He  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools,  and  went  to  business  cjllege  at  Milwaukee,  and  also  attended  the 
Valparaiso  Normal  School  for  a  short  time.  On  his  father's  death  he  be- 
came the  successor  to  the  hotel  business,  which  he  still  contiiuies.  On  Feb. 
26,  1890,  Mr.  Hegeman  married  Miss  Beatrice  Henrietta  Brown,  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Constantia  G.  (Ford)  Brown,  and  four  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union.  Hazel  C,  Rolland  L.,  Leland  B.  and  Vera  B.  Mr.  Hegeman 
belongs  to  Salem  Lodge.  No.  42,  I.  O.  O.  F. :  and  to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No. 
750,  B.  P.  O.  E.     Politically  he  is  Independent. 

Zerah  Brown,  Mrs.  Hegeman's  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of 
Paris  Hill,  X.  Y.,  where  he  owned  two  large  farms.  Farming  was  his  prin- 
cipal occupation,  although  he  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  and  his  wife, 
Sarah  (Pierce)  Brown,  were  pioneers  of  Kenosha  county,  Mr.  Brown  tak- 
ing up  land  in  Salem  township.  He  was  a  soldier  during  the  war  of  181 2, 
while  his  father  had  been  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown 
attained  advanced  age,  and  they  were  buried  in  the  Liberty  cemetery. 

Thomas  Ford,  Mrs.  Beatrice  H.  Hegeman's  maternal  grandfather,  was 
a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  from  whence  he  removed,  on  attaining  manhood, 
to  Massachusetts.  He  was  head  dyer  in  the  Maiden  Dye  House,  at  Maiden, 
Mass..  and  was  drowned  in  Boston  Harbor  when  forty-two  years  of  age.  His 
wife,  Mary  Cairns,  attained  the  age  of  seventy  years.  They  had  two  sons  and 
four  daughters.  Mrs.  Brown  being  the  only  surviving  memlier  f>f  the  family. 
Thomas  Ford's  father  was  James  Ford,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,  as  was  also  his  brother  John,  John  and  James  Ford 
fought  valiantly  throughout  that  struggle,  and  a  monument  has  been  erected 
to  their  memory  in  Lowell.  ]\Jass.  Mrs.  Thomas  Ford  was  left  an  orphan 
when  a  baby,  her  father  having  been  lost  at  sea.  She  was  reared  to  woman- 
hood by  her  grandfather  Smith,  in  North  Reading.  Massachusetts. 

Henry  Brown,  father  of  Mrs.  Hegeman,  was  a  native  of  Paris  Hill, 
Oneida  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  her  mother  was  a  native  of  North  Reading,  Mass. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  591 

He  was  a  farmer,  and  came  \\'est  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day,  traveling  through 
that  State  on  loot,  with  his  father.  They  continued  on  to  Wisconsin,  settling 
on  a  farm  in  Salem  township,  which  Mr.  Brown  took  up  from  the  Govern- 
ment, on  the  present  site  of  Trevor.  In  1841,  five  years  after  Mr.  Brown's 
arrival,  Mrs.  Brown  came  to  Wisconsin  with  her  parents,  and  they  were  mar- 
ried at  Liberty  Corners,  Dec.  29,  1842.  Henry  Brown  died  in  1866,  aged 
fifty  years,  while  his  widow,  who  still  survives,  is  past  her  eightieth  year.  Her 
birth  occurred  Dec.  3,  1824.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Brown  had  seven  children, 
all  daughters :  Julia,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Henry  Watson ;  Sarah  is  the 
wife  of  Alexander  McDugall,  of  Antioch  township.  Lake  Co.,  111. ;  Georgia, 
deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Lafayette  Owen,  a  mail  agent  on  the  Chicago,  Mil- 
waukee &  St.  Paul  Railway;  Catherine  died  aged  three  years;  Hattie  is  the 
wife  of  John  Conrad,  of  Paris  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis. ;  Kate  is  the 
wife  of  D.  J.  Vincent,  of  Salem  township;  and  Beatrice  H.,  is  the  wife  of 
Louis  Hegeman. 

VOLNEY  L.  BASSETT  (deceased).  In  the  death  of  Volney  L.  Bas- 
sett,  Salem,  Wis.,  lost  one  of  its  most  highly  esteemed  citizens.  Mr.  Bassett 
was  born  in  Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  19,  1833,  son  of  Jotham  and  Jean- 
nette  (Woodworth)   Bassett,  natives  of  New  York. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Volney  L.  Bassett  was  Elias  Woodworth, 
a  native  of  New  York  and  a  pioneer  of  Kenosha  county.  Wis.  He  settled  in 
Salem  township,  took  up  Government  land,  and  there  died  aged  about  eighty- 
four  or  eighty-five  years ;  his  wife  also  attained  advanced  years. 

Jotham  Bassett,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  came  West  in  1842.  locating  in 
Salem  township,  where  he  followed  that  calling.  A  number  of  years  later  he 
removed  to  Waushara  county,  and  he  made  his  home  there  nearly  all  of  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  dying,  however,  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Eudolpha, 
in  Iowa.  He  married  Jeannette  Woodworth,  and  she  survived  him  some  years, 
dying  at  the  same  daughter's  home.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children, 
four  of  whom  are  now  living:  Ambrose,  of  San  Jose,  Cal.;  Elias,  of  Minne- 
sota; William,  of  Tomales,  Cal.;  and  Eudolpha,  wife  of  William  Vanden- 
berg.  of  Baraboo,  Wisconsin. 

Volney  L.  Bassett  was  nine  years  old  when  his  parents  came  to  Wiscon- 
sin, and  he  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  in  Salem  township.  He 
attended  the  old  fashioned  subscription  schools  and  lived  at  home  until  his 
twenty-third  year,  when  he  began  renting  and  working  land.  After  a  time 
be  purchased  sixty  acres  of  land,  which  he  later  sold  to  purchase  eighty  acres, 
selling  this  also  and  buying  200  acres.  This  he  likewise  sold,  finally  buying 
the  old  Cotting  place  of  160  acres  in  Bristol,  which,  at  one  time,  was  the 
premium  farm  of  Kenosha  county.  There  he  lived  eight  years,  when  his 
iiealth  failed,  and  he  sold  out.  He  died  at  Bristol  Station.  July  31,  i8gi, 
aged  sixty-eight  years. 

On  Dec.  25,  1855  Mr.  Bassett  married  Adeline  Foster,  daughter  of  An- 
drew W.  and  Prudence  (Cornwall)  Foster,  and  there  were  three  children 
born  to  this  union,  as  follows:  Zetta  J.  married  Frank  J.  Smith,  and  they 
live  north  of  the  village  of  Salem,  and  have  seven  children.  Roy,  May,  Ira, 
Maud,  Virgil,  Florence  and  Lester;  of  this  family,  Roy  married  Amy  Moran, 
and  has  one  daughter,  Evelyn.     Foster  W.  is  a  resident  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal.. 


592  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

where  he  married  Dora  Kronk,  and  has  two  daughters,  Ethelyn  and  Camilla. 
Lee  E.  is  a  professor  of  English  in  Stanford  University ;  he  married  Florence 
Jackson. 

Volney  L.  Bassett  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  tlie  board  of  svipervisors 
in  the  town  of  Salem.  Politically  he  was  a  Republican.  Three  of  his  broth- 
ers, Elias,  William  and  Charles,  were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war,  and  another 
brother,  John,  enlisted,  but  was  not  accepted. 

Mrs.  Adeline  Bassett,  widow  of  Volney  L.  Bassett  was  born  in  Oswego 
County,  N.  Y.,  Sept.  26,  1831,  and  is  a  daughter  of  parents  who  were  natives 
of  New  York  State,  and  residents  of  Oswego  county  for  many  years.  Her 
father,  Andrew  W.  Foster,  was  a  carpenter,  and  in  the  fall  of  1841  came 
West  to  Wisconsin  with  his  family,  settling  in  Salem  township,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  sixty  acres.  He  afterward  owned  100  acres  in  Salem  town- 
ship, about  three  miles  northeast  of  Salem  Station.  He  died  in  the  village  of 
Salem  in  January,  1892,  aged  eighty-five  years,  while  his  wife,  who  was  born 
in  1808.  passed  away  in  1895.  aged  eighty-seven  years.  They  were  formely 
Methodists,  but  later  became  Spiritualists.  They  had  six  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Mrs.  Adeline  Bassett;  Betsey  A.,  wife  of  Fred  Plank,  of  Petaluma, 
Cal. ;  Andrew  W.,  who  died  in  Genoa  Junction,  in  1900:  Leander  E..  who 
died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years ;  Orlando  J.,  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis. ;  and 
Julian  A.,  of  Salem  Station. 

William  Foster,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Bassett,  was  born  Nov. 
22,  1783.  He  was  a  farmer  of  Oswego  County,  N.  Y.,  and  died  Nov.  21, 
1 83 1.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  in  the  battle  of  Sackett's 
Harbor.  He  married  Olive  Bettis,  born  July  10,  1785,  who  died  Feb.  19. 
1877,  and  they  had  a  familv  of  thirteen  children,  all  of  whom  are  now  de- 
ceased except  one,  Julia,  born  Feb.  12,  1830,  widow  of  Joseph  Hicks,  who  is 
now  living  at  Genoa  Junction.  The  Foster  family  descended  from  one  of  the 
oldest  families  of  IMassachusetts,  and  among  the  descendants  are  included : 
Hon.  John  Foster,  Boston.  1640;  Governor  Hutchinson. of  Massachusetts,  Gov- 
ernor during  the  Revolutionary  war;  Judge  Thomas  Hutchinson,  Boston; 
Hon.  Jedediah  Foster,  Member  of  the  Provincial  Congress  from  Massachu- 
setts; Hon.  Theodore  Foster,  Member  of  Congress  from  Rhode  Island;  Hon. 
Dwight  Foster,  Member  of  Congress  from  Massachusetts ;  Hon.  Dwight 
Foster,  attorney  general  of  Massachusetts ;  Hon.  LaFayette  S.  Foster,  of  Con- 
necticut, president  of  the  L^nited  States  for  one  day;  Hon.  Charles  Foster,  of 
Ohio,  ex-governor  and  ex-secretary  of  the  Treasury;  Hon.  John  W.  Foster 
of  Indiana;  Hon.  George  S.  Boutwell,  secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  President 
Grant's  Cabinet;  Rufus  Choate,  an  eminent  lawyer;  Mother  Goose  authoress; 
and  a  number  of  others. 

FRANK  FORDYCE  NEWELL.  M.  D..  though  one  of  the  younger 
members  of  the  medical  profession  in  Wisconsin,  has  an  established  renuta- 
tion  and  a  standing  partly  due  to  inheritance  but  dependent  upon  himself  for 
its  maintenance.  That  he  will  pro\-e  capable  none  who  know  him  ha\-e  any 
reason  to  doubt.  He  is  of  the  fourth  eeneration  of  his  familv  in  continuous 
line  to  take  up  medicine  as  a  life  work,  and  he  has  the  love  for  his  cilling 
which  insures  devotion  to  its  demands  as  well  as  the  inborn  taste  and  skill 
which  count  for  as  much  as  painstaking  study  and  preparation. 


^^^^j^-tju.^^^'y^.  ^^^^^<^<^-^^^2^^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  593 

Dr.  Newell  was  born  Dec.  11,  1879,  "^  Waterford,  Racine  Co.,  Wis., 
son  of  Dr.  George  E.  Newell,  who  is  mentioned  more  fully  elsewhere  in  this 
volume,  and  with  wiiom  he  is  now  practicing.  He  passed  his  early  life  in  his 
native  place,  and  graduated  from  the  Waterford  public  school  at  the  age  of 
fourteen,  after  which  he  entered  the  academy  at  Rochester,  Racine  county, 
from  which  he  graduated  when  sixteen.  He  was  fifteen  when  the  family  re- 
moved to  Burlington,  and  here  he  has  really  had  his  home  ever  since,  although 
his  preparation  for  his  profession  has  taken  him  away  much  of  the  intervening 
time.  He  took  his  medical  course  at  Northwestern  University,  graduating 
in  1900,  when  only  twenty  years  old,  and  returning  to  Burlington  remained 
here  for  a  year  before  returning  to  Chicago  for  a  post-graduate  course.  Folr- 
lowing  that  he  was  in  practice  with  his  father  in  Burlington  until  1902,  wdien 
he  went  to  Waukesha,  Wis.,  remaining  there  about  six  months,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  again  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  was  associated  with  Dr. 
S.  C.  Plummer,  a  surgeon  of  high  standing,  chief  surgeon  of  the  Rock  Island 
Railway  Company.  While  in  that  city  Dr.  Newell  was  engaged  at  his  alma 
mater  as  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy  and  Operator  of  Surgery,  and  he  also 
made  good  use  of  his  opportunities  to  take  two  hospital  courses,  one  at  the 
Passavant  hospital  and  one  at  Mercy  hospital.  Since  his  return  to  Burling- 
ton he  has  been  engaged  with  his  father,  their  extensive  practice  demanding 
the  greater  part  of  his  time  and  attention.  Dr.  Newell  has  fraternal  connec- 
tion with  the  B.  P.  O.  Elks  at  W^aukesha.  with  the  I.  O.  F.  at  Waterford,  and 
with  the  W^  O.  W^  at  Waukesha.  In  political  sentiment  he  is  a  Democrat. 
Professionally  he  holds  membership  in  the  Wisconsin  State  Medical  Society 
and  the  American  Medical  Association. 

On  Dec.  10,  1902,  Dr.  Newell  was  married,  in  W^aukesha,  Wis.,  to  I\Iiss 
Gretchen  Land,  who  was  born  in  Waukesha,  daughter  of  John  C.  and  Barbara 
Ann  (Weber)  Land,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  New  York,  the 
latter  in  Waukesha.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  the  Doctor  and  his  wife, 
Frank  Fordyce,  Jr..  and  George  F.,  the  last  named  dying  in  infancy. 

JOHN  O'LAUGHLIN.  proprietor  of  the  John  O'Laughlin  Stone  Com- 
pany, with  quarries  at  Racine,  Waukesha  and  Waterloo,  W'is..  was  born  in 
Taycheedah,  Fond  du  Lac  Co.,  this  State,  in  1856,  son  of  Andrew  and  Ellen 
(O'Gorman)  O'Laughlin,  natives  of  County  Clare,  Ireland. 

Michael  O'Laughlin  was  a  wealthy  man  in  Ireland,  and  had  a  family  of 
nine  sons,  six  of  whom  were  surveyors.  One  of  these  sons,  Peter,  was  a  sur- 
veyor of  Fond  du  Lac  county  for  many  years,  and  one  was  the  civil  engineer 
who  laid  out  the  Northwestern  railroad  between  Fond  du  Lac  and  Green  Bay. 
A  cousin  of  these  sons  was  governor  general  of  New  South  Whales  in  the  early 
sixties.  Michael  O'Laughlin  married  Susan  Talty,  and  they  died  in  Ireland 
in  old  age.  John  O'Gorman,  the  maternal  grandfather,  was  also  a  native  of 
Ireland,  where  he  was  a  farmer  and  had  a  numljer  of  tenants. 

Andrew  O'Laughlin.  father  of  John,  came  to  America  in  1846,  and  lo- 
cated in  Taycheedah,  Wis.,  removing,  in  1866,  to  Lasalle  county.  111.,  where 
he  farmed  a  large  tract  of  land.  He  retired  in  1881  and  removed  to  Chicago, 
where  he  died  in  1885,  aged  seventy-four  years.  His  widow  survived  eight 
months,  and  was  sixty-six  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Both  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.     He  was  a  liberal  Democrat.     Mr.  and 


594  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Mrs.  0"Laughlin  had  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are  still  living :  Bridget, 
the  wife  of  P.  R.  McAuliffe,  of  Chicago;  Susan,  the  wife  of  the  late  Thomas 
O'Conneli,  of  Chicago;  Michael,  of  Lasalle  county.  111.,  a  representative  in  the 
State  Legislature;  John,  of  Racine,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  James,  of  Aus- 
tin, 111.,  and  IVlary,  the  wife  of  T.  J.  Curry,  of  Chicago. 

John  O'Laughlin  lived  in  Fond  du  Lac  county  until  he  was  ten  years  old, 
and  then  went  with  his  parents  to  Lasalle  county.  111.,  where  he  grew  to  man- 
hood on  the  farm.  He  attended  the  district  schools,  and  later  St.  Francis 
College,  at  Milwaukee,  and  taught  school.  In  1881  he  went  to  Chicago  and 
engaged  in  the  stone  business,  was  employed  three  years  in  the  Union  Lime 
Works,  of  which  he  was  superintendent  for  a  time,  and  was  then  employed  as 
general  superintendent  for  five  years  by  the  Keys  &  Thatcher  Stone  Company. 
He  did  general  contracting  work  in  building  streets,  sewers  and  laying  water 
pipes  through  rocks,  being  the  only  one  to  have  a  license  issued  to  him  to 
blast  rock  in  Chicago,  an  occupation  he  followed  for  seven  years.  He  then 
leased  the  Keys  &  Thatcher  quarries  and  established  the  Artesian  Stone  & 
Lime  works,  which  he  sold  in  1894.  He  then  spent  about  a  year  in  Europe. 
After  returning  to  the  United  States  while  going  to  Milwaukee  he  noticed 
from  the  train  an  abandoned  lime  kiln  at  Ives,  Racine.  He  left  the  train  and 
purchased  the  land,  upon  which  he  immediately  built  a  large  and  most  com- 
plete plant  for  crushing  stone,  having  himself  originated  the  plans,  which  have 
been  largely  copied  throughout  the  United  States  and  Europe.  He  employs 
on  an  average  one  hundred  men  at  this  plant,  and  he  also  owns  the  Portland 
Granite  quarries,  near  Waterloo.  Wis.,  and  the  Waukesha,  quarries,  where  two 
hundred  men  are  employed,  and  in  which  his  son.  Joseph  J.,  of  Waukesha,  is 
also  interested.  The  crushed  stone  is  used  in  the  foundation  of  all  street  im- 
provements and  large  buildings,  and  the  industry  is  growing  rapidly.  His 
granite  quarries  furnish  stone  for  street  paving  and  building  blocks,  and  about 
fifty  men  are  employed  in  these  quarries.  In  addition  to  his  stone  business  Mr. 
O'Laughlin  has  various  other  business  interests. 

Mr.  O'Laughlin  was  married,  in  1881.  to  Miss  Mary  Casey,  daughter  of 
John  and  Mary  (Malone)  Casey,  and  to  this  union  eight  children  were  born: 
Joseph,  Mae,  Helen,  Frances,  George,  Margaret,  John,  Jr.,  and  Robert  Fer- 
gus. Joseph  is  a  partner  with  his  father  in  the  granite  quarries.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  O'Laughlin  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Fraternally  Mr. 
O'Laughlin  is  connected  with  the  Elks  and  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  Politi- 
cally he  is  a  Democrat,  but  in  local  affairs  he  votes  more  for  the  man  than  the 
party.  His  home,  at  No.  834  Main  street,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  resi- 
dences in  Racine. 

CHARLES  PHILLIPS,  one  of  the  old  settlers  and  substantial  citizens 
of  Salem  township.  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  was  born  May  28,  1837.  in  "Dorset- 
shire. England,  a  son  of  Robert  and  Ann  (King)  Phillips.  Not  much  is 
known  concerning  the  parents'  ancestors,  the  family  histories  never  having 
been  preserved.  The  paternal  and  maternal  grandparents,  however,  lived  and 
died  in  England. 

Robert  Phillips,  father  of  Charles,  was  born  and  married  in  England, 
and  became  the  father  of  three  sons  and  five  daughters,  as  follows  :  Frederick 
and  William,  both  deceased;   Sarah,   wife  of  George   Gardner,  of  Wilmot; 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  595 

Charles  and  Eliza,  twins,  the  latter  dying  in  the  spring  of  1905  (she  was  the 
wiie  of  William  Eaulkner,  of  Wilmot)  ;  Fannie,  who  died  aged  twenty  years; 
Mary,  wife  of  Henry  Gardner,  of  Osage,  Iowa ;  and  one  that  died  in  infancy. 
By  trade  Robert  Phillips  was  a  shoemaker.  In  1854  he  came  with  his 
family  to  America  and  located  in  Salem  township,  in  Kenosha  county,  where 
he  remained.  He  owned  forty  acres  of  farming  land  in  Antioch  township, 
Eake  Co.,  111.,  and  also  owned  eighty  acres  in  Salem  township,  this  county. 
He  lived  on  the  Wisconsin  eighty  acres  for  about  twenty  years  and  then  re- 
tired, moving  to  the  village  of  Wilmot,  where  he  died  in  April,  1882.  lacking 
a  few  days  of  being  eighty  years  of  age.  His  ^^'ife  had  died  some  years  pre- 
viously, aged  fifty-six  years.  Both  were  memliers  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
Charles  Phillips  was  seventeen  years  old  when  he  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  America,  and  he  grew  to  manhood  in  Kenosha  county.  His  education 
had  been  secured  in  the  English  public  schools  before  he  left  his  native  land. 
Until  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Civil  war  he  worked  at  anything  that  came 
to  hand  and  was  noted  for  his  industry  and  good  habits.  He  enlisted  first 
in  1861,  but  the  company  was  later  disbanded,  and  he  returned  home,  but 
in  January.  1865.  he  re-enlisted  and  served  for  nine  months  as  a  private  in 
Company  E,  9th  Illinois  Cavalry. 

After  the  close  of  all  hostilities  Mr.  Phillips  returned  to  his  home,  mar- 
ried, and  bought  160  acres  of  his  present  farm,  to  which  he  subsequently  add- 
ed until  now  he  has  242  acres,  all  well  improved. 

Mr.  Phillips  was  married  Feb.  7,  1866,  to  Elizabeth  A.  McDougall, 
daughter  of  Alexander  and  Elizabeth  McDougall,  and  one  son  and  three 
daughters  were  born  to  this  union,  viz. :  Daniel  died  aged  twenty-four  years ; 
Fannie  Dot  married  Albert  A.  Pribnow,  and  has  two  daughters,  Florence  and 
Mildred,  and  they  live  at  Park  Falls,  Wis. ;  Elizabeth  married  George  C.  Buel, 
who  resides  on  the  home  farm  and  who  is  superintendent  of  the  Knicker- 
bocker Ice  Co.,  and  they  have  four  children,  Charles  Daniel,  Fannie  Dot, 
George  Russell  and  Georgia  Elizabeth.  Flora  married  James  Robert  Wes- 
lake,  and  they  live  at  Silver  Lake.  Wis. ;  they  have  two  children.  Myrtle  Eliza- 
beth and  Floyd  Robert. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Phillips  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Politically 
he  is  identified  with  the  Republican  party.  For  the  past  thirt\'-seven  years  he 
has  been  school  treasurer.  His  fraternal  relations  include  membership  in 
Luther  Crane  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Burlington,  and  Salem  Lodge,  No.  42,  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  of  Wilmot. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Phillips  was  Alexander  McDougall,  a 
descendant  of  the  Lord  of  Lorn,  Who  was  born  in  Scotland  and  was  what  was 
known  as  a  gentleman  farmer.  He  came  to  America  and  settled  at  Flat  River, 
Prince  Edward  Island,  and  died  there  in  old  age  at  Pownall  Bay.  He  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Campbell,  and  they  had  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  namely : 
Allen;  Mary.  Mrs.  Tobin;  Julia,  Mrs.  McCray,  whose  husband  was  a  Scotch 
Presbyterian  minister;  Ann,  wife  of  James  McCoy;  Margaret,  wife  of  James 
Moore ;  Collin ;  Alexander,  and  John.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  Capt. 
John  Moore,  who  was  born  on  Prince  Edward  Island  and  was  a  shipbuilder 
and  also  a  captain  on  the  high  seas.  He  and  his  wife  had  three  sons  and  five 
daughters,  namely :  John ;  James ;  Robert ;  Eleanor,  who  married  John  Acorn ; 


596  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD., 

Elizabeth,  mother  of  Mrs.  Phillips;  Margaret,  wife  of  John  Mellish;  Cath- 
erine, deceased;  and  Alice,  Mrs.  Martin. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Phillips  was  Ijorn  at  Mingary  Castle.  Argyllshire, 
Scotland.  He  was  the  father  of  eleven  children,  as  follows:  Elizabeth  A., 
wife  of  Charles  Phillips;  John  Robert,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war, 
entering  the  service  as  a  private  but  being  rapidly  promoted  for  gallantry 
(when  he  died  he  was  aged  but  twenty-four  years,  nine  months)  ;  Alexander, 
of  Lake  county.  111. ;  Mary  Ellen,  widow  of  Charles  Gauger.  of  Antioch,  111. ; 
Margaret  and  Catherine,  Ijoth  deceased;  Margaret;  Catherine,  deceased,  who 
was  the  wife  of  James  Gardner,  of  Osage,  Iowa;  James  A.,  of  Stacyville, 
Iowa;  Archibald  ColHn,  of  Fuller,  Iowa;  and  David  M.,  of  California. 

Mr.  McDougall  came  to  America  when  seventeen  years  of  age  and  his 
whole  life  was  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits.  In  1856  he  settled  in  Antioch 
township.  Lake  Co.,  111.,  where  he  died  in  1877,  after  a  long  and  useful  life  of 
seventy-three  years.  His  wife  had  passed  away  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight  years. 
They  both  we're  consistent  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Mr.  Phillips  is  one  of  the  representative  farmers  of  Salem  township.  The 
family  has  been  held  in  the  highest  esteem  here  for  many  years. 

EBEN  BURROUGHS,  junior  partner  of  the  well-known  firm  of  Peter- 
sen &  Burroughs,  implement  and  machinery  dealers  of  Racine,  Wis.,  was 
born  in  Kenosha,  this  State.  June  22,  1871,  son  of  Stephen  and  Susan  (New- 
bury) Burroughs,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York  and  the  latter  of  Ohio. 

David  Burroughs,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  and  a  blacksmith  by  occupation.  He  lived  in  Cuyahoga  county,  Ohio, 
near  the  city  of  Cleveland,  on  land  which  is  now  a  part  of  that  city.  Both  he 
and  his  wife,  Mary  Edwards,  attained  advanced  age.  They  had  four  sons 
and  two  daughters:  Mary  (wife  of  Lyman  Fay);  Cyrus,  Alfred,  Stephen. 
Gideon,  and  Phoebe  (wife  of  O.  B.  Houghton).  The  maternal  grandfather 
of  Mr.  Burroughs  was  Martin  Newbury,  a  native  of  New  York,  of  Holland- 
Dutch  descent.  He  was  a  tavern-keeper,  and  coming  to  Wisconsin  at  an  early 
day  settled  in  Kenosha  county,  conducting  a  tavern  at  the  Brass  Ball  for  sev- 
eral years,  in  Salem  township.  From  there  he  removed  his  family  to  Hous- 
ton county,  Minn.,  where  he  also  conducted  a  tavern.  He  died  there,  aged 
about  seventy-five  years,  his  wife  attaining  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-one 
years.  They  had  a  large  family:  Susan,  the  wife  of  Stephen  Burroughs:  Nel- 
son; James;  Albert:  Mary.  Mrs.  Judd;  and  Phoebe,  who  was  the  wife  of 
George  W.  Dunn.  Mr.  Burroughs  has.  on  his  mother's  side,  two  uncles  and 
two  aunts  still  living:  Nelson  and  Albert  Newbury:  Mrs.  Mary  Judd:  and 
Mrs.  Phoebe  Dunn.  On  his  father's  side  two  aunts  are  living:  Mrs.  Mary 
M.  Fay  and  Mrs.  Phoebe  Houghton. 

Stephen  Burroughs  was  a  carpenter  and  bridgebuilder  by  occupation.  He 
came  West  to  Wisconsin  in  1846,  settling  in  Southport.  where  he  followed  car- 
pentering for  some  years.  About  i860  lie  went  to  work  for  the  Northwestern 
Railroad  Company,  as  superintendent  of  bridges  and  buildings,  and  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  that  position  for  twenty-two  years.  In  1882  he  purchased  a 
farm  of  164  acres  in  Somers  township,  and  there  reared  his  family.  He  died 
there  March  13,  1899,  aged  seventy-one  years.     His  wife  still  survives,  and 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  597 

is  now  seventy-two  years  of  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Steplien  Burroughs  had  five 
children,  all  sons,  two  of  whom  are  still  living:  Clark,  of  Milwaukee,  Wis., 
who  married  Charlotte  Wiersch  and  has  two  children,  Alice  and  Harry ;  and 
Eben,  of  Racine.  Mr.  Burroughs  was  chairman  of  the  town  board  of  super- 
visors of  Somers  township  for  some  years.  Though  not  a  soldier  of  the  Civil 
war  Stephen  Burroughs  gave  $300  toward  raising  funds  for  supplies  lor  the 
soldiers  and  was  given  an  exemption  on  that  account. 

Eben  Burroughs  lived  in  Kenosha  in  his  early  boyhood,  and  then  went  to 
the  town  of  Somers,  and  grew  to  manhood  on  a  farm.  He  attended  the  dis- 
trict and  public  schools  of  Kenosha,  and  graduated  from  the  Racine  high 
school  in  1892,  after  which  he  went  back  to  his  father's  farm,  where  he  spent 
six  years.  The  next  two  years  he  was  with  the  Deering  Harvester  Company, 
as  salesman  and  expert.  He  then  came  to  Racine  and  formed  a  partnership 
with  Mr.  George  C.  Petersen,  in  the  implement  and  machinery  business,  the 
style  of  tiie  firm  being  Petersen  &  Burroughs.  They  are  located  in  West  Ra- 
cine. 

On  June  23,  1894,  Mr.  Burroughs  married  Miss  Minnie  C.  Fink,  daugh- 
ter of  James  H.  and  Olivia  (Leonard)  Fink.  Mrs.  Burroughs  spent  eight 
years  as  a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  Kenosha  county.  She  received  her  edu- 
cation in  the  district  schools  and  also  took  a  two  years'  course  in  the  normal 
school  at  Oshkosh.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  Bernard  W. 
and  Doris  E.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burroughs  are  Presbyterians.  He  belongs  to 
Racine  Lodge,  No.  92,  F.  &  A.  M.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  he  was 
a  member  of  the  school  board  for  six  years. 

James  H.  Fink,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Burroughs,  was  born  in  New  York 
State,  and  her  mother  was  born  in  Bristol  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.  They 
had  seven  children:  Jessie  A.,  who  is  unmarried:  Minnie  C,  wife  of  Eben 
Burroughs :  Levi  R. ;  Leonard  J. :  Roscoe  C. :  Cora  Belle,  the  wife  of  Frank 
Roode :  and  Evelyn,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Wilco.x.  The  paternal  grandfather 
of  Mrs.  Burroughs  was  Levi  Fink,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  of  Holland- 
Dutch  descent.  He  was  an  inn-keeper  by  occupation,  and  came  to  Wisconsin 
in  the  early  days.  He  died  in  Kenosha  county  aged  about  seventy-six  years, 
and  his  wife,  Caroline  Vroeman,  is  still  living,  being  eightv-three  years  old. 
They  had  a  small  family.  Mrs.  Burroughs'  maternal  grandfather  was  Sam- 
uel Leonard,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and  a  school  teacher  and  preacher 
by  profession.  He  was  an  early  settler  of  Bristol  township,  Kenosha  county, 
where  he  died  in  old  age.  His  wife  lived  to  seventy-six  years  old,  and  they 
had  a  family  of  four  children.  Mrs.  Burroughs  has  three  uncles  living.  Dr. 
Homer  C.  Leonard.  Frank  Leonard  and  Fred  Leonard.  Mrs.  Burroughs  on 
the  Fink  side  of  the  house  has  an  uncle  and  aunt  living,  namely:  Tohn  W. 
Fink,  of  Somers  township:  and  Mattie.  who  is  the  wife  of  Joseph  Bishop,  of 
Somers  Station. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eben  Burroughs  are  very  well  known  in  Racine,  are  promi- 
nent in_  social  circles,  and  are  very  popular.  Mr.  Burroughs  is  one  of  the 
energetic  and  enterprising  business  men  of  the  city,  and  his  manv  friends  view 
with  pleasure  his  social  and  business  success. 

ALVIN  HAMILTON  BLOOD,  county  survevor  of  Kenosha  countv. 
Wis.,  whose  residence  is  located  at  No.  511  South  street,  Kenosha,  is  one  of 


598  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

the  popular  young  men  of  that  city.  He  was  born  in  Kenosha,  Feb.  2,  1879, 
son  of  Charles  H.  and  Josephine  A.  (Herrick)  Blood,  natives  of  New  York 
and  \\'isconsin,  respectively. 

Walter  Blood,  the  grandfather  of  Alvin  H.,  was  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  of  Scotch  and  English  descent.  In  early  life  he  was  a  merchant  in 
Philadelphia,  and  came  to  Kenosha  county  about  1856  buying  a  farm  in  Pleas- 
ant P'rairie  township.  There  he  followed  farming  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1864,  when  he  was  in  his  forty-ninth  year.  His  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  had  been  Sabrina  Hamilton  lived  to  be  eighty-one  years  old. 
They  had  but  one  child,  Charles  H. 

Charles  H.  Blood  came  to  Kenosha  with  his  parents  in  1856  and  settling 
here,  followed  his  trade  of  carpenter  for  many  years.  For  some  years  past  he 
has  Ijeen  a  foreman  in  the  construction  department  of  the  N.  R.  Allen's  Sons 
tannery.  During  the  Civil  war  he  was  a  private  in  Company  G,  ist  Wis. 
V.  I.,  in  the  three  months'  service.  He  served  as  city  assessor  for  two  terms. 
He  married  Josephine  A.  Herrick,  and  they  belong  to  the  Christian  Science 
Church.  They  have  had  nine  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living :  Walter 
H. ;  Horace  D. ;  Alvin  H. ;  Frank  H.,  who  graduated  from  the  university  of 
Wisconsin  in  1904,  in  the  electrical  engineering  course;  and  Laura  L.  Mrs. 
Blood's  father,  Almerin  Herrick,  was  a  farmer  and  a  native  of  New  York.  He 
came  West  when  a  young  man  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Lafayette  county,  and 
in  i860  went  to  Missouri,  settling  near  Coal  Camp.  He  then  went  to  Illinois, 
and  enlisted  in  the  151st  Reg.,  111.  V.  I.,  in  1864.  serving  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  then  went  back  to  Missouri  and  died  at  Coal  Camp  in  1866, 
aged  about  forty-five  years.  His  widow,  Rhoda  Ware,  died  in  1861  aged  thirty- 
five  years.  They  had  three  children,  two  of  whom  are  still  living: 
Mrs.  Josephine  A.  Blood  and  Alvin  H.  Herrick  of  Norton  county,  Kans.  Al- 
merin Herrick,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Blood,  was  the  son  of  Alvin'and  Achsah 
(Spencer)  Herrick,  the  former  a  farmer  of  New  York  State.  Mrs.  Blood's 
maternal  grantl father  was  Joseph  Ware,  who  was  born  on  the  Isle  of  Man, 
and,  on  coming  to  America,  purchased  a  farm  near  Waukegan,  III,  where  he 
died  aged  eighty-four  years. 

Alvin  H.  Blood  was  reared  in  Kenosha,  attended  the  public  schools  there 
and  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1896.  He  was  a  soldier  during  the 
Spanish- American  war  in  1898  and  1899,  being  a  field  musician.  After  the 
war  he  returned  to  his  parents  home,  where  he  now  resides.  Politically  Mr. 
Blood  is  a  Republican,  and,  in  January,  1900,  took  up  the  duties  of  county 
surveyor,  to  which  office  he  had  been  elected  in  1899.  He  was  re-elected  to  the 
office  in  1901.  but  did  not  serve  that  term,  as  he  took  a  trip  through  the  West. 
In  November,  1904,  he  was  again  elected  to  the  office,  and  he  has  served  in 
that  capacity  to  the  present  time. 

DR.  E\\\X  R.  E\'ANS,  a  veterinary  surgeon  of  Racine,  Wis.,  has  been 
a  resident  of  that  city  for  over  thirty  years.  He  was  born  in  Montgomery- 
shire, North  Wales,  Aug.  20,  1836,  son  of  Evan  and  Catharine  (Davies)  Ev- 
ans, natives  of  Wales. 

Rowland  Evans,  his  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Wales.  He 
followed  farming  and  sheep  raising  in  his  native  countrv,  where  he  died  well 
advanced  in  years,  as  did  his  wife,  Catherine  Evans.     They  had  three  daugh- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  599 

ters  and  one  son.  Evan  Evans  was  a  farmer  and  died  at  Mallwyd,  Wales,  in 
1865,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  His  wife  passed  away  tiie  following  year,  aged 
sixty-six  years.  Both  belonged  to  the  Calvinist  Methodists.  Evan  and  Cath- 
arine (Davies)  Evans  had  three  children:  Dr.  Evan  R.,  of  Racine;  Cath- 
arine, wife  of  John  McDonald,  a  Scotchman  of  London,  England;  and  John, 
of  the  old  homestead  in  Wales. 

Dr.  Evan  R.  Evans  lived  in  Wales  until  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  was 
reared  on  the  home  farm  and  educated  in  the  public  schools.  In  1854  he  came 
'to  the  United  States,  and  located  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  working  on  a  farm  until 
1868,  wlien  he  began  to  study  to  enter  a  veterinary  college.  After  gradu- 
ating he  began  practice  in  Utica,  whence  he  came,  in  1874,  to  Racine,  where 
he  has  since  lived.  He  was  married  April  9,  1859,  to  Miss  Margaret  Rob- 
erts, daughter  of  Robert  J.  and  Laura  (Edwards)  Roberts,  and  to  this  union 
seven  children  were  born :  Christmas  E.,  Laura,  Catherine,  Margaret,  Ruth, 
John  and  Winnie.  Of  this  family  Christmas  E.  is  a  veterinary  surgeon,  a 
graduate  of  the  New  York  Veterinary  College,  and  practices  with  his  father. 
He  married  Miss  Frank  Jones,  daughter  of  Captain  Owen  Jones,  and  they 
have  two  children,  Russell  and  Lillian.  Laura  married  Samuel  L.  Jones,  a 
carpenter  and  contractor  and  they  have  three  sons,  Howard.  Merrill  and 
Leland.  Catherine  married  Edward  A.  Hendricks  and  they  reside  in  Omaha, 
Neb.,  and  have  two  children,  Ruth  and  Edwin.  Margaret  is  at  home.  Ruth 
married  Thomas  Owens,  an  engineer  on  the  St.  Paul  road,  and  she  died  at  the 
birth  of  her  twins,  one  of  whom,  Rutherford,  is  living.  John,  in  the  crock- 
ery business  in  Davenport  and  Omaha,  married  Hattie  Haunz,  and  they 
have  one  son,  Laurence.  Winnie  is  at  home,  and  assists  with  the  house- 
keeping. 

Mrs.  Evans  died  April  16.  1904,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  She  belonged 
to  the  Welsh  Congregational  Church,  as  does  also  the  Doctor.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Racine  Lodge,  No.  18,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Orient  Chapter, 
No.  12,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Racine  Commandery,  No.  7,  K.  T.  He  is  a  Republi- 
can, and  his  first  vote  was  cast  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  For  four  years  the 
Doctor  was  alderman  of  the  Third  ward,  and  he  was  justice  of  the  peace  for 
four  years  while  in  Utica.  N.  Y.  The  Doctor's  residence  is  situated  at  No. 
947  Grand  avenue.  Not  only  throughout  Racine  countv  is  he  well  known, 
but  through  Kenosha  county  as  well,  and  he  knows  nearly  every  farmer  in 
both  counties. 

JAMES  W.  ML'TTER.  one  of  Racine  county's  representati\-e  farmers, 
who  is  eneaeed  in  cultivating  the  soil  in  Section  i,^.  Dover  township,  was  born 
on  his  present  farm  Aug.  i,  1868,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Tait)  Mutter.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  Edinburgh.  Scotland,  his  mother  of  New  York  State. 

William  Mutter,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  James  W.  Mutter,  was  a 
native  of  Scotland,  whence  he  removed  to  Canada,  and  later  to  Dover  town- 
ship. Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  was  an  early  settler.  He  died  at  the  home 
of  his  son  John,  aged  about  sixty-five  years,  and  his  wife,  Mary  (Denham) 
Mutter,  died  Feb.  19,  1905.  when  she  had  reached  the  remarkable  age  of  loi 
years,  four  months.  A  sketch  of  this  remarkable  old  lady  will  be  found 
else^^•here.  She  and  her  husband  had  nine  children,  two  sons  and  seven 
daughters. 


6oo  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Juhn  flutter  was  Ijrought  from  Scotland  to  America  when  three  years 
old,  and  grew  to  manhood  in  Canada.  He  operated  the  Government  mill 
at  Montreal  for  li\e  years,  and  in  1856  came  to  the  United  States,  becoming 
a  resident  of  Milwaukee,  where  he  tollowed  milling  for  six  years.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  he  removed  to  Racine  and  after  spending  nine  years  in  the 
Hart  &  Glass  mill,  at  the  latter  place,  he  purchased  200  acres  of  land  in  Sec- 
tion 13,  Dover  township,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
Sept.  18.  1892,  when  he  was  aged  sixty-one  years,  two  days;  he  was  killed 
by  a  bull.  His  wife  had  passed  away  Jan.  31st  of  the  same  year,  aged  forty- 
nine  years,  seven  months.  Both  were  originally  old-school  Presbyterians, 
but  later  became  identified  with  the  United  Presbyterians.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  ]Mutter  had  a  family  of  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living: 
Mary,  the  wife  of  W.  W.  Caven,  of  Escanaba,  Mich. :  William,  wdio  died 
aged  nineteen  years ;  John  G.,  mayor  and  hotel-keeper  of  Burlington ;  James 
W.,  our  subject;  Robert,  of  Burlington,  ex-sheriff  of  Racine  county;  Jane 
Isabel,  wife  of  Edward  Mealy,  of  Burlington;  and  Nellie,  who  died  in  early 
childhood.  Mrs.  Mutter's  father,  W'illiam  Tait,  was  a  native  of  Scotland. 
and  on  coming  to  this  country  first  settled  in  New  York  State,  later  moving  to 
Racine  county,  Wis.  Here  he  died  well  advanced  in  years,  and  his  wife, 
Nancy,  also  lived  to  old  age.  She  had  borne  her  husband  a  family  of  fifteen 
children. 

Jam.es  W.  Mutter  has  spent  his  entire  life  on  the  farm  upon  wdiich  he 
was  born.  His  education  was  received  in  the  district  school,  and  at  his 
father's  death  he  and  his  brother  Robert  were  left  the  farm,  James  later  buy- 
ing out  his  brother's  interest.  On  April  26,  189Q,  he  married  Miss  Jennie  L. 
Jones,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Russell)  Jones,  and  five  sons  have  been 
born  to  this  union :  Robert  Charles,  Daniel  Jones,  James  Gordon,  and  two 
who  died  in  infancy.  Politically  Mr.  Mutter  is  a  Republican,  and  served  as 
supervisor  of  Dover  township  for  two  years.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Master 
!Mason  in  good  standing. 

Mrs.  ^Mutter's  father  was  a  native  of  Wales  and  came  to  America  when 
a  boy.  Her  mother  was  born  in  Kenosha  county.  Wis.  Thev  had  four  chil- 
dren:  Charles  Jones,  of  Wesley,  Iowa;  Charlotte,  wife  of  Floyd  Coling,  of 
Union  Grove,  Wis.;  Jennie  L.,  Mrs.  Mutter;  and  Russell  H..  of  Kenosha. 
Daniel  Jones  was  a  farmer  all  of  his  life.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 
war. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Mutter,  John  Jones,  a  native  of  Wales, 
was  an  earlv  settler  of  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  where  he  carried  on  farming. 
He  died  in  the  State  of  Iowa,  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Ann 
Hussey  Jones,  and  they  had  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  Mrs.  Mutter's 
maternal  grandfather  was  James  Russell,  also  an  early  settler  of  Kenosha 
county.  Wis.,  who  is  now  living  in  Union  Grove. 

EDWARD  MALONE.  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Waterforrl  Post 
and  general  merchant  at  Waterford.  Racine  Co..  Wis.,  was  born  there  Nov. 
28.   1864.  a  son  of  John  and  l\Iary   (Monahan)   Malone. 

John  Malone  was  born  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  and  came  to  America  an 
orphan  boy.  havine  lost  his  parents  when  so  youn?  that  he  could  not  remember 
them.     He  joined  his  only  brother,  Andrew,  at  Taunton,  Mass.     In  1849,  in 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  6oi 

the  days  of  the  gold  excitement,  he  went  to  Cahfornia,  by  way  of  Panama, 
engaged  in  mining  for  several  years,  and  made  money.  Then  he  came  to  Ro- 
chester, Wis.,  where  his  brother  also  settled.  About  the  time  the  old  Fox 
Ri\er  Valley  road  was  surveyed  he  invested  in  realty  in  the  villages  of  Wa- 
terfurd  and  Rochester.  In  Rochester  he  married  Mary  Monahan,  a  native  of 
the  Province  of  Quebec,  Canada,  of  Irish  parentage,  and  shortly  afterward 
moved  to  Missouri,  where  he  resided  during  the  period  of  the  Civil  war.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Home  Guards  during  that  struggle.  Returning  to  Ra- 
cine county,  Wis.,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  he  settled  in  Waterford,  where  he 
owned  property,  and  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  that  place,  dying 
there  in  1883.  aged  fifty-eight  years.  His  wife  survived  until  1901,  reach- 
ing the  age  of  sixty-four.  Both  were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mrs. 
Malone  came  to  Rochester,  Wis.,  with  her  parents  in  an  early  day,  and  after 
her  marriage  they  all  moved  to  Hannibal,  Mo.,  whence  her  people  migrated 
to  Virginia  City,  Nev.,  remaining  there  the  rest  of  their  lives  and  dying 
there.     They  had  a  family  of  five  sons  and  three  daughters. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Malone  thirteen  children  were  born,  ten  of  whom 
reached  maturity.  Eight  now  survive,  William  having  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three  years,  in  Waukesha,  Wis.  (he  was  unmarried),  and  Mary  A., 
the  wife  of  P.  M.  Jacobson,  of  Burlington,  Wis.,  having  died  at  the  age  of 
forty-seven  years.  Of  the  living,  Miss  Julia  is  a  school  teacher  in  Milwaukee; 
James  F.  is  a  physician  at  West  Allis,  Wis. ;  Edward  is  mentioned  below ; 
Rose  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  W.  F.  Wegge.  of  Milwaukee;  Jennie  is  the  wife  of 
Dr.  Ed.  English,  of  W'aterford ;  Miss  Bessie  is  a  stenographer  in  Milwaukee ; 
John  A.  is  an  attorney  at  Reedsburg.  Wis.,  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Stone  & 
Malone;  Francis  A.  is  a  physician  in  Waterford. 

Edward  Malone  was  reared  in  Waterford,  attending  the  public  and  paro- 
chial schools  there  until  he  was  twelve.  He  was  thirteen  years  old  when  he 
entered  the  office  of  the  Waterford  Post,  a  well  advanced  schoolboy,  and 
began  to  learn  the  printer's  trade  under  C.  M.  Whitman,  who  had  established 
the  paper.  It  was  then  but  a  small  enterprise  and  the  office  was  equipped  only 
with  a  few  fonts  of  type  and  a  hand  press.  Two  years  later,  in  1880,  Mr. 
Malone  leased  the  business,  wdiich  he. conducted  in  the  same  quarters  for  a 
few  months,  and  then  lx)Ught  the  establishment  outright.  The  circulation  of 
the  paper  was  then  about  two  hundred.  Although  but  a  youth  Mr.  Malone 
bravely  entered  the  editorial  field  and  set  about  the  not  very  easy  task  of 
firmly  establishing  a  country  newspaper.  The  time  has  not  been  long,  but 
his  success  may  be  measured  by  the  fact  that  the  circulation  has  now  reached 
one  thousand,  and  goes  over  several  States.  The  old  equipments  have  given 
way  to  modern  power  presses  and  a  thorough  reorganization  has  made  the 
Post  office  as  well  furnished  in  the  way  of  machinery  as  any  other  in  this 
section.  Mr.  Malone  is  a  versatile  writer  and  known  throughout  newspaper 
circles  in  the  State  for  his  peculiarly  facinating  style.  In  1891  he  embarked 
in  a  general  mercantile  business,  which  he  carries  on  in  connection  with  his 
publishing  enterprise,  and  in  1904  he  erected  the  substantial  building  in  which 
his  business  is  at  present  located. 

In  political  affiliation  Mr.  Malone  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  and  he 
has  frequently  attended  various  important  conventions  as  a  delegate.     From 


6o2  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

1891  to  1893  he  served  as  assistant  chief  clerk  of  the  State  Senate,  the  duties 
of  which  oftice  he  efficiently  discharged  during  the  Democratic  administra- 
tion. He  has  served  as  president  of  the  school  board  of  Waterford  and  was 
elected  chairman  of  the  town  in  1905,  and  has  also  been  town  treasurer,  giv- 
ing able  service  in  all  these  positions. 

On  May  15,  1894,  Mr.  Malone  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Simon, 
daughter  of  John  and  Helen  (Lamberty)  Simon,  the  former  the  proprietor 
of  the  "Simon  House,"  at  Madison,  a  pioneer  and  influential  citizen.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Simon  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  he  had  the  distinction  of  be- 
ing the  earliest  German  settler  in  Madison.  He  died  in  February,  1906.  at 
the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  Mrs.  Simon  still  survives,  as  do  four  of  their 
children.  Fred,  John,  Marj-  (Mrs.  Malone)  and  Josephine  (wife  of  Joseph 
Blied). 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  ]Malone  have  had  one  child,  Edward  J.  They  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus, 
Modern  Woodmen  and  Independent  Order  of  Foresters. 

TOHX  H.  FOLW'ELL.  The  present  seems  to  be  pre-eminently  the 
day  of  the  "young  man"  and  among  the  established  business  men  of  any  city 
are  found  many  whose  quickness  and  natural  ability  have  enabled  them  to 
seize  opportunities  which  have  placed  them  in  responsible  and  often  inde- 
pendent positions  which  would,  in  earlier  days,  have  been  occupied  only  by 
men  of  mature  years.  One  of  Racine's  business  men  who  has  thus  reached 
an  assured  place  and  while  still  in  early  manhood  is  John  H.  Folwell,  a  dealer 
in  art  goods,  china,  etc.,  located  at  No.  523  Main  street.  He  was  born  in 
Germantown,  Pa..  Feb.  19.  1876.  son  of  John  H.  and  Ida  J.  (Smart)  Folwell. 

The  Folwells  are  a  New  Jersey  family  and  both  the  father  and  grand- 
father of  John  H.  Folwell  were  born  there.  The  latter,  by  name  John,  was 
a  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years.  He  married  Keziah  McGowan.  who 
lore  him  four  children,  and  survived  him  many  years,  living  to  be  eighty- 
six  vears  old.  Their  son.  John  H.  Folwell,  Sr..  resided  for  many  years  in 
Philadelphia,  where  he  was  a  buyer  for  the  firm  of  Cooper  &  Connard  for 
more  than  two  decades.  In  1880  he  went  West  to  Minneapolis,  and  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  business,  continuing  in  that  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
c'^cnrred  in  1904,  when  he  was  aged  fifty-six.  He  married  Miss  Ida  J.  Smart. 
who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  died  April  23,  1906.  They  became  the 
parents  of  three  children,  viz.:  John  H. :  Ida  J.,  wife  of  W.  W.  Jennings,  of 
Minneapolis:  and  Elizabeth  B.,  wife  of  E.  J.  McCall.  of  Minneapolis.  Mr. 
Folwell  was  a  Methodist  in  his  religious  views,  while  his  wife  was  a  Baptist. 
Her  father.  John  Smart,  born  Aug.  13.  181 1  in  New  Jersey  of  English  de- 
scent, was  a  jeweler  and  watchmaker  in  Philadelphia.  During  the  Civil 
war  he  served  as  an  officer  in  the  hospital  corps.  He  died  March  i.  1886.  at 
the  age  of  seventy-five.  His  wife.  Elizabeth  Hofifman.  born  in  Pennsylvania 
March  17.  1813.  died  Jan.  31.  1897.  They  were  married  May  24.  1835.  and 
had  six  daughters  and  one  son.  three  of  the  daughters  now  living. 

John  H.  Folwell.  Jr..  was  between  four  and  five  years  old  when  his 
parents  moved  to  Minneapolis,  and  his  boyhood  and  youth  were  passed  in 
that  city.  He  attended  the  public  schools  and  went  through  the  entire  course, 
being  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1896.     His  first  position  was  in  the 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  603 

mortgage  and  tax  department  of  the  Minnesota  Loan  &  Trust  Company, 
where  he  remained  two  years.  He  next  accepted  a  place  as  manager  of  the 
Riverside  Oatmeal  Company,  at  Riverside,  Iowa,  and  was  there  for  a  slightly 
longer  period,  after  which  he  was  with  the  Pillsbury-Washburn  Flour  Mills 
Company,  for  a  time  in  a  similar  capacity.  He  left  them  to  become  manager 
of  the  National  Oatmeal  Company,  at  Davenport.  Iowa,  and  then  in  April, 
1904,  he  went  into  business  for  himself.  Locating  at  Racine,  Mr.  Fohvell 
purchased  the  retail  department  of  the  Harnes  Crockery  Company,  and  has 
since  then  given  his  entire  attention  to  building  up  a  large  patronage,  in  which 
he  has  been  very  successful.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

Mrs.  John  H.  Folwell  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Jessie  M.  Sheldon,  and 
was  married  to  Mr.  Folwell  Nov.  29,  1899.  They  have  one  daughter,  Ruth 
E.,  and  one  son,  John  H..  Jr.  They  live  at  No.  840  College  avenue,  and  their 
hospitable  home  is  ever  open  to  their  many  friends.  Mrs.  Folwell's  parents, 
Frank  E.  and  Joan  (Shellabarger)  Sheldon,  live  at  Bennett,  Iowa,  where 
the  father  is  station  agent  for  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  Company.  They  had 
three  children,  Guy  S.,  Jessie  M.  and  Charles.  Mrs.  Folwell's  paternal  grand- 
father, Franklin  Sheldon,  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  moved  West  some  time 
in  the  fifties,  settling  in  Atlantic,  Iowa.  Later  he  went  to  Kansas,  and  now 
lives  in  Wichita.  He  married  and  had  a  large  family.  Mrs.  Folwell's  ma- 
ternal grandparents  were  John  and  Ruth  Shellabarger,  the  former  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  of  German  descent.  He  moved  to  Iowa,  where  he  took  up 
land  from  the  government  and  died  there  leaving  a  large  family,  of  whom  all 
but  one  were  daughters. 

FERDINAND  DUNNEBACKE,  of  the  f^rm  of  Dunnebacke  Bros., 
dealers  in  flour,  feed,  hay,  grain,  potatoes,  etc.,  located  at  Nos.  320-322  Main 
street,  Kenosha.  Wis.,  was  born  in  Chicago,  111.,  Feb.  i,  1872.  son  of  John 
and  Barbara  (Berns)  Dunnebacke,  natives  of  Germany. 

John  Dunnebacke  was  a  tanner,  and  on  coming  to  America  first  settled 
in  LaPorte,  Ind..  later  removing  to  Chicago,  111.  There  he  became  superin- 
tendent of  the  largest  tannery  in  the  west,  which  was  built  after  his  own  plans. 
He  invented  the  beamless  vats,  now  in  common  use  all  over  the  world.  About 
1877  he  came  to  Kenosha  Co..  Wis.,  and  bought  a  farm  in  Somers  township, 
immediately  north  of  the  city  of  Kenosha,  which  consisted  of  138  acres. 
There  he  resided  until  his  death.  July  23.  1902,  aged  seventy-four  years. 
His  wife  survives  him.  She  is  a  Catholic,  as  was  her  husband.  They  had 
thirteen  children,  seven  of  whom  are  still  living:  Margaret,  wife  of  John 
Schenneman,  of  Kenosha:  Mary,  wife  of  Frank  B.  Merkel,  of  Rochester,  N. 
Y. :  John,  of  Somers  township ;  Ferdinand,  Theresa,  the  wife  of  Henry  Soens, 
of  Kenosha ;  Rose,  the  wife  of  John  Thom.  of  Kenosha :  and  Anthony,  of 
Kenosha,  our  subject's  partner. 

Ferdinand  Dunnebacke  lived  on  his  father's  farm  until  about  eighteen 
years  of  age,  and  attenderl  the  district  and  later  the  public  schools  of  Kenosha. 
He  then  went  to  Chicago,  and  worked  in  a  hat  factory  for  two  years,  manu- 
facturing firemen's  hats  and  caps,  known  as  the  P.  Stump  hat,  which  is  said 
to  be  the  best  hat  of  the  kind  ever  manufactured.  He  then  went  to  Nfew 
York  City  and  entered  the  L^nited  States  College  of  Embalming,  and  learned 
embalming,  which  he  followed  for  six  years.       At  this  time  he  went  to  the 


6o4  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Klondike,  Alaska,  remaining  there  three  years,  mming  and  prospecting.  On 
his  arrival  there  he  walked  800  miles,  from  Skagway  to  Dawson,  with  the 
thermometer  ranging  from  twenty-eight  to  sixty-two  below  zero.  His  father 
dying  while  he  was  away,  he  returned  to  Kenosha,  and  operated  the  home 
farm,  which  he  still  continues  to  do,  and  in  addition  presses  and  ships  hay  on 
a  large  scale.  In  1902  he  and  his  brother  Anthony,  embarked  in  a  flour  and 
feed  business  in  Kenosha,  in  a  small  way,  and  the  business  has  grown  to  large 
proportions. 

The  brothers  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Mr.  Ferdinand 
Dunnebacke  is  still  interested  in  a  mining  claim  of  eighteen  acres  on  the  Por- 
cupine River,  in  Southern  Alaska. 

JOHN  MOELLER.  superintendent  for  the  Knickerbocker  Ice  Co.,  at 
Salem.  Wis.,  was  born  near  Flensborg,  Germany,  Jan.  3,  1864.  son  of  Chris- 
tian and  Maria  (Frank)  Moeller,  natives  of  Germany.  The  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  farmer  in  Germany,  where  he  died  aged  ninety-nine  and  one- 
half  vears;  his  wife  also  attained  advanced  years,  and  was  the  mother  of  a 
good-sized  family.  The  maternal  grandparents  were  also  farming  people, 
and  they  had  a  large  family  of  children. 

Christian  Moeller  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  has  spent  his  entire  life 
in  his  native  land,  making  his  home  near  Gulda.  He  served  as  a  soldier 
under  both  the  German  and  Danish  governments.  His  wife,  Maria  Frank, 
died  in  1885,  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  to  which  he  also  belongs. 
They  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  children,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned : 
Heinrich,  of  Germany;  Katrina,  wife  of  Jacob  Erickson,  of  Junction  City. 
Kans. :  Christina,  of  Germany;  John;  Julius,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  Mary;  Lud- 
wig  and  Christ,  of  Germany:  and  Margaretta,  wife  of  Christ  Erickson.  of 
Junction  City.  Kansas. 

John  Moeller  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits  in  his  native  country,  and 
there  attended  the  common  schools.  In  1885  he  came  to  America,  and  at  first 
settled  in  Chicago,  working  in  the  ice  houses  of  Kurtz  &  Higley.  He  spent 
one  year  in  Chicago,  and  then  came  to  Salem.  Wis.,  where  he  has  since  lived 
with  the  exception  of  one  year  spent  in  Oshkosh.  For  nineteen  years  he  has 
been  superintendent  for  the  Knickerbocker  Ice  Co.,  and  has  from  150  to  175 
men  under  him. 

In  May,  1883.  in  Germany.  Mr.  Moeller  married  Miss  Marie  Burmeister, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Maria  Burmeister.  and  fourteen  children  have  been 
born  of  this  union,  thirteen  now  living;  Maria;  William,  deceased;  William 
.(2):  Anna;  Elsie:  Frieda:  Walter;  Bendix;  John;  Albert:  Elmer;  Arthur; 

Sophia,  and  .     Mr.   and  Mrs.  Moeller  are  Lutherans.     Politically 

he  is  independent,  voting  rather  for  the  man  than  for  the  party. 

GEORGE  WILLIAM  FAULKNER,  who  until  1903,  engaged  in  the 
blacksmith  business  in  A\^ilmot.  Wis.,  is  now  operating  his  tract  of  land  in 
Silem  township.  He  was  born  in  the  village  of  Wilmot.  March  24.  1861.  son 
of  William  and  Eliza  (Phillips)  Faulkner,  natives  of  Eneland.  His  grand- 
father. William  Faulkner,  was  a  native  of  Ensrland,  in  which  country  he  died, 
as  did  also  his  wife.  He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  followed  that  oc- 
cupation all  of  his  life. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  605 

Robert  Phillips,  George  W.  Eaulkner's  maternal  grandfather,  was  a 
native  of  England,  came  to  America,  and  was  among  the  early  pioneers  of 
Salem  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  died  on  his  place  east  of  the  bridge  on  Eox 
river,  just  east  of  the  village  of  Wilmot,  at  an  advanced  age.  His  wife  Ann 
also  attained  advanced  years.  They  had  eight  children,  and  of  these  seven 
came  to  this  country,  four  daughters  and  three  sons. 

William  Faulkner,  father  of  George  W.,  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and 
came  to  America  when  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age,  alone.  He  went  to  work 
in  the  Bain  Wagon  Works  in  Kenosha,  and  was  married  in  the  town  of 
Salem,  after  which  he  made  his  way  to  Wilmot,  where  he  continued  in  the 
blacksmith  business  until  his  death.  He  died  Jan.  15,  1904,  aged  sixty-six 
years,  while  his  w'idow  survived  until  April  of  the  following  year,  passing 
away  at  the  same  age.  She  was  an  Episcopalian  in  her  native  country,  but 
became  identified  in  her  latter  years  with  the  Methodist  Church.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  William  Faulkner  had  six  children :  Rose,  the  wife  of  George  Hock- 
ney,  of  Salem  township;  George  William;  Fred,  of  Wilmot;  and  three  who 
are  deceased. 

George  W.  Faulkner  was  reared  in  Wiliuot,  where  he  received  his  liter- 
ary training  in  the  district  schools.  He  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  in  his 
father's  shop,  and  followed  that  business  until  1903,  when  he  retired  from  the 
same,  and  has  since  l^een  engaged  in  farming.  On  Jan.  13.  1901,  he  married 
Miss  Carrie  Udell,  daughter  of  Thomas  C.  and  Phebe  A.  (Jones)  Udell. 
Politically  Mr.  Faulkner  is  a  Republican. 

Thomas  C.  Udell,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Faulkner,  was  a  native  of  Vermont, 
and  her  mother  was  a  native  of  Haverhill,  N.  H.,  Mrs.  Faulkner  being  the 
only  child  of  that  union.  Thomas  C.  Udell  w'as  one  of  the  very  early  set- 
tlers of  Southport,  now  Kenosha,  and  there  engaged  in  luercantile  business 
for  some  time.  He  later  bought  a  farm  in  Salem  township,  and  at  one  time 
owned  700  acres  in  Salem  township  and  over  300  acres  in  W^alworth  county. 
Mr.  Udell's  thrift  and  industry  will  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  on  leaving  Ver- 
mont he  had  to  borrow  $5  to  get  to  Kenosha  county.  He  died  on  the  home 
farm  in  Salem  township  in  1884,  aged  seventy-three  years,  while  his  wife 
died  in  1902,  in  her  eightieth  year.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church.  Politically  a  Republican,  he  was  elected  at  various  times 
to  fill  positions  of  honor  and  trust,  and  his  duties  while  in  office  were  al- 
ways faithfully  discharged.  Mr.  Udell's  first  wife  was  Laura  A.  Bullin.  and 
by  her  he  had  three  children:  Thomas  C,  who  lives  near  Genoa  Junction: 
Anna,  wife  of  E.  A.  Kennedy,  of  Salem  township:  and  Lathrop  A.,  whm 
is  deceased. 

Adino  LTdell.  Mrs.  Faulkner's  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  farmer,  and 
a  native  of  Vermont.  He  was  an  early  settler  in  Kenosha  county,  and  died 
at  Fox  River  at  an  old  age.  His  wife.  Olivia,  also  attained  advanced  years. 
They  had  a  large  family  of  children.  On  the  maternal  side.  Mrs.  Faulkner's 
grandparents  were  Joseph  and  Hannah  Jones,  both  natives  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  William  Faulkner  Ixith  belong  to  pioneer  families 
who  became  prominent  in  the  community.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Faulkner  have  a  fine 
farm  in  Salem  township,  Kenosha  county,  and  own  a  beautiful  modern  home 


6o6  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

in  the  village  of  W'iiniot.  Mr.  Faulkner  pastures  from  four  thousand  to 
twelve  thousand  sheep  annually,  and  is  well  known  among  the  thrifty,  prac- 
tical farmers  of  Salem  township. 

PETER  BECKER,  a  highly  esteemed,  influential  farmer  of  Waterlord 
township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  whose  fine  tract  of  land  is  located  on  Section 
^;^,  is  a  native  of  Germany,  born  at  Merzig  Trier,  Nov.  ii,  1820,  son  of 
Michael  and  Angeline   (Strupp)   Becker,  natives  of  that  country. 

Michael  Becker  was  a  farmer  in  Germany,  and  there  spent  his  whole  life, 
dying  in  1846,  aged  seventy-three  years.  His  widow  came  to  America  with 
four  children,  and  lived  with  her  son  Peter,  in  Dover  township,  Racine  county, 
where  she  died  seven  years  later,  aged  seventy  years.  She  and  her  husband 
were  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Of  their  eight  children,  three  are 
now  living:    Peter;  John,  of  Racine;  and  Margaret,  a  nun  in  St.  Louis. 

Peter  Becker  was  reared  in  Germany  on  a  farm,  and  there  received  his 
education.  He  came  to  America  in  1847,  and  settled  first  in  Indiana,  where 
he  worked  by  the  month,  after  which  he  spent  a  year  in  Chicago,  then  locat- 
ing in  Racine  county.  He  worked,  by  the  month  for  two  years,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  purchased  a  120  acre  farm  in  Dover  township,  to  which  he 
added  140  acres,  owning  in  all  260  acres.  He  spent  sixteen  years  in  Dover 
township,  and  then  sold  eighty  acres  of  his  farm  and  located  in  Waterford. 
Here  he  purchased  his  present  place,  consisting  of  160  acres,  and  has  spent 
thirty-seven  years  at  the  same  locality,  selling  all  of  his  land  except  twenty 
acres  in  Dover  township. 

In  1852  Mr.  Becker  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Weins,  and  twelve  children 
were  born  to  this  union :  Peter,  who  has  always  been  a  farmer,  lives 
with  his  father;  Margaret,  who  married  Herman  Meincke,  lives  in  Ocono- 
mowoc,  Wis.,  and  has  tw'o  children,  John  and  Emma;  Joseph,  a  farmer  and 
dairyman  three  miles  south  of  Milwaukee,  married  Gertrude  Maaz,  and  has 
seven  children,  Peter,  Mary,  Joseph.  Edward,  Estella,  Walter  and  Frederick; 
Philip,  a  farmer  near  Webster,  S.  D.,  married  Emma  Trogel.  and  has  eleven 
children,  among  them  being,  Emma,  William.  Sophronia,  Philip  and  Fred- 
erick (twins),  John,  Joseph,  and  Daisy;  Eva,  who  married  Henry  Korten- 
dick,  died,  leaving  five  children,  Peter.  Rosa.  Henry,  Arthur  and  Urban; 
John,  who  was  a  farmer,  died  single :  Anna,  who  married  Conrad  Gebhard, 
lives  one  mile  south  of  Milwaukee  and  has  seven  children,  Daisy,  George, 

Jerome,  Gregory,  Isatel,  and  Herbert:  Michael  died  single:  W^il- 

liam  lives  at  Finley,  N.  Dak.,  where  he  married  Elizabeth  Ferguson:  Mary 
died  aged  two  years:  Bertha  died  young;  and  Frederick,  who  operates  bis 
father's  farm  in  Waterford  township,  married  Frances  Henrick,  and  has  two 
children,  Arthur  and  Howard. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  (W'eins)  Becker,  wife  of  our  subject,  died  in  1889,  aged 
fifty-seven  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Catholic  Church,  to  which  Mr.  Becker 
also  adheres.     Politically  he  is  a  Democrat. 

WARD  C.  CLEMOXS,  a  highly  esteemed  citizen  of  Racine,  of  which 
city  he  is  city  treasurer,  was  born  in  Mt.  Pleasant.  Racine  Co..  Wis.,  .Aug. 
8.  1876.  son  of  Chester  E.  and  Emma  (DeGroat)  demons,  natives  of  New 
York  and  Illinois,  respectively. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  607 

Asahel  Clemons,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Ward  C.  demons,  was  a 
native  of  New  York,  of  English  and  French  descent.  A  farmer  in  his  native 
State,  on  coming  to  Wisconsin  among  the  early  settlers  he  continued  that  occu- 
pation in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  where  he  owned  a  fine  farm.  There  he 
died,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  Joseph  DeGroat,  the  maternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  was  also  a  native  of  New  York,  and  a  descendant  of  a  family 
that  dates  its  ancestry  back  to  the  tnne  of  the  "Mayflower."  He  had  two  sons 
in  the  Civil  war,  Joseph  and  Charles,  and  Charles  lost  his  life  in  that  strug- 
gle, being  buried  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  One  son  of  Joseph  DeGroat  was  also 
in  the  Spanish-American  war.  The  DeGroat  family  were  originally  French. 
Joseph  DeGroat  came  to  W'isconsin  in  the  early  days  and  died  aged  about 
forty-three  years. 

Chester  E.  Clemons,  deceased,  the  father  of  W^ard  C.  Clemons,  was  a 
farmer  most  of  his  life,  and  came  to  Wisconsin  about  1849,  purchasing  a 
farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  township,  upon  which  he  reared  his  family.  For  a 
time  he  was  in  business  in  Racine,  where  he  lived  for  twenty  years,  his  death ' 
occurring  March  17,  1906.  His  wife  died  in  1895,  aged  fifty  years.  In  re- 
ligious faith  she  was  a  Baptist.  They  had  these  children :  Miss  Marian ; 
Elma,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  W.  E.  Powell;  \\'ard  C,  our  subject; 
Earl  A.,  and  Ira  DeGroat. 

Ward  C.  Clemons  lived  on  his  father's  farm  until  twelve  or  thirteen 
years  of  age  and  then  came  to  town  with  his  parents  and  grew  to  manhood 
in  Racine,  attending  the  public  schools  and  Rowland's  Academy.  He  then 
took  a  position  with  the  Chicago.  ^Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad,  and  re- 
mained with  that  company  a  little  over  three  years.  When  the  Spanish- 
American  war  broke  out  Mr.  Clemons  was  given  a  commission  as  first  lieu- 
tenant of  the  1st  Wis.  V.  I.  After  the  expiration  of  his  service  he  took  up 
newspaper  work  for  about  five  years.  In  the  spring  of  1904  he  was  elected 
to  the  office  of  city  treasurer,  which  office  he  still  holds,  being  elected  on  the 
Democratic  ticket  by  a  handsome  majority. 

Religiously  Mr.  Clemons  is  a  Methodist.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic 
order.  Knights  of  Pythias,  Elks,  and  Spanish-American  War  Veterans,  and 
during  the  war  had  a  record  of  which  any  man  might  feel  proud.  He  is  pop- 
ular with  all  classes  and  all  parties,  and  has  the  reputation  of  being  an  up- 
right citizen,  a  good  business  man  and  an  incorruptible  public  official. 

JOHN  P.  RUNKEL.  a  much  esteemed  resident  of  Burlington.  Wis.,  a 
substantial  retired  farmer  and  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  his  locality,  was  born 
Oct.  7,  1827,  in  Hessen-Darmstadt,  Germany,  near  the  city  of  Bingen,  son 
of  Anthony  and  Susan  (Karcher)  Runkel,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many. 

The  father  was  the  son  of  a  farmer  who  lived  and  died  in  Germanv. 
Anthony  Runkel  served  in  the  wars  for  eight  years  under  Napoleon.  In 
August,  1841,  he  came  to  America  and  gave  up  military  life,  settling  down  on 
a  tract  of  farming  land  near  Burlington,  Wis.  He  died  on  this  farm  in  185a.. 
aged  sixty-three  years.  His  widow  survived  until  Jan.  25.  1870,  dying  aeed 
eightv-two  years.  Both  were  members  of  the  Refornied  Church.  Thev  h^d 
six  children,  the  two  survivors  being  John  P.  and  Barbara,  wife  of  Frank 
Newbury,  of  Wheatland  township,  Kenosha  county. 


6o8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

John  P.  Runkel  was  thirteen  years  old  when  he  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  America  and  was  reared  in  liurHngton  township,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis. 
He  went  to  school  a  short  time,  but  on  account  of  ill  health  he  returned  to 
his  father  on  the  farm.  In  1859  he  went  to  Europe,  returning  to  America 
just  before  the  Civil  war.  He  then  bought  a  farm  in  Wheatland  township, 
on  which  he  lived  from  1867  until  1899,  when  he  left  the  farm  and  moved  to 
Burlington.  He  owns  a  fine  farm  of  370  acres  in  Wheatland  township,  and 
occupies  a  handsome  residence  in  Burlington  which  he  erected. 

Mr.  Runkel  was  married  June  11,  1854,  to  Mary  Rietbrock,  daughter  of 
Adolph  and  Christina  (Cook)  Rietbrock.  They  had  eight  children,  the  two 
surviving  being  Henry  A.  and  Amelia.  Henry  A.  lives  on  the  old  home  farm 
in  Wheatland  township  where  his  mother  was  reared ;  he  married  Sarah 
Wheeler,  and  they  have  three  children,  Harold.  Jeanette  and  Dorothy.  Amelia 
married  George  Smith,  and  they  live  in  Burlington  and  have  two  children, 
Fred  and  Lloyd. 

Mrs.  Runkel's  parents  were  natives  of  Westphalia,  Germany,  and  they 
came  to  America  in  1837,  settling  on  a  farm  in  Wheatland  township.  By 
trade  the  father  was  a  jeweler,  but  when  he  reached  America  he  found  no 
opening  for  his  business  in  New  York  City  and  came  on  to  Kenosha  county, 
where  manv  of  his  countrymen  later  settled.  At  that  time  there  were  only 
three  houses  in  Kenosha  and  Chicago  was  but  a  swampy  village.  The  latter 
par  of  his  life  was  spent  in  retirement.  At  one  time  he  was  a  thrifty  farmer, 
owned  land,  and  raised  2,500  sheep. 

Both  Mr.  Runkel  antl  liis  wife  are  members  of  the  Reformed  Church. 
Politically  he  is  a  Democrat.  For  eight  years  he  held  the  office  of  town  clerk 
in  WHieatland  township  and  for  several  years  he  was  town  chairman.  He  has 
always  been  one  of  the  reliable  and  respected  men  of  the  community  and  since 
coming  to  Burlington  to  pass  the  rest  of  his  days  in  comfortable  retirement 
has  become  known  for  his  many  sterling  qualities.  Both  he  and  his  estimable 
wife  have  been  witnesses  to  wonderful  changes  in  that  locality. 

GEORGE  H.  HERZOG,  for  three  terms  register  of  deeds  of  Racine 
county,  is  not  only  a  native  of  the  county  but  a  lifelong  resident.  He  was  born 
in  the  city  of  Racine  Oct.  4,  1867.  son  of  Jacob  and  Frances  (Hoffman)  Her- 
zog,  his  parents  being  natives  respectively  of  New  York  State  and  Wisconsin. 
Of  the  three  children  born  to  them  George  H.  is  the  only  survivor.  His  father 
migrated  from  the  Empire  State  with  his  parents  to  the  sparsely  settled  Badger 
State  in  i860,  locating  on  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Mt.  Pleasant.  He  assisted  on 
the  farm  for  several  years  and  afterward  removed  to  Racine  and  entered  the 
employ  of  the  J.  I.  Case  Threshing  Machine  Co.  as  a  wood  worker.  He  is 
still  employed  by  that  firm,  with  which  he  has  remained  thirty-nine  years  con- 
tinuously. He  is  still  a  resident  of  Racine,  where  his  first  wife  died  in  1872. 
Mr.  Herzog  married  twice  thereafter,  his  present  wife  being  in  her  maiden- 
hood Jennette  Edmonds. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  George  H.  Herzog  emigrated  to  America  in 
the  fifties  ?nd  at  first  settled  in  St.  Lawrence  county.  N.  Y..  coming  W^est 
in  i860,  but  in  later  years  returning  to  the  East.  It  is  known  that  in  the  Ger- 
man Fatherland  he  was  a  member  of  the  regular  armv.  He  lived  to  be  over 
eighty  years  of  age.     The  maternal  grandfather  was  John  Hoffman,  also  a 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  609 

native  of  Germany,  who  first  settled  in  New  York  State,  and  came  West  in 
tlie  fifties.  He  located  in  Racine  as  a  teaming  contractor,  and  there  lived  until 
his  death  when  he  was  more  than  seventy  years  of  age.  His  wife's  lyaiden 
name  was  Catharine  Steiner,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  a  large  family.  She 
is  still  alive  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-two. 

George  H.  Herzog  received  a  sound  education  in  the  common  and  high 
schools  of  Racine,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  engaged  at  his  father's  trade 
of  wood-working.  For  six  years  he  was  a  reporter  and  telegraph  editor  on  the 
Racine  Journal,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish- American  war  not  only 
served  in  the  ranks  but  corresponded  for  his  local  paper.  He  enlisted  in  Cora^ 
pany  F,  ist  Regiment,  Wis.  V.  I.,  and  during  the  war  he  was  stationed  ajt 
Jacksonville,  Fla.,  with  the  7th  Army  Corps,  under  Gen.  Fitzhugh  Lee.  At  the 
conclusion  of  his  service  he  returned  to  his  employment  in  the  Journal  otfice, 
and  in  the  fall  of  1898  he  was  elected  register  of  deeds,  assuming  the  duties  of 
that  ofiice  on  the  first  Monday  in  January,  1899.  That  he  gave  general  satis^ 
faction,  irrespective  of  party,  is  very  evident;  for  although  he  is  a  Democrat 
and  the  county  is  strongly  Republican  he  was  twice  reelected  to  the  position, 
which  requires  for  the  proper  discharge  of  its  functions  decided  qualities  of 
precision  and  e.xecutive  ability.  In  the  spring  of  1905  he  was  elected  alder- 
man of  the  Seventh  ward,  and  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of 
the  city. 

On  June  23,  1891,  Mr.  Herzog  was  united  in  marriage  to  Margaret  M, 
Deischler,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Amelia  (Smith)  Deischler.  Two  children 
have  been  torn  to  this  union,  Harry  J.  and  Frances  J.  The  family  residence 
at  No.  1628  North  Main  street,  was  erected  by  Mr.  Herzog  in  1903.  Frater- 
nally he  is  identified  with  Racine  Lodge,  No.  92,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  with  the  K. 
of  P.,  M.  W.  A.,  Maccabees,  and  I.  O.  R.  M.  He  has  also  been  prominently 
connected  with  the  athletic  societies  of  Racine  for  many  years,  having  served 
as  vice-president  of  the  Racine  Athletic  Association  when  it  was  at  the  height 
of  its  strength ;  further,  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Racine  Baseball 
Club,  and  is  in  every  respect  an  advocate  of  healthful  physical  exercise  and  rec- 
reation as  a  counterpoise  and  a  sustainer  of  mental  exertion. 

FRANK  B.  WICKS,  one  of  the  progressive  and  enterprising  farmers  of 
Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  who  is  engaged  in  cultivating  the  soil  on  Sections  5  and 
6,  in  Salem  township,  was  born  on  the  farm  upon  which  he  now  resides  July 
9,  1863,  son  of  George  and  Caroline  (Barber)  Wicks.  His  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  native  of  Germany,  and  on  coming  to  America  settled  in  Penn- 
sylvania. He  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  five  children.  Frank  B.  Wicks'  ma- 
ternal grandfather  was  Oslx)rn  Barber,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  of  English  dcr 
scent,  who  followed  farming  all  his  life.  He  was  married  twice,  his  wives  be- 
ing sisters,  named  Thorpe,  and  by  the  first  union  there  were  three  children ;  by 
the  second  wife.  Lydia,  there  were  four  daughters  and  one  son.  The  family  re- 
moved from  Connecticut  to  Ohio,  and  thence  to  Mound  Prairie,  III,  whence 
they  went  to  Woodstock.  111.  There  they  died,  Mr.  Barber  when  over  ninety 
years  of  age.  and  his  wife  over  eighty. 

George  Wicks,  father  of  Frank  B.,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  came  to 
Wisconsin  in  1844,  and  bought  a  farm  in  Wheatland  township,  Kenosha 
county.     There  he  lived  some  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  purchased  a  farrn 


6io  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

of  240  acres  in  Salem,  on  Sections  5  and  6,  and  here  reared  Iiis  family,  dying 
on  this  farm  in  1873,  ^g^d  sixty-three  years.  His  wife  survived  him  until 
1902,  and  was  sixty-nine  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  He  first  married 
Mary  Hyde,  by  whom  he  had  three  children ;  Albert,  of  Silver  Lake ;  Monroe, 
of  Salem  township;  and  William,  who  died  young.  His  second  wife,  Caroline 
Barber,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  and  was  the  mother  of  four  children  :  Florence, 
who  died  aged  twenty-eight  years;  Caroline  who  died  aged  twenty-one  years; 
Frank  B. ;  and  Orren  Day,  of  Seward,  Nebraska. 

Frank  B.  Wicks  has  lived  on  the  farm  on  which  his  father  settled  in  Salem 
township  all  his  life,  and  now  owns  the  old  homestead.  The  farm  now  con- 
tains 1 57^'' J  acres.  He  first  attended  the  district  schools,  and  later  lived  with 
his  grandparents  in  Woodstock,  111.,  attending  the  public  schools  there.  He  then 
returned  to  the  farm,  and  at  his  father's  death  it  came  into  his  possession.  On 
Jan.  18,  1894.  Mr.  Wicks  married  Miss  Catherine  Hahn,  daughter  of  Mathias 
and  Christina  (Neizeos)  Hahn,  and  two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union, 
namely;  Aurelia  Catherine  and  Raymond  Frances.  Mrs.  Wicks  is  a  member 
of  the  Catholic  Church.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  two 
terms  as  school  clerk. 

The  parents  of  Mrs.  Wicks  were  natives  of  Treve.  Germany,  and  came  to 
America  in  1855,  settling  in  Brighton  township,  where  they  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. There  the  father  died  in  1895,  aged  eighty  years,  while  his  widow  sur- 
vives him,  and  still  lives  in  Brighton.  Eleven  children  were  torn  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hahn,  eight  of  whom  are  now  living :  John,  of  Brighton  township ;  Anna, 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Molitor,  of  Brighton ;  Hubbard,  on  the  old  homestead  with 
his  mother.  Nicholas,  of  Harvard,  111. ;  Frank,  of  Shennington.  Wis. ;  Mathias, 
of  Brighton  township ;  ]\Irs.  Catherine  W' icks,  and  Peter  Hahn,  of  Beloit. 

FREDERICK  C.  SCHROEDER.  who  has  conducted  a  photographic 
studio  in  Kenosha  for  the  past  seventeen  years,  is  well  known  throughout  the 
city.  He  is  a  native  of  Kenosha,  born  April  13,  1863,  son  of  August  and  Doro- 
thea (Jones)  Schrceder,  natives  of  Weimar,  Saxony,  Germany. 

August  Schroeder  learned  the  harnessmaker's  trade,  and.  after  serving 
his  term  in  the  German  army,  followed  that  occupation  until  his  death.  He 
came  to  America  and  settled  in  Southport,  where  he  died  in  1889,  aged  sixty- 
three  years.  His  widow  still  survives,  and  makes  her  home  in  Sheboygan.  She 
is  a  Lutheran,  as  was  her  husband.  They  had  eight  children,  seven  of  whom 
are  now  living:  August,  of  Seattle,  Wash. ;  ]\Iinnie,  the  wife  of  Paul  T.  Kretz, 
of  Sheboygan.  \\'is. ;  Charles,  of  Chicago;  Frederick  C.  of  Kenosha;  William 
H.,  of  Kenosha;  Charlotte,  wife  of  Walter  Kohler.  of  Sheboygan;  and  Louise, 
the  wife  of  M.  W.  Berriman,  of  New  York  City.  August  Schmeder,  the  father, 
served  in  the  Civil  war  with  the  26th  ^^'is.  V.  I.,  and  was  wounded  in  the  battle 
of  Kenesaw  Mountain. 

Elias  Schroeder.  grandfather  of  Frederick  C,  was  a  native  of  Saxony,  and 
died  in  Germany  aged  seventy  years,  while  his  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Bush,  died  in  her  forty-fifth  year.  Henry  Jones,  the  maternal  grandfather, 
•was  a  native  of  Germany,  and  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years.  His  wife, 
Fredericka  (Ritter)  Jones,  died  aged  fifty-seven. 

Frederick  C.  Schroeder  was  reared  in  Kenosha  and  attended  the  public  and 
high  schools.     He  then  worked  in  the  Bain  Wagon  Works  and  the  Simmons 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  6ii 

factory,  and  for  a  sliort  time  followed  railroading.  When  twenty  years  old 
he  began  learning  the  harnessmaker's  trade,  which  he  followed  for  some  years, 
and  then  took  up  photography,  which  he  has  followed  for  the  past  seventeen 
years.  The  firm  was  originally  known  as  Brown  &  Schroeder,  but  for  the  past 
four  years  Mr.  Schroeder  has  been  in  business  by  himself.  He  has  an  ex- 
cellently appointed  studio,  and  does  a  large  business. 

On  April  21,  1899,  Mr.  Schroeder  married  Miss  May  Inez  Rice,  daughter 
of  Fred  and  Delia  (Winslow)  Rice,  and  granddaughter  of  Samuel  Rice,  a 
native  of  Somers  township.  Fred  Rice  was  born  in  Kenosha  county,  where 
he  still  resides.  He  has  been  a  farmer  most  of  his  life,  but  has  retired  from 
active  life.  He  and  his  wife  had  four  children,  one  of  whom  is  deceased ;  May 
Inez  is  the  wife  of  Frederick  C.  Schroeder ;  Addie  is  the  wife  of  Robert  Moth, 
city  engineer  of  Kenosha ;  the  other  is  Mrs.  R.  F.  Thompson. 

Mrs.  Schroeder  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church.  Mr.  Schroeder  be- 
longs to  Kenosha  Lodge,  No.  47,  F.  &  A.  M.;  to  the  Royal  League;  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America,  and  the  Yeomen  of  America.  Politically  he  is  a 
Republican.    His  residence  is  at  No.  732  South  Exchange  street. 

ANDREW  JACKSON  CUTTING,  a  very  highly  respected,  retired  citi- 
zen of  Racine,  W'is.,  who  makes  his  home  at  No.  1445  Park  avenue,  is  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire,  born  in  xAlstead,  Cheshire  county,  Dec.  6.  1828,  son  of 
Shepherd  Daggett  and  Sarah  (Read)  Cutting,  the  former  of  Attleboro.  Mass., 
and  the  latter  of  Pawtucket,  Rhode  Island. 

The  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  of  Scotch 
descent,  and  served  as  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  He  lived  to  an  advanced  age 
and  reared  a  large  family. 

Shepherd  Daggett  Cutting  was  a  cabinetmaker  in  early  manhood,  anrl 
later  followed  milling  for  a  number  of  years.  He  passed  away  in  1835,  in 
his  sixty-fourth  year,  in  the  faith  of  the  Unitarian  Church,  while  his  widow, 
who  survived  him  many  years  and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-five,  was  a  Baptist. 
They  had  ten  children,  eight  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  three  of  whom  are 
now  living.  Of  the  five  sons,  all  lived  to  be  over  seventy-five  years  of  age. 
Those  now  living  are:  George  W..  of  Providence.  R.  I.:  Andrew  lackson, 
of  Racine;  and  Diana  Augusta,  w'idow  of  Charles  H.  Persons,  of  Granville, 
Vermont. 

Andrew  Jackson  Cutting  was  reared  principally  in  Chester  and  Rutland, 
Vt.,  spending  his  school  days  in  Chester.  He  grew  up  on  a  farm,  but  when 
a  young  man  went  to  work  in  a  woolen  mill  for  about  three  years.  He  then 
went  to  railroading  as  conductor  on  the  freight  and  passenger  trains  running 
between  Rutland  and  Bellows  Falls,  and  after  about  twelve  years  on  that  road 
come  West,  locating  in  Racine  in  1857.  He  engaged  in  railroading  for  the 
Racine  &  Mississippi  Railroad  Company,  now  the  St.  Paul,  and  continued  with 
them  until  1864,  when  he  enlisted  in  tlie  army  in  Company  F,  ist  Wisconsin 
Heavy  Artillery.  During  the  war  he  became  sick.  was.  sent  to  the  hospital  and 
was  discharged  at  \\^ashington.  coming  home  shortly  before  the  close  of  the 
war,  his  regiment  being  mustered  out  July  4,  1865. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Cutting  returned  to  Racine,  and  again  engaged  in  rnil- 
roadirg  for  a  short  time,  and  later  went  into  the  produce  business.  Returning 
to  Chester,  Vt..  he  took  charge  of  his  father-in-law's  farm,  caring  for  hini 


6i2  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  his  wife  during  their  Hves  and  operating  the  farm  for  ten  years.  At  the 
end  of  this  time  he  returned  to  Racine,  but  on  account  of  the  ihness  of  his  wife 
returned  to  Rvitland,  Vt.,  where  she  died,  and  after  stopping  at  Providence, 
R.  I.,  for  a  short  time  Mr.  Cutting  returned  again  to  Racine,  where  he  still 
lives. 

On  Nov.  15,  1849,  ^'^^-  Cutting  married  Mi^^s  Sophia  Roberts,  daughter 
of  Elder  Orrin  Roberts,  a  Methodist  minister,  and  Fannie  (Fuller)  Roberts, 
and  to  this  union  two  children  were  born  :  Arabel  Louisa  and  Maud,  the  former 
of  whom  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  months.  Aland  married  Ernesto  Bar- 
acchini,  in  Rutland,  Vt.,  a  linguist,  and  went  to  Europe  to  study  art.  For  her 
second  husband  she  married  Jan.  27,  1897,  Chalderec  L.  DeMarras,  a  broker 
and  resident  of  Racine.  Mrs.  DeMarras  is  acknowledged  an  artist  of  superior 
ability,  which  her  work  fully  attests.  She  studied  under  some  of  the  cele- 
brated masters  of  Europe,  her  specialties  being  tapestry,  oil,  china  and  piiuto- 
graph  painting.     For  her  china  painting  she  received  a  gold  medal  at  Paris. 

Mrs.  Cutting  died  Feb.  2,  1890,  aged  fifty-nine  years.  She  was  a  member 
of  the  Congregational  Church  of  Rutland,  Vt.,  as  is  also  Mr.  Cutting.  He  is 
a  Master  Mason,  and  is  past  master  of  Lodge  No.  92,  F.  &  A.  M.,  being  the 
oldest  past  master  of  that  lodge  now  living.  He  also  belongs  to  Governor 
Harvey  Post  No.  17,  G.  A.  R.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  Gentle  of 
spirit,  Mr.  Cutting  is  a  typical  New  England  gentleman,  and  is  highly  es- 
teemed by  friends  and  acquaintances. 

JOHN  T.  GITTINGS,  an  attorney  of  Union  Grove,  was  born  in  Cale- 
donia township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  Aug.  9,  1870,  son  of  William  and  Elizabeth 
(Gittings)  Gittings. 

The  Gittings  family  is  of  W'elsh  lineage,  both  William  Gittings  and  his 
wife  being  natives  of  Wales.  They  had  a  family  of  five  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, viz. :  Kate,  wife  of  Capt.  John  Pugh,  of  Racine;  William  G.,  of  Racine; 
Mary  Ellen,  deceased  wife  of  Charles  Kittinger;  Christopher  C,  a  lawyer  in 
Racine;  Elizabeth,  of  Racine;  John  T.,  of  Union  Grove;  Ward  W.,  of  Racine; 
and  a  twin  brother  of  Ward,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  father  was  a  farmer, 
and  after  coming  to  America  in  early  manhood,  worked  in  New  York  for  a 
few  years,  and  then  came  to  Racine  county,  sometime  in  the  sixties,  settling 
on  a  farm  of  140  acres  in  Caledonia  township,  where  he  lived  up  to  about  1895. 
He  then  removed  to  Racine,  where  he  has  lived  retired  ever  since.  His  wife 
died  in  1904,  aged  seventy-four  years.  Both  were  members  of  the  Welsh  Con- 
gregational Church. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Gittings  was  also  named  William.  He 
was  a  native  of  Wales,  and  came  to  Wisconsin  in  the  sixties,  living  on  the 
farm  with  his  son  William  until  his  death  there,  in  1875,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years.  The  maternal  grandfather  was  also  a  native  of  Wales,  and  died 
there.     He  and  his  wife,  had  a  large  family. 

John  T.  Gittings  was  reared  in  Caledonia  township,  on  a  farm,  and  lived 
at  home  till  grown.  He  attended  the  district  schools  first  and  then  entered  the 
Racine  high  school,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1889.  After  teaching 
school  one  year,  he  worked  in  an  insurance  office  in  Racine  for  awhile  and 
finally  in  1892  entered  the  law  department  of  the  State  University  at  Madi- 
son, receiving  his  degree  in  1894.     He  was  with  his  brother  C.  C.  one  year 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  613 

in  Racine,  and  then  f(irmed  a  partnership  witli  G.  W.  Waller  in  Burlington, 
an  association  which  still  continues.  He  took  up  his  residence  at  Union  Grove 
in  the  spring  of  1897,  and  has  since  then  maintained  an  office  in  both  places. 

Mr.  Gittings  was  married  June  4,  1903,  to  Miss  Aristeen  Edgoose,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Lucinda  (Bacon)  Edgoose,  and  there  is  one  daughter  by  this 
vinion,  Eleanor  May.  Mrs.  Gittings  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church. 

Mr.  Gittings  belongs  to  Purity  Lodge,  No.  39,  I.  O.  O.  F..  and  also  to  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Fraternal  Union.  Politically  he  is  a 
Republican,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  several  years,  but 
otherwise  has  given  little  attention  to  public  matters  personally,  as  his  legal 
practice  absorbs  most  of  his  time  and  energy. 

HENRY  CALEY,  one  of  the  prominent,  influential  and  well-to-do  farm- 
ers of  Racine  county,  who  is  engaged  in  cultivating  the  soil  in  Sections  26  and 
35,  Waterford  township,  was  Ixirn  in  Dover  township,  Racine  county,  Jan. 
16,  1851,  son  of  John  and  Charlotte  (Clague)  Caley.  natives  of  the  Isle  of 
Man. 

John  Caley  was  always  a  farmer.  He  was  born  in  the  Isle  of  Man  in  1805, 
and  there  grew  to  manhood.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Mar- 
garet Clark,  by  whom  he  had  four  children,  as  follows  :  ( i)  John  is  deceased. 
(2)  Elizabeth  died  on  the  Isle  of  Man  at  the  age  of  twelve  years.  (3)  Wil- 
liam, born  on  the  Isle  of  Man  in  1832,  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
Dover  township.  He  made  a  trip  to  California  in  1855,  by  way  of  New  York 
and  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  followed  mining  for  a  time,  later  erecting  a 
sawmill  and  still  later  a  quartz  mill  at  San  Bernardino ;  he  there  married  Susan 
Maria  Strong  and  took  her  father  into  business  with  him.  He  died  in  1877 
leaving  his  widow  with  three  sons  and  a  daughter.  (4)  Thomas,  born  on  the 
Isle  of  Man  in  1834,  married  Derilla  DeReimer,  and  they  now  reside  in  Ore- 
gon. Mrs.  Margaret  Caley  died  in  1837,  and  after  her  death  Mr.  Caley  mar- 
ried (second)  Charlotte  Clague,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  children  as 
follow-s:  (i)  Charles  E.,  born  in  1841,  on  the  Isle  of  Man,  married  Merta 
Cndy,  and  had  five  children:  the  family  now  live  at  Marshall,  Minn.  (2)  Isa- 
bella, born  in  Racine  in  1844,  married  Jabez  Spriggs,  and  had  two  sons.  (3) 
Sarah  Jane,  Ixirn  Aug.  26,  1847,  resides  on  the  homestead.  (4)  Benjamin 
T.,  born  April  25,  1850,  in  Dover  township,  still  resides  on  the  old  homestead. 
(e,)  Henry  is  mentioned  below.  (6)  Ella  G.,  born  April  2-.  1859,  is  living  at 
Waterford. 

In  the  spring  of  1843  Jo'i"  Caley  brought  his  family  to  America  and 
located  in  Racine  county.  Wis.,  where  for  two  years  he  managed  the  farm  of 
Daniel  Slauson.  In  1845  he  purchased  120  acres  of  government  land  in  Dover 
township,  which  is  still  known  as  the  Caley  estate.  He  then  returned  to  Ra- 
cine to  earn  money  to  purchase  the  necessary  seed,  and  farm  implements,  and 
when  bv  industry  and  economy  he  had  accumulated  enough,  he  was  robbed  by 
a  brutal  comrade.  With  characteristic  energy,  however,  he  again  labored  un- 
tiring! v  until  he  had  secured  the  money,  and  in  1847,  with  his  family,  located 
on  tile' farm.  The  many  hardships  of  frontier  life,  and  over  exertion  in  fight- 
ing a  prairie  fire,  undermined  his  health  and  he  died  of  quick  consumption. 
TJiough  his  residence  had  been  short  in  Dover  township,  all  had  learned  to 


6i4  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

honor  and  respect  him.  His  widow,  left  with  a  family  of  small  children  on 
a  new  farm  in  a  wild  country,  displayed  such  remarkable  qualities  of  endur- 
ance and  perseverance  that  she  was  greatly  honored  by  her  friends  and  all 
who  knew  her.  She  survived  until  Oct.  14,  1889,  when  she  passed  away,  be- 
loved by  all. 

Henry  Caley  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  in  Dover  township 
and  attended  the  district  schools,  and  six  months  in  Rochester  Academy.  He 
lived  at  home  until  grown,  and  he  and  his  brother  Benjamin  purchased  the 
old  homestead  of  120  acres,  to  which  had  been  added  three  tracts  of  forty  acres 
each.  They  then  purchased  their  brother  Charlie's  interest,  he  going  west  to 
Marshall,  Minn.  Henry  and  Benjamin  then  purchased  108  acres  more  at 
Eagle  Lake,  having  in  all  348  acres.  In  1881  they  sold  the  108  acres,  and  Ben- 
jamin remained  at  the  old  homestead,  Henry  coming  to  Waterford  township, 
where  he  purchased  265  acres,  this  being  finely  improved,  and  on  it  he  has 
made  his  home,  and  he  is  considered  one  of  the  leading  and  most  capable 
farmers  of  the  township. 

On  Oct.  16,  1879,  Mr.  Caley  married  Miss  Ella  J.  Weage.  daughter  of 
Harvey  and  Elvira  (Baldwin)  VVeage,  and  four  children  were  born  to  this 
union :'  Garfield,  an  engineer  in  the  canning  factory  in  Waukesha,  married 
Alice  Able,  of  that  city,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Ethel ;  Claude,  Florence 
and  Elsie  remain  at  home.  Mrs.  Caley  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
Mr.  Caley  belongs  to  Temple  Lodge,  No.  96,  F.  &  A.  M.  Politically  he  is  a 
Republican,  and  was  a  clerk  of  the  district  school  for  nine  years. 

Mrs.  Caley's  paternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  where  he 
followed  farming  all  his  life.  He  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  six  children, 
three  sons  and  three  daughters.  Rice  Baldwin,  the  maternal  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  Caley,  was  a  native  of  Genesee  county,  N.  V.,  where  he  died  well  ad- 
vanced in  years,  as  did  also  his  wife,  Eunice  (McCrillus)  Baldwin.  They  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children. 

Harvey  Weage.  father  of  Mrs.  Caley,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut  and 
lived  in  Warren.  Litchfield  county.  His  wife  was  born  in  New  York,  and  lived 
in  Batavia,  Genesee  county,  N.  Y.  They  had  a  family  of  nine  children,  three 
of  whom  are  now  living:  Minerva,  the  wife  of  John  Groat,  of  Waukesha; 
Augusta,  the  wife  of  E.  B.  Moe,  of  Alhambra,  Cal;  and  Ella,  the  wife  of 
Henry  Caley.  of  Waterford.  Harvey  Weage  was  a  farmer  and  one  of  the 
early  pioneers  of  Racine  county.  He  came  to  this  county  in  August,  1837, 
and  purchased  a  claim  on  Sections  26  and  35,  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Caley,  and  there  resided  until  his  death,  in  1844.  aged  eighty  years.  His 
wife  passed  away  in  1886,  aged  sixty-five  years.  Both  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

ERWIN  SPIEGELHOFF,  a  prominent  farmer  of  Kenosha  county  liv- 
ing on  his  well  improved  farm  in  Section  26,  Wheatland  township,  was  born 
in'that  township  Oct.  13,  1872,  a  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Bushman) 
Spiegelhofif.  The  father  was  born  in  Germany  and  the  mother  in  Wheatland 
township.  They  have  had  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are  living,  as  follows : 
Rosa,  wife  of  Max  Daniels,  of  Silver  Lake;  Erwin  Herman:  Otto,  of  Lake 
Geneva,  Wis.;  Ida.  wife  of  Joseph  Schieffen,  of  Lake  Geneva;  and  .\lbert, 
also  of  Lake  Geneva.     William  Spiegelhoff.  the  father  of  Erwin,  was  twelve 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  615 

years  old  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Wisconsin  in  1846,  and  they 
settled  in  Wheatland  township  on  the  farm  their  son  Erwin  now  occnpies. 
When  twenty-two  years  old  William  Spiegelhoff  made  a  trip  to  California 
and  also  visited  Nevada,  remaining  away  for  seven  years,  mainly  engaged  in 
nnning.  He  came  later  into  possession  of  the  old  home  in  Wheatland  town- 
ship and  remained  on  this  place  the  rest  of  his  life.  It  is  a  fine  property,  con- 
taining 220  acres,  and  is  well  improved.  Mr.  Spiegelhoff  died  in  1901,  aged 
sixty-six  years,  and  is  survived  by  his  wife,  who  makes  her  home  at  Lake 
Geneva.  She  has  always  been  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church,  as  was  also 
her  husband. 

The  paternal  grandfather,  Henry  Spiegelhoff,  was  born  in  Germany,  and 
came  to  America  in  1846.  as  intimated  alx)ve,  but  he  lived  only  two  weekg 
after  his  arrival.  His  wife  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-three  years.  They  had 
five  children,  the  survivors  being:  Theodore,  of  Lyons  township.  Walworth 
Co.,  Wis.;  Henry,  of  Milwaukee;  Mary,  wife  of  Herman  Spitzman,  of  Bur- 
lington; and  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Peter  Schlax,  of  Salem  township. 

Bernhard  Bushman,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  came  from 
Germany  to  America  in  1846  and  settled  in  Wheatland  township,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  about  sixty-five  years.  His 
wife,  Josephine,  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-six  years.  They  had  eight  chil- 
dren who  grew  to  maturity,  and  those  surviving  are :  Bernhard,  of  Burlington, 
Wis.;  Mary,  mother  of  Erwin  Spiegelhoff;  Louis,  of  Racine;  Christina,  wife 
of  August  Reuschlein,  of  Burlington ;  Elizabeth,  of  Burlington ;  and  Rosa, 
widow  of  William  Bruckman  of  Burlington.  Matilda  (deceased)  was  the 
wife  of  Henry  Spiegelhoff. 

Erwin  Herman  Spiegelhoff  was  reared  on  the  farm  where  he  was  born 
and  where  he  has  always  lived.  He  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and 
at  New  Munster.  and  all  his  active  life  has  been  devoted  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. On  May  17,  1903,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Maggie  Schilz.  daughter  of 
Bernhard  and  Mary  (Toelle)  Schilz.     They  have  one  son.  Claude. 

Bernhard  Schilz  was  born  in  Germany  and  his  wife  in  Wheatland  town- 
ship. Kenosha  county.  They  had  five  children,  the  three  now  living  being: 
iMamie,  wife  of  Bernhard  Prasch,  of  Burlington:  Maggie,  Mrs.  Spiegelhoff, 
and  Frank,  of  New  Munster.  The  paternal  grandfather  now  resides  at  New 
Munster  with  his  son  Bernhard,  at  a  venerable  age.  He  came  from  Germany 
in  1890. 

The  maternal  grandfather,  Henry  Toelle,  a  native  of  Germany,  came  to 
the  township  in  pioneer  days,  and  he  died  here  when  past  middle  age,  his  wife 
surviving  until  the  age  of  eighty-eight.     They  reared  a  large  family. 

CHARLES  AND  WILLIAM  GUNTER.  One  of  the  most  prosperous 
business  enterprises  in  the  village  of  Bristol  is  the  meat  market  conducted  by 
Charles  and  William  Gunter.  These  two  young  men  are  natives  of  Kenosha 
county,  widely  known  through  the  region  and  as  widely  esteemed  for  their 
business  enterprise,  public-spirited  attitude  in  local  matters  and  for  their 
upright  characters,  qualities  which  thus  united  have  made  them  very  popular. 

The  Gunters  are  of  English  descent  and  the  first  to  come  from  England 
to  An-erica  was  the  grandfather,  William,  who  at  the  time  of  his  emigration 
was  living  in  Wales.  He  married  Elizabeth  Blackburn  and  they  had  six 
children,  ?s  follows:    William,  deceased;  Sarah,  wife  of  Charles  Murdock,  of 


6i6  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

the  villiage  of  Bristol;  Jennie,  Mrs.  Charles  H.  W'hitcher,  of  Bristnl  township; 
Charles,  of  Paris  township;  Edward  and  Herl>ert,  of  that  same  section.  The 
father,  William  Gunter,  died  in  Paris  township,  when  o\-er  seventy  years  old. 

William  Gunter  (2)  was  born  in  Wales  and  was  four  years  old  when  his 
parents  came  to  America.  The  family  settled  on  a  farm  of  140  acres  which 
the  father  bought  in  Paris  township  east  of  the  locality  now  known  as  Paris 
Corners  and  there  the  son  William  grew  to  manhood.  Always  accustomed  to 
farm  labor  he  followed  that  occupation  for  his  life  work,  and  bought  eighty 
acres  just  north  of  his  father's  place.  Afterward  he  sold  this  and  liought  160 
acres  just  east  of  his  former  farm  and  there  his  family  all  grew  up  and  there 
he  resided  until  his  death.  In  time  he  added  another  farm  to  his  possessions, 
one  of  140  acres,  a  mile  farther  north.  He  married  Miss  Emily  Bohanan,  a 
native  of  Bristol  township,  and  to  them  a  family  was  born  as  follows :  Charles ; 
Grace,  Mrs.  George  Shepard,  of  Bristol  township ;  Belle,  Mrs.  William  Price, 
of  Paris  township;  Harvey,  of  Paris  township;  and  William,  born  Nov.  23, 
187S.  The  oldest  and  youngest  sons  form  the  present  firm  of  Gunter  Broth- 
ers. Mrs.  Gunter  now  lives  with  her  daughter  Mrs.  Shepard,  but  her  hus- 
band died  when  a  little  over  fifty-four  years  of  age,  in  May,  1903.  Mr.  Gun- 
ter and  his  wife  belonged  to  the  Methodist  Church,  in  wdiich  he  served  as 
trustee  and  steward,  besides  being  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  for 
many  years.  Politically  he  was  a  strong  Republican  and  active  locally,  hold- 
ing the  oflice  of  township  assessor  for  eleven  years  and  also  serving  as  chair- 
man of  the  town  board  several  terms.  Mr.  Gunter  had  a  creditable  war  re- 
cord and  served  eleven  months  in  the  Civil  war  as  a  private  in  Company  G, 
43d  W^is.  V.  I.,  taking  part  in  a  number  of  skirmishes  and  in  the  battle  of 
Johnsonville. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  Charles  and  William  Gunter  was  John  Bo- 
hanan, a  native  of  New  York,  of  Irish  descent.  A  farmer  by  occupation,  he  set- 
tled in  Kenosha  county,  in  the  early  days,  at  first  keeping  a  hotel  in  Bristol. 
After  a  few^  years  he  gave  this  up,  and  bought  320  acres  in  Paris  township 
where  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  engaged  in  farming.  He  died  shortly  I)e- 
fore  his  seventieth  birthday.  He  married  Miss  Delia  Weeks,  who  survived 
him  and  lived  to  be  eighty-four  years  old.  Of  their  four  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters five  are  now  living,  namely:  Lucy,  widow  of  a  Mr.  Brown,  who  resides 
near  Chippewa  City;  Emily,  Mrs.  Gunter;  Ella,  Mrs.  Henry  Evans,  of 
\Vright  county,  Iowa ;  Mary.  Mrs.  William  Price,  of  Ree  Heights.  S.  Dak. ; 
and  Samuel,  of  Somers  township. 

Charles  and  William  Gunter  grew  up  on  their  father's  fann  and  were 
educated  in  the  district  schools.  After  the  father  died,  they  took  their  share 
of  the  estate  and  put  it  into  the  meat  market  which  they  had  opened  in  Bristol 
in  1901,  and  which  they  have  been  conducting  most  successfully  ever  since. 
Politically  both  are  Republicans. 

Charles  Gunter  was  married  in  April,  1900,  to  Margaret,  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  (Price)  Griffiths.  Two  children,  have  been  born  to  them, 
Leslie  and  IMargaret. 

DR.  THOMAS  F.  MOYLE,  veterinary  surgeon,  is  one  of  the  promi- 
nent citizens  of  Waterford,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.  He  was  born  in  Yorkville 
township,  Racine  county,  Sept.  4.  1848,  son  of  Thomas  and  Susan  (Foxwell) 


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t:^,  ^^/  v^/ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  617 

Moyle,  natives  of  Cornwall,  England,  who  had  four  children :  John  F., 
living  in  Yorkville ;  Mary  C,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Thomas  Price; 
William,  of  Angelica,  Wis. ;  and  Dr.  Thomas  E.  Thomas  Moyle,  the  father, 
was  a  farrier  in  England.  He  was  an  early  settler  of  Yorkville  township, 
and  there  followed  his  occupation  for  a  number  of  years,  and  also  bought 
land,  which  he  rented  out.  He  died  at  Yorkville  Nov.  23,  1868,  aged  fifty- 
six  years,  while  his  widow  survived  until  Jan.  10,  1876,  being  sixty-nme  years 
old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  They  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
Thomas  Moyle  was  a  son  of  John  Moyle,  who  was  also  a  farrier  in  England, 
in  which  country  he  died,  as  did  his  wife. 

Thomas  F.  Moyle  was  reared  in  Yorkville  township,  on  his  father's  farm, 
receiving  his  literary  training  in  the  district  school.  He  studied  veterinary 
medicine  and  surgery  under  his  father  when  a  boy,  took  the  practitioner's 
course  in  the  McKillip  Veterinary  College,  Chicago,  and  also  took  a  course 
in  veterinary  surgery  in  Milwaukee  under  Dr.  W.  E.  Wyman,  and  has  been 
in  active  practice  for  twenty-five  years,  having  formerly  divided  his  time  be- 
tween practice  and  farming. 

On  Nov.  20,  1869,  Dr.  Moyle  married  Mary  J.  Roberts,  daughter  of 
James  and  Betsy  (Coad)  Roberts,  and  three  children  were  born  to  this  union: 
Adeline  L.,  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  Adeline  L.  married  Dr.  Charles 
Flett,  and  they  have  four  children,  Louisa,  Winnifred,  David  and  Donald. 
Mrs.  Mary  J.  (Roberts)  Moyle  died  in  July,  1874,  aged  twenty-four  years, 
in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

On  Nov.  25,  1875,  Dr.  Moyle  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Foxwell, 
daughter  of  John  and  Lucy  (Briggs)  Foxwell,  and  seven  children  were 
born  to  this  union,  namely:  Ellen  L.,  Bennett  R.,  Winnifred  E.,  Laura  S., 
Avis,  Isaac  W.,  and  Olin  R.  Ellen  L.  married  IMarcus  S.  Kellogg;  they  live 
in  Janesville,  and  have  a  daughter  Lucy.  The  other  children  are  all  at  home. 
The  Doctor  and  his  wife  were  reared  Methodists,  but  are  not  identified  with 
any  particular  church.  Politically  Dr.  Moyle  is  a  Prohibitionist,  and  served, 
at  one  time,  as  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  town  of  Raymond.  He  was  clerk 
of  the  Waterford  school  board  for  three  years. 

James  and  Betsy  (Coad)  Roberts  were  natives  of  Cornwall,  England, 
and  came  to  America  in  1842,  settling  in  Racine  county,  where  they  engaged 
in  farming  in  Yorkville  township.  He  died  in  this  township  in  October,  1885, 
when  over  seventy  years  of  age,  his  wife  having  passed  away  some  time  in 
the  fifties.  They  had  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  now  living :  Catherine, 
William,  Henry  and  Frank.  James  Roberts  was  a  son  of  John  Roberts,  who 
died  in  England,  well  advanced  in  years.  Nicholas  Coad,  father  of  Betsy 
(Coad)  Roberts,  came  to  America  from  England,  and  died  in  Yorkville 
township,  where  his  wife,  Ann,  also  passed  away;  they  had  a  large  family. 

John  Foxwell,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Mary  A.  (Foxwell)  Moyle.  was  a 
native  of  England,  and  his  wife  of  Ohio.  They  came  to  Wisconsin  when 
young  people  and  settled  in  Racine  county,  being  married  in  Racine,  and  they 
made  their  home  in  Yorkville.  Here  Mr.  Foxwell  died  in  1882.  aged  seventy- 
four  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  church,  of  which  he  was  a  local 
preacher.  His  widow  still  survives,  and  lives  in  Yorkville.  They  had  thir- 
teen children,  ten  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  and  of  these  eight  are  still  liv- 


6i8  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

ing:     William,   Mrs.  Avis  Cook,   Mrs.  Lydia  McLaughlin,   Mrs.    Mary  A. 
Moyle,  John,  Mark,  George  and  Mrs.  Lucy  Richards. 

Mrs.  Moyie's  paternal  grandfather  was  John  Foxwell,  a  native  of  Corn- 
wall, England,  and  a  gentleman  farmer.  He  died  in  the  place  of  his  nativity 
well  advanced  in  years,  while  his  wife,  who  was  Ann  Harris,  came  to  Amer- 
ica and  spent  the  remainder  of  her  life  in  Yorkville  township,  where  she  died 
aged  eighty  years. 

HOMER  THERON  HOLLISTER.  one  of  the  thrifty  farmers  of  Bris- 
tol township.  Kenosha  county,  is  a  native  of  the  county,  born  in  Salem  town- 
ship, Feb.  17,  1866,  son  of  Theron  O.  and  Emily  (Larabee)  Hollister. 

David  Hollister,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut. 
He  married  Electa  Delano,  who  died  in  Salem,  aged  fifty-eight  years,  just 
four  days  before  her  husband's  death,  he  being  two  years  her  senior.  The 
grandfather  on  the  maternal  side  was  Ira  Larabee.  who  was  born  in  New  York 
State  and  was  a  lifelong  farmer.  He  brought  his  wife,  who  was  a  Miss 
Pierce,  to  Southport.  now  Kenosha,  in  an  early  day  and  the  rest  of  their  lives 
was  spent  on  a  farm  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township.  They  had  a  large  family 
and  lived  to  a  good  old  age. 

Theron  O.  Hollister  was  born  in  Connecticut  and  married  Miss  Emily 
Larabee,  a  native  of  Xew  York.  He  was  a  minister  of  the  M.  E.  Church  and 
at  one  time  was  presiding  elder  of  the  Fond  du  Lac  district.  One  of  the  early 
settlers  in  Salem  township,  his  preaching  carried  him  over  the  greater  part  of 
northern  Wisconsin.  He  passed  away  in  1869.  when  about  forty-seven  years 
old,  but  his  wife  is  still  living  and  resides  in  the  village  of  Salem.  They  were 
the  parents  of  five  children,  viz. :  Homer  T.,  deceased :  Frances,  wife  of  Thom- 
as Watkins,  of  Salem  township:  Cora,  deceased  wife  of  Frank  Munson;  Belle, 
Mrs.  James  Pease,  of  the  village  of  Salem:  and  Homer  Theron  (2). 

Homer  T.  Hollister  remained  on  the  home  farm  till  he  was  twenty-five 
years  old.  and  his  education  was  secured  in  the  district  schools.  On  beginning 
life  for  himself  he  rented  land  for  ten  years,  and  in  1901  was  able  to  buy  his 
present  farm,  consisting  of  160  acres  located  in  Section  20.  In  the  years  since 
he  purchased  the  property  Mr.  Hollister  has  added  many  improvements  to  the 
place  and  has  a  fine  farm. 

On  Feb.  12,  1891.  Homer  T.  Hollister  and  Lucy  Edith  Murphy,  were 
united  in  marriage.  Five  children  were  born  to  them.  Glen,  Anita,  Oakes 
(deceased  in  infancy).  Theron  and  Frank.  The  family  stand  high  in  the  re- 
spect of  the  community.  Mr.  Hollister  is  a  firm  adherent  of  the  Republican 
party. 

Mrs.  Lucy  E.  Hollister  is  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Franklin  and  Lucy 
Ann  (Oakes)  Murphy,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Maine.  Of  their  nine 
children  four  besides  Mrs.  Hollister  are  living:  Nathan  Oakes.  of  Phoenix. 
Ariz.,  was  governor  of  the  Territory  under  both  Harrison  and  McKinley  and 
has  also  served  in  Congress :  Frank  Merrill  lives  in  Prescott.  Ariz.,  is  presi- 
dent of  the  First  National  Bank,  wealthy  and  interested  in  many  prominent 
affairs ;  Ida  May  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  F.  E.  Stevens  of  Bristol.  Wis.:  Phoebe 
Cora  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Lane,  of  Kenosha.  The  parents  came  to  Wisconsin 
in  an  early  day  and  settled  at  Manitowoc.     In  1872,  Mr.  Murphy  went  to 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  619 

California.    Later  he  removed  to  Prescott,  Ariz.,  and  there  died  in  1899  aged 
eighty-one.    Mrs.  Murphy  died  in  1872. 

EVERETT  W.  RIPLEY,  one  of  the  reliable  farmers  of  Kenosha  coun- 
ty, who  is  carrying  on  operations  on  his  fine  tract  in  Section  14,  Salem  town- 
ship, was  born  in  that  township,  Aug.  27,  1857,  son  of  Samuel  C.  and  Betsey 
(Stowe)  Ripley,  the  former  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  the  latter  of 
Vermont.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Eliab  Ripley,  was  a  native  of  one  of  the 
Eastern  States.  He  died  in  1843  in  Vermont,  where  he  had  engaged  in  hotel- 
keeping.  Alanson  Stowe,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  E.  W.  Ripley,  was  a 
native  of  Vermont,  and  followed  farming.  Coming  West  among  the  pioneers 
of  Wisconsin,  he  took  up  land  from  the  Government  in  Salem  township, 
where  he  owned  a  farm  of  300  acres.  There  he  lived  some  years,  and  buried 
two  wives,  his  first  wife  being  Acsie  Burnham,  by  whom  he  had  two  daughters 
and  four  sons.  Three  of  the  sons,  Solomon,  Baron  and  David,  were  in  the 
Civil  war,  David  dying  at  Memphis,  Tenn..  during  that  struggle.  The  other 
son,  George,  was  a  school  teacher.  Solomon,  the  eldest,  is  still  living,  and 
resides  at  Coeur  d'Alene,  Idaho.  Alanson  Stowe,  in  his  later  years,  moved 
North,  and  lived  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Cordelia  Ward,  at  whose  home  he 
died  at  an  advanced  age. 

Samuel  C.  Ripley  came  West  in  1855  or  1856,  and  settled  in  Salem  town- 
ship. By  trade  he  was  a  mason,  but  for  a  time  he  worked  on  a  farm.  With 
him  he  brought  the  fastest  horse  in  the  West  at  that  time,  "Little  Jim.  the 
Flying  Morgan,"  who  had  a  record  of  2  128,  made  at  Kenosha.  Mr.  Ripley 
resided  in  Kenosha  county  the  remainder  of  his  life,  and  died,  in  1880.  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son.  His  widow  survived  until  February,  1904, 
when  she  was  burned  to  death.  She  had  been  ill  for  some  time,  and  during 
her  sickness  took  a  lamp  and  went  to  the  pantry.  It  is  supposed  that  during 
an  attack  she  knocked  the  lamp  against  a  shelf,  thus  setting  fire  to  the  house. 
She  was  seventy-six  years  old.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  C.  Ripley  were  Metho- 
dists, he  being  one  of  the  mainstays  of  the  Salem  Church.  They  had  two 
children.  Everett  W.,  and  Lizzie  C,  the  latter  the  wife  of  C.  A.  Turnock,  of 
Salem  township. 

Everett  W.  Ripley  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Salem  township.  He  was 
reared  on  the  home  farm,  and  attended  the  district  school,  one  year  at 
the  high  school  at  Waupaca  and  the  normal  school  at  Whitewater.  Since 
that  time  he  has  engaged  in  farming,  also  teaching  school  for  seven 
years  after  finishing  his  education.  He  has  a  farm  of  eighty  kcres  of  well 
improved  land,  his  father's  old  homestead,  situated  half  a  mile  south  of  the 
village  of  Salem.  On  Nov.  28,  1887,  Mr.  Ripley  married  Miss  Mary  E. 
Acker,  daughter  of  James  and  Rachel  (Mosher)  Acker,  and  five  children 
have  been  born  to  this  union :  Winnie,  James.  Walter,  Valeta.  and  one  which 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ripley  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  of 
which  he  is  a  trustee.  He  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and 
the  Court  of  Honor.  Politically  a  Republican,  though  a  Prohibitionist  in 
sentiment.  Mr.  Riplev  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  several  terms. 

James  and  Rachel  (Mosher)  Acker,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Ripley,  were  na- 
tives of  New  York  State,  and  early  settlers  of  Walworth  county,  in  Lafayette 
township.     There  Mr.  Acker  owned  a  fine  fruit  farm,  making  that  township 


620  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

his  liome  for  more  than  fifty  years.  His  cliiklren  were  all  born  and  reared 
there.  He  died  in  Whitewater,  in  1892.  aged  seventy-six  years,  while  his 
wife  passed  away  at  the  same  place,  when  si.xty-five  years  of  age,  in  1891. 
They  had  nine  children,  four  daughters  and  five  sons:  George;  William; 
Bennett:  Newton;  Walter;  Jane,  the  wife  of  Frank  Whittamore,  an  old  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  war;  Martha,  the  wife  of  William  Rand;  Eva,  deceased;  and 
Mary  E.,  Mrs.  Ripley. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Ripley  was  Silas  Acker,  a  full  history 
of  whom  will  be  found  in  the  sketch  of  M.  M.  Acker,  elsewhere.  On  the 
maternal  side.  Mrs.  Ripley's  grandfather  was  Abraham  Mosher,  a  native  of 
New  York,  whose  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Betsy  Morrison. 

THE  PIONEER  CLERGYMEN  who  ministered  to  the  congregation 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Racine,  Wis.,  abbreviated  from  a  narra- 
tive compiled  by  Byron  B.  Northrop  and  read  Sunday  evening,  Oct.  5,  1902. 
at  the  Semi-Centennial  Celebration  of  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the 
church  now  occupied  by  the  First  Presbyterian  Society  of  Racine.  The  Church 
was  gathered  together  and  organized  by  the  Rev.  Cyrus  Nichols. 

Rev.  Cyrus  Nichols  was  born  Oct.  31,  1799,  in  Reading,  Mass.,  and 
was  one  of  a  family  of  ten  children.  His  parents  were  in  humble  circum- 
stances, but  all  their  children  were  given  a  good  education,  and  four  out  of 
six  boys  went  through  college.  In  early  manhood  there  came  upon  him  that 
change  of  heart  which  is  spoken  of  as  being  born  of  the  spirit.  He  united 
with  the  Congregational  Church  at  Newburyport,  Mass.  There  he  heard  in 
his  soul  a  call  to  preach  the  Gospel.  In  order  to  prepare  himself  for  this  work, 
he  entered  Williams  College  in  1823,  and  in  that  training  school  of  great  and 
good  men  grew  in  intellectual  stature.  He  supported  himself  to  a  consider- 
able extent  during  his  college  years  by  teaching,  and  after  four  years  of  hard 
work  graduated  with  honor  in  1827.  He  then  took  a  three  years'  course  in 
the  Theological  Seminary  at  Auburn,  N.  Y..  graduating  in  the  spring  of  1830. 
He  was  ordained  to  the  Gospel  ministry  by  the  First  Genesee  Consociation, 
ard  licensed  to  preach  June  i,  1830. 

Exercising  that  wisdom  for  which  most  young  clergymen  are  distin- 
guished, soon  after  completing  his  studies  he  sought  and  found  a  companion 
for  his  life  work,  and  was  united  in  the  sacrament  of  marriage,  to  Miss  Dolly 
D  Hurlbut.  on  the  25th  of  July,  1830.  at  Hoosick  Falls,  N.  Y.,  in  a  Presby- 
terian Church.  Miss  Hurlbut  was  a  sister  of  Sidney  S.  Hurlbut,  who  after- 
ward removed  to  Racine  and  became  a  prominent  and  successful  manufacturer 
of  wagon  brakes. 

Having  been  appointed  a  home  missionary  by  the  Connecticut  Missionary 
Society,  he  started  West  on  the  ist  day  of  September,  1830,  his  destination 
being  the  new  State  of  Missouri.  It  took  two  months  by  stage  and  boat  to 
make  the  journey.  Finally,  after  many  trials,  tribulations  and  accidents,  he 
reached  his  journey's  end  and  settled  in  Palmyra,  Mo.,  a  frontier  town,  where 
he  remained,  sowing  the  good  seed  of  the  Kingdom,  and  carrying  forward  the 
home  missionary  work  in  establishing  churches  and  Sunday-schools.  Twice 
during  his  labors  in  Missouri  he  visited  the  East  to  raise  funds  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  College  at  Philadelphia  Mission,  to  be  known  as  Marion  Col- 
lege.    During  his  second  visit  East,  the  feeling  against  Northern  men  with 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  621 

Abolition  sentiments  became  so  violent  that  all  Northerners  were  driven  from 
the  State,  and  Mr.  Nichols  did  not  dare  to  return  even  to  remove  his  house- 
hold goods.  These  goods,  however,  were  afterward  sent  to  him,  but  were  not 
all  received. 

The  Territory  of  Wisconsin  in  the  far  Northwest  was  then  attracting  at- 
tention, and  hither  this  young  missionary  came,  and  on  the  first  Sabbath  in 
September,  1836,  he  preached  the  first  sermon  delivered  in  Racine,  taking  as 
his  te.xt  the  17th  verse  of  the  51st  Psalm.  Here  he  continued  to  labor  as  a 
home  missionary,  preaching  at  first  once  a  month  and  afterward  on  alternate 
Sabbaths,  until  January,  1839,  when  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Ra- 
cine was  organized,  chieflv  through  liis  efforts.  He  therefore  stands  forth  like 
John  the  Baptist  of  old,  "The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  prepare 
ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight." 

Shortly  after  organizing  this  church  Mr.  Nichols  removed  to  Prairie 
Village,  now  known  as  \\'aukesha.  While  serving  the  church  in  Racine  and 
afterward  he  preached  at  Spring  Prairie,  Port  Washington,  Pike's  Grove  (now 
Somers).  Caledonia  Center,  and  other  places.  He  was  well  known  in  those 
early  years  throughout  all  southern  Wisconsin  as  the  "Missionary  Herald." 
Later  in  life  he  bought  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in  Caledonia,  on  the  Milwaukee 
road,  to  secure  a  permanent  home  for  his  family.  There  he  spent  his  declining 
years  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  country  home.  In  1880  he  sold  his  farm  and 
bought  a  residence  on  Prospect  street,  in  Racine,  and  with  the  benediction  of 
an  honorable  and  useful  life  he  fell  asleep  Saturday,  Feb.  10,  1883,  aged 
eighty-three  years,  three  months,  ten  days.  The  funeral  was  held  in  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  Tuesday,  Feb.  13,  and  the  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by 
Rev.  Clarendon  A.  Stone,  of  the  Congregational  Church.  The  services  were 
conducted  by  Rev.  Eli  Corwin,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  his  re- 
mains rest  in  Mound  cemetery.  His  wife  died  Jan.  30,  1895,  and  was  buried 
also  from  this  church,  of  which  she  was  a  member,  Feb.  2d.  Rev.  Charles  S. 
Nickerson  officiating.  There  are  eight  children  surviving  him.  ten  grand- 
children and  three  great-grandchildren,  all  useful,  highly  respected  and  greatly 
esteemed  in  their  respective  walks  in  life.  His  third  son,  George  Calvin 
Nichols,  and  his  family  are  members  of  this  church,  and  his  grandson,  George 
Sidney  Nichols,  often  serves  as  usher. 

Mr.  Nichols  was  an  active  man.  He  led  a  strenuous  life.  It  required 
courage,  zeal  and  unfaltering  devotion  of  heart  to  be  a  missionary  in  those 
early  days  in  this  frontier  settlement.  The  martyr  spirit  burned  in  his  breast 
and  wrought  itself  into  the  lineaments  of  his  face.  He  was  tall,  spare  and 
sturdy,  a  fine  specimen  of  a  New  England  man  in  build  and  manner.  His 
portrait,  kindly  presented  to  this  church  by  his  children,  and  adorning  the  Sun- 
day-school room,  has  been  thought  to  resemble  the  great  poet,  Whittier.  Love 
for  truth,  love  for  humanity  and  love  for  the  Lord  Christ  were  the  controlling 
forces  that  wrought  in  his  life  and  work.  Thus  his  spirit  of  faith,  of  sacri- 
fice, of  patience  and  of  hope  entered  into  the  organization  of  this  church  in 
1839,  and  by  it  he,  being  dead,  yet  speaketh. 

Rev.  Christopher  Columbus  Cadwell  was  born  in  Lenox,  Madisort 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  Dec.  4,  181 1.  the  son  of  Ebenezer  S.  Cadwell.  The  children  num- 
bered seven,  the  scripture  number  for  perfection,  three  brothers  and  four  sis- 
ters.    One  sister  married  Mr.  Homer  Adams,  and  is  now  living  at  Union 


622  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Grove,  in  Racine  county,  and  from  her  these  particulars  were  obtained.  An- 
other sister  married  Dr.  Henry  Dwight  Adams,  formerly  of  Union  Grove  but 
now  of  Wliitewater,  in  this  State. 

Mr.  Cadwell  received  his  theological  education  at  Lane  Seminary  and 
came  to  Wisconsin  in  1838.  He  preached  one  year  each  in  Racine  and  Ken- 
osha. He  organized  churches  in  Rochester  (1839),  Burlington  and  W'auke- 
gan  (1843)  ^"*^  Paris  (1844).  and  for  many  years  lalxired  with  the  churches 
of  Rochester  and  Caldwell's  Prairie,  Wis.,  and  tifteen  years  with  the  churches 
of  Genoa  and  Richmond,  111.  In  connection  with  his  labors  five  churches  erect- 
ed houses  of  worship,  and  there  were  constant  ingatherings  as  the  result  of 
his  preaching.  At  Oneida  Lake.  Madison  Co.,  X.  Y..  on  the  29th  of  April, 
1836.  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Harriet  A.  Northway,  who  died  at 
Waukegan,  111.  (then  called  Little  Fort),  July  17.  1844.  leaving  one  son.  Cas- 
par Northway  Cadwell,  who  is  at  the  present  time  a  zealous  worker  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Logan,  Iowa. 

In  1869.  having  a  longing  for  pioneer  work,  and  hoping  also  to  improve 
his  health,  he  left  Genoa  and  removed  to  Lamar,  Mo.  His  labors  in  this  new 
mission  field  were  brief.  After  attending  a  meeting  of  the  Missouri  State 
Convention,  which  closed  its  session  with  the  tender  hymn,  "Blest  be  the  tie 
that  binds  our  hearts  in  Christian  love,"  he  returned  to  his  home,  and  was  at- 
tacked with  pneumonia.  He  died  Jan.  8,  1870.  aged  fifty-eight  years,  one 
month,  four  days.  He  is  remembered  as  a  man  of  great  conscientiousness  and 
strictness  of  life,  enforcing  such  a  life  by  example  and  preaching.  He  was 
venerated  even  before  reaching  his  prime,  and  such  was  the  sweetness  of  his 
character  that  he  won  the  confidence  of  all  young  people  and  their  high  esteem 
to  such  an  extent  that  they  sought  him  from  near  and  far  when  they  desired 
to  be  united  in  marriage,  that  the  benediction  of  so  good  a  man  might  rest 
upon  them.  Another  marked  characteristic  of  his  family  life  was  the  un- 
bounded hospitality  of  his  home,  his  wife  cheerfully  bearing  the  added  labor 
which  such  -generosity  imposes.  Her  life  went  out  at  an  early  age,  with  only 
eight  years  of  wedded  joy. 

Rev.  Hiram  Foote  commenced  his  labors  as  pastor  of  this  church  Jan. 
I.  1842,  and  remained  three  years.  One  of  our  oldest  members  recalls  that 
he  came  from  ^^'iscasset.  Maine :  was  about  thirty-four  years  old ;  had  a  fam- 
ily ;  preached  at  church  services  held  in  a  room  over  the  log  house  used  for  a 
jail,  which  stood  where  our  courthouse  now  stands.  At  that  time  he  lived  in 
a  small  frame  house  attached  to  the  jail  building  and  afterward  built  the  h'>use 
now  occupied  by  Dr.  S.  J.  Martin,  on  IVlain  street,  next  north  of  the  First 
Methodist  Church.  His  son  was  here  about  two  years  ago  to  look  at  the  place. 
The  house  of  worship  was  on  Wisconsin  street,  where  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  now 
stands,  and  through  his  efforts  was  built  and  finally  completed  in  February, 
1843.  He  was  small  in  stature,  wore  eye-glasses,  had  a  light  complexion,  was 
very  pleasant  in  manner  and  a  good  preacher.  He  removed  to  Janesville  in 
1845.  during  the  next  twenty-five  years  ministering  to  churches  at  Janesville 
and  Waukesha,  and  acting  as  aeent  for  the  Congregational  Sunday-school 
Society.  He  finally  removed  to  Rockford,  III.  where  he  died  Jan.  13.  1880. 
in  the  eighty-first  year.  It  is  written  of  him  that  he  was  one  of  the  faithful, 
beloved  and  best  known  ministers  in  southern  Wisconsin:  that  from  first  to 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  623 

last  he  wrought  steadily  and  righteously  as  a  devout  servant  of  Christ,  ever 
courageous  for  the  right  and  truth,  and  ever  gentle  to  all  men. 

it  is  recalled  by  one  of  our  oldest  residents  that  he  had  two  elder  brothers, 
Lucius  and  Horace,  who  were  noted  as  great  revivalists  and  temperance 
preaciiers.  They  were  enthusiastic  and  persuasive  pulpit  orators,  and  could 
move  an  audience  with  wonderful  power.  Hiram  was  a  fluent  and  pleasant 
speaker,  with  great  flow  of  language,  but  lacked  the  force  and  impressiveness 
of  his  brothers.  He  was  a  kindly  and  lovable  man,  and  is  gratefully  remem- 
bered. 

Rev.  Zephaniah  Moore  Humphrey  was  born  at  Amherst,  Mass.,  Mon- 
day, Aug.  30,  1824.  His  father  was  Herman  Humphrey,  president  of  Am- 
herst College,  and  he  was  named  in  honor  of  Dr.  Zephaniah  Moore,  the  only 
preceding  president  of  that  great  institution.  It  is  worthy  to  notice  that  his 
birth  occurred  when  a  new  era  of  marvelous  improvements  and  the  spread  of 
knowledge  opened  upon  the  world.  The  year  after  his  birth  the  great  Erie 
canal  was  completed,  thus  connecting  the  Great  Lakes  of  the  West  with  the 
Hudson  river  and  the  ocean.  Six  years  before  his  birth  the  first  steam  vessel 
(called  the  "Savannah")  crossed  the  Atlantic  from  New  York  to  Liverpool, 
but  regular  trips  only  began  to  be  made  several  years  later.  Seven  years  after 
his  birth  MorseV  electric  telegraph  was  invented.  When  he  was  five  years 
old  Joseph  Smithson,  an  English  lover  of  knowledge,  bequeathed  half  a  mil- 
lion of  dollars  to  the  United  States  of  America,  to  be  devoted  to  the  increase 
of  knowledge  among  men,  resulting  in  the  establishment  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institute  at  Washington.  Thus  the  spirit  of  great  thoughts  and  great  achieve- 
ments hovered  over  his  childhood  and  molded  his  character,  shaping  it  into 
beauty  and  power. 

His  mother  was  Sophia  Porter,  a  woman  of  distinguished  lineage.  Three 
of  her  brothers  were  celebrated  preachers,  and  her  nephew,  Noah  Porter, 
was  one  of  the  illustrious  presidents  of  Yale  College. 

These  brief  and  simple  statements  lead  us  to  expect  of  this  child  of  prayer 
and  faith  great  goodness  and  great  strength  of  mind  and  heart.  There  were 
three  brothers  and  two  sisters :  James,  a  lawyer  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y..  and  a  mem- 
ber of  Congress ;  John,  a  pastor  at  Binghamton,  N.  Y. ;  and  Lucy  and  Mary, 
who  married  ministers.  Mr.  Humphrey  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Am- 
herst, and  graduated  from  Amherst  College  in  1843,  when  nineteen  years 
old.  On  Thursday,  the  9th  of  October,  18.^0.  he  was  ordained  and  installed 
as  pastor  by  the  Milwaukee  Convention  acting  as  Presbytery.  He  was  the 
first  minister  installed  as  pastor  over  this  church.  It  is  recorded  in  the  mem- 
orial sketch  of  his  life,  that  in  writing  home  he  described  Racine  as  "a  charm- 
ing city,  beautiful  for  situation,  on  a  fine  bluff  between  Lake  Michigan  on  the 
one  hand,  out  of  which  the  sun  rose  in  the  morning,  and  a  vast  stretch  of  rich 
prairie  on  the  other,  behind  the  western  edge  of  which  he  was  seen  to  go  down, 
often  amid  gorgeous  accompaniments,  at  evening."  His  first  pastorate  became 
a  success,  and  pastor  and  people  grew  in  mutual  love  and  sympathy.  The 
little  church  on  Wisconsin  street  became  too  small  for  the  large  numbers  that 
desired  to  attend  upon  his  ministrations,  and  the  society  immediately  pro- 
ceeded to  the  erection  of  this  stately  edifice  in  which  we  now  worship. 

It  is  a  matter  of  wonder  that  the  small  congregation  of  fifty  vears  ago 
should  have  had  the  faith  and  courage  to  undertake  the  building  of  a  house 


624  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

of  worship  that  answers  every  purpose  of  this  generation,  and  yet  remains 
the  largest  in  this  city.  It  is  narrated  of  Mr.  Humphrey  that  when  the  house 
was  first  opened  for  inspection  he  was  so  pleased  and  gratified  that  he  danced 
up  and  down  the  aisles  like  a  boy.  The  church  was  dedicated  in  June,  1852^ 
and  his  father,  then  president  of  Amherst  College,  preached  the  dedicatory 
sermon.  Mr.  Humphrey  resigned  May  24,  1856,  and  accepted  a  call  to  Ply- 
mouth Congregational  Church,  Milwaukee. 

He  remained  only  three  years  in  Milwaukee,  and  then  accepted  a  call  to 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Chicago.  This  change  was  made  because 
he  had  become  convinced  that  the  organic  structure  of  Congregationalism  was 
neither  scriptural  nor  expedient.  The  pressure  of  experience  led  him  to  pre- 
fer the  Presbyterian  to  the  Congregational  Church  polity.  After  nine  years' 
service  in  Chicago  he  was  called  in  1868  to  Calvary  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  seven  years.  He  was  elected  Moderator  of 
the  General  Assembly  wlien  it  met  in  Chicago  in  1870.  the  most  distinguished 
honor  in  the  gift  of  the  Church.  In  the  spring  of  1875  he  was  elected  to  the 
Chair  of  Ecclesiastical  History  and  Church  Polity  in  Lane  Theological  Semi- 
nary, at  Cincinnati.  In  the  congenial  work  of  student  life  he  spent  six  years, 
when  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  and  of  his  life  he  was  attacked  by  a  violent 
cold,  which  developed  into  pneumonia,  and  Sabbath  evening,  Nov.  12.  1881, 
he  fell  asleep. 

When  the  sad  news  came  to  Racine  that  the  first  installed  pastor  of  this 
church  had  passed  from  earthly  labor  to  eternal  rest  there  was  sorrow  in  many 
hearts  who  remembered  him  with  grateful  tenderness.  Rev.  Dr.  Eli  Corwin. 
who  was  pastor  of  this  church  at  that  time,  preached  a  memorial  discourse. 
taking  as  his  text.  "A  strong  man,  if  wise,  is  a  power,  indeed."  The  funeral 
was  held  in  Chicago,  and  he  was  buried  in  Rosehill  cemetery,  beside  his  chil- 
dren. 

Rev.  Charles  Josiah  Hutchins  (with  his  twin  brother  Dr.  Chauncey 
B.  Hutchins)  was  born  Thursday,  Sept.  8,  1825.  at  Waterford,  Erie  Co., 
Pa.  He  prepared  for  college  at  Waterford  Academy  and  entered  Yale  Univer- 
sity in  1845,  graduating  in  the  class  of  1849.  In  this  class  was  Timothy 
Dwight,  one  of  his  closest  friends,  who  afterward  became  a  great  president 
of  that  great  college.  He  took  a  post-graduate  course  at  Yale  Theological 
Seminary,  and  continued  his  studies  in  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  where 
he  graduated  in  1834.  His  first  charge  was  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 
York.  Pa.  From  there  he  was  called  to  the  Congregational  Church  at  Keno- 
sha, his  third  parish  being  Racine. 

The  wisdom  of  young  clergymen  was  again  verified  to  the  surprise  of 
many,  and  on  Wednesday,  April  3.  1861,  Miss  Clara  Anna  Shepherd  and 
Rev.  Charles  J.  Hutchins  were  married  in  this  church  by  Rev.  Roswell  Park, 
D.  D..  rector  of  St.  Luke's  Episcopal  Church.  There  was.  of  course,  a  little 
shadow  of  disappointment  that  some  one  of  his  charming  young  parishioners 
had  not  found  favor  in  his  sight,  but  that,  like  a  summer  cloud,  soon  vanished. 
when  with  joyful  spirit  and  sweet  girlish  delight  she  cast  in  her  lot  with  this 
society,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  a  pastor's  wife.  LTsually  letters  are 
not  granted  bv  the  Episcopal  Church  to  other  bodies,  but  that  noblv  good 
man.  Dr.  Park,  gave  her  a  letter  of  fellowship  and  blessing  to  this  church, 
and  July  7,  1881,  she  entered  into  convenant  with  us. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  625 

After  four  years  of  successful  work  in  this  parish  he  began  to  feel  that 
his  hold  upon  the  congregation  was  somewhat  weakened,  and  March  22, 
1865,  he  tendered  his  resignation,  which  was  accepted,  and  the  Presbytery 
dissolved  tlie  pastoral  relation.  It  will  interest  many  to  learn  that  seven  chil- 
dren (the  scripture  number  for  perfection)  were  born  to  this  happy  couple, 
married  in  this  church  forty-one  years  ago :  Clara  Rebecca,  born  in  Racine 
April  13,  1862;  Chauncey  Samuel,  born  in  Racine,  Sept.  28,  1866;  Clinton 
James,  born  July  6,  1869.  at  Fulton,  N.  Y. ;  Emily,  born  in  1871  in  Petaluma, 
Cal.  (died  within  a  week)  ;  Charles  Dawson,  born  in  Petaluma  March  9, 
1873.  and  Shepherd  Reed,  torn  in  Petaluma  Nov.  28,  1874,  both  of  whom  died 
the  same  day  in  September,  1876,  of  diphtheria;  and  Laura  Sophia,  born  in 
Petaluma  Jan.  29,  1878.  Clinton  James  Hutchins  is  a  business  man  in  San 
Francisco,  married,  and  with  a  daughter  eleven  years  old.  The  two  daugh- 
ters, Clara  Rebecca  and  Laura  Sophia,  the  oldest  and  youngest,  are  now  liv- 
ing with  their  mother  in  Honolulu. 

Rev.  Walter  Scott  Alexander,  pastor  1866  to  1872,  born  Saturday, 
Aug.  29,  1835,  at  Killingly,  Conn,  died  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  Tuesday,  May 
15,  1900. 

Rev.  Daniel  E.  Bierce,  pastor  1873  to  1880,  born  May  12,  1834,  died 
Tuesday,  March  2,  1897,  in  Cleveland,  Ohio.  He  was  buried  in  ]\lound  ceme- 
tery, Racine,  March  5,  1897,  beside  two  of  his  children. 

Rev.  Eli  Corwin,  D.  D..  pastor  1880  to  1888,  born  Oct.  30,  1824,  at 
Wallkill,  Orange  Co.,  N.  Y.,  died  in  Chicago  Aug.  19,  1899. 

Rev.  Charles  Sparrow  Nickerson,  D.  D.,  pastor  1892  to  1901,  was 
born  Sunday,  April  30,  i860,  at  Beverly,  Ohio.  He  resigned  in  June,  1901, 
and  accepted  a  call  to  the  Walnut  Street  Presbyterian  Church  at  Evansville, 
Ind.     He  was  succeeded  by 

Rev.  George  Murray  Col\ille,  D.  D.,  from  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  who 
was  installed  by  the  Milwaukee  Presbyterv  Tuesday  evening,  Oct.   15,  1901. 

EDGAR  BASSETT,  postmaster  at  Bassett,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  and  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Bassett  Brothers,  of  that  town,  was  born  in  Bassett 
Oct.  II,  1870,  son  of  Reuben  LeRoy  and  Elizabeth  (Bessey)  Bassett,  natives 
of  New  York  State. 

Reuben  LeRoy  Bassett  was  a  cabinetmaker  and  coachmaker  in  the  East, 
and  came  ^^^est  at  an  early  day,  engaging  in  farming.  The  village  of  Bassett, 
which  was  named  after  him,  was  built  on  his  farm,  and  he  was  station  agent 
there  for  a  number  of  years.  For  the  past  few  years  he  has  lived  retired  here, 
and  spends  his  summers  at  Twin  Lakes,  where  he  owns  a  summer  cottage. 
Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  has  held  various  township  offices,  and  has  also 
been  a  member  of  the  State  Assembly.  Seven  children  were  born  to  him  and 
his  wife:  Henry,  who  is  deceased:  Harvey,  deceased:  Charlotte,  deceased,  the 
wife  of  Benjamin  Richter;  Deborah,  deceased:  George  N.,  of  Bassett;  Edgar; 
and  Sarah  Elizabeth,  wife  of  S.  G.  Barton,  of  Chicago. 

Edgar  Bassett  was  reared  in  the  village  of  Bassett,  and  there  attended 
the  public  schools.  After  graduating  from  the  College  of  Commerce  at  Ra- 
cine he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother  George,  and  opened  a  general 
store  in  Bassett  in  1891,  since  when  they  have  continued  the  business.  On  Oct. 
ID,  1884,  Edgar  Bassett  married  Mary  Memler,  of  Wilniot,  daughter  of  John 


626  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

and  Mary  Memler.  They  have  two  adopted  children,  Grace  Milhcent  and 
Ralph  Lee.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edgar  Bassett  are  members  of  the  Baptist  Church 
at  Silver  Lake  of  which  he  is  clerk.  He  is  treasurer  of  the  Farmers  Dairy 
Association  of  Bassett,  and  is  school  district  clerk.  He  was  appointed  post- 
master under  President  McKinley  in  1898,  and  has  held  that  office  continu- 
ously ever  since. 

George  Bassett  married  Miss  Rose  Williams,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Anna  (Holdemah)  Williams,  and  they  have  an  adopted  daughter,  Marion 
Lucille.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bassett  attend  the  Silver  Lake  Baptist  Church.  He 
belongs  to  Wilmot  Lodge,  No.  241,  F.  &  A.  M.,  to  Lorain  Chapter,  No.  62, 
Eastern  Star  (to  which  his  wife  also  belongs),  and  is  secretary  of  Bassett 
Lodge,  No.  442,  Mystic  Workers  of  the  World.  Politically  he  is  a  Republi- 
can, and  served  one  term  as  town  clerk.  For  the  past  four  or  five  years  the 
railroad  station  at  Bassett  has  been  run  under  George  Bassett's  name,  before 
which,  for  thirty  years,  it  had  been  taken  care  of  by  his  father,  who  was  also 
postmaster  for  a  number  of  years. 

MATT  A.  RASMUSSEN,  a  leading  business  man  of  Somers  township, 
Racine  county,  is  engaged  in  the  produce  business  at  Somers  under  the  firm 
name  of  the  Somers  Produce  Co.  Mr.  Rasmussen  is  a  native  of  Denmark, 
born  in  Langeland,  Feb.  17,  1876,  son  of  Robert  Jorgensen  and  Dorothea 
Cathrina  (Albertsen)  Rasmussen,  both  natives  of  that  country.  The  maternal 
grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Albert  Albertsen,  of  Denmark.  He  owned  sev- 
eral vessels,  and  in  later  years  retired  to  a  farm.  The  paternal  grandfather 
was  Jorgen  Rasmussen,  a  farmer  of  Denmark. 

Robert  Jorgensen  Rasmussen  always  followed  farming  in  his  native 
country,  dying  there  in  1885,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  His  widow  lives  with 
her  daughter  in  Denmark,  being  in  her  sixty-eighth  year.  She  is  a  Lutheran, 
as  was  her  late  husband.  Three  children  were  born  to  them:  Maria,  the  wife 
of  Peter  Petersen,  of  Herringe,  Rudemer  Fyn,  Denmark ;  Matt  A. ;  and  Rob- 
ert M.,  of  Somers.  , 

Matt  A.  Rasmussen  was  reared  on  the  Island  of  Langeland,  Denmark,  on 
a  farm,  and  attended  the  common  schools.  When  sixteen  years  of  age  he 
came  to  America  and  went  to  work  in  Mount  Pleasant  township,  remaining 
there  eight  years.  Six  months  of  that  time  he  attended  school  at  Castleton's 
Business  College  in  Racine.  He  then  purchased  a  farm  of  fifty-five  acres  in 
Somers  township,  which  he  still  owns,  and  which  adjoins  the  village  of  Somers 
on  the  north.  He  has  erected  a  handsome  residence  on  that  property.  In 
March,  1900,  he  engaged  in  growing,  buying  and  shipping  produce  in  part- 
nership with  Peter  M.  Anderson  and  Jacob  Barrows.  Mr.  Barrows  sold  his 
interest,  as  did  later  Mr.  Anderson,  and  our  subject  has  since  carried  on  the 
business  alone,  under  the  firm  name  of  the  Somers  Produce  Company.  Mr. 
Rasmussen  recently  purchased  another  farm  of  104  acres,  which  he  also  oper- 
ates. He  is  a  large  shipper,  usually  shipping  about  500  cars  of  produce  and 
vegetables  yearly.  He  buys  from  farmers  for  miles  around,  and  makes  a  spec- 
ialty of  cabbage,  onions  and  potatoes.  He  has  two  large  warehouses  and  an 
ice  house  at  Somers,  and  he  ships  about  as  much  from  Corliss  as  he  does  from 
Somers. 

Mr.  Rasmussen  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Fraternally  lie 


ii^'^'j-a.-'lC/-       C^C^ .       (>^^*.,<#^?<K7^*^-^^^-«-^^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  627 

is  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and  pohtically  is  a  Re- 
puhlican. 

On  Dec.  12,  1905,  in  Somers  township,  Matt  A.  Rasmussen  married  Em- 
ma M.  Donsing,  born  in  the  town  of  Lake,  Milwaukee  Co.,  Wis.,  March  26, 
1888,  daughter  of  Frederick  Henry  and  Mary  A.  (Lorig)  Donsing,  who  re- 
side in  Somers  township.  The  former  is  a  farmer,  and  both  are  members  of 
tlie  Lutlieran  Church.  The  father  was  born  in  1859,  and  the  mother  in  i860. 
They  were  the  parents  of  five  children :  Minnie,  Mrs.  William  Lauer,  of 
Somers  township;  Frederick,  at  home  with  his  parents;  Emma  M. ;  Hattie 
and  Elsa,  both  at  home. 

Mr.  Rasmussen's  home  in  Somers  township  is  up-to-date  and  modern  in 
every  particular,  being  supplied  with  hot  water  heat,  gas  light,  hot  and  cold 
water,  telephone,  etc.,  and  it  is  finished  in  hardwood  throughout. 

DR.  JAY  ALVIN  HEIDBRIXK,  a  well-known  dentist,  established  in 
LTnion  Grove,  is  the  descendant  of  Wisconsin  pioneers,  and  is  himself  a  na- 
tive of  the  State.  He  was  born  at  Boaz.  Wis.,  March  11,  1875,  son  of  Ernest 
Peter  and  Queen  Victoria  (Barnes)  Heidbrink. 

The  first  of  the  Heidbrink  family  to  settle  in  Wisconsin  was  the  Doctor's 
grandfather.  Frank  Heidbrink,  who  came  from  Germany,  and  who  settled  at 
Boaz  in  1868.  He  followed  farming  there  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-two. He  married  Miss  Mary  Engei,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  a 
family  of  fourteen  children.     The  mother  lived  to  be  seventy-four  years  old. 

Ernest  Peter  Heidbrink  was  born  in  Wisconsin,  and  grew  up  on  his  fath- 
er's farm  in  Racine  county.  Later  he  moved  to  Richland  county,  where  he 
lived  from  the  age  of  sixteen  till  1893,  returning  then  to  the  former  section.  He 
was  engaged  in  farming  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  His  wife.  Queen  Vic- 
toria Barnes,  bore  him  four  children,  namely:  Mary  Amanda,  wife  of  Ray 
Dixon,  of  Union  Grove:  Dr.  Jay  A.;  and  two  that  died  in  infancy.  Since 
1903  Mr.  Heidbrink  and  his  wife  have  made  their  home  in  Union  Grove. 

On  the  maternal  side  Dr.  Heidbrink  comes  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage.  His 
great-grandfather,'  Reacon  Barnes,  was  born  in  the  North  of  Ireland,  of 
Scotch  parentage.  Coming  to  America  he  settled  first  in  Ohio,  but  afterward 
joined  the  pioneers  in  Wisconsin.  There  he  made  his  home  first  in  Grant 
county,  and  then  later,  while  Richland  county  was  still  a  wilderness,  moved 
there.  His  death  occurred  in  Boaz,  when  he  was  over  eighty  years  old.  His 
wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Catherine  Riser,  and  she  was  the  mother  of  a 
large  family,  of  whom  one  son, 

James  T.  Barnes,  born  in  Ohio,  became  one  of  the  first  millers  in  Wis- 
consin. He  accompanied  his  father  to  that  State  and  settled  on  the  banks  of 
the  Wisconsin  river.  He  cut  the  first  tree  on  the  present  site  of  Boaz,  built  a 
sawmill  and  a  gristmill  there,  according  to  the  primitive  methods,  and  later 
put  up  larger  mills,  to  be  in  turn  succeeded  by  the  modern  roller  mills  which 
the  village  now  boasts.  He  also  owned  a  good-sized  farm  near  the  village,  in 
the  most  fertile  part  of  the  valley.  He  was  one  of  the  most  prosperous  men 
in  the  region,  and  was  the  first  one  there  to  own  a  team  of  horses.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  other  interests,  Mr.  Barnes  did  much  building  and  contract  work 
and  was  particularly  successful  in  the  architectural  part  of  the  work,  as  he  had 
naturally  great  talent  in  that  line,    He  put  up  many  business  blocks,  and  when 


628  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

over  seventy-seven  years  old  designed  and  built  one  of  the  finest  lumber-mills 
in  the  State.  He  married  Miss  Mary  Ann  Potts,  born  in  Maryland  in  1822. 
Her  death  occurred  in  Boaz  in  1886.  The  determination  and  ambition  which 
ever  characterized  Mr.  Barnes  are  strikingly  illustrated  by  the  fact  that,  hav- 
ing been  deprived  of  an  education  in  his  youth,  he  went  to  school  after  he  was 
married  and  had  a  family  of  four  children.  Now,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven, 
he  is  living  retired  in  Richland  Center,  which  has  been  his  home  for  twelve 
years  past. 

Dr.  Jay  A.  Heidbrink  lived  on  a  farm  for  the  first  eight  years  of  his  life, 
and  then  "the  family  moved  into  Boaz.  where  he  attended  the  grammar  school 
and  was  graduated  when  sixteen  years  old.  His  father  then  went  to  Richland 
Center,  where  the  boy  was  sent  to  the  High  school,  and  he  finished  the  course 
there  in  1895.  For  a  few  years  he  worked  in  a  printing  establishment,  first 
at  Richland  Center,  then  at  Racine,  but  in  1899  he  decided  to  devote  him- 
self to  dental  work  and  proceeded  to  enter  the  Dental  Department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan,  completing  the  work  there  in  1901.  In  July  of  that  vear 
he  came  to  Union  Grove  and  entered  upon  his  practice.  Dr.  Heidbrink  is 
connected  with  the  Baptist  Church,  and  socially  belongs  to  the  Masonic  lodge  in 
Union  Grove,  and  to  Purity  Lodge,  No.  39,  I.  O.  O.  F.  In  his  political  views 
and  principles  he  is  a  strong  Republican.  He  is  thoroughly  up-to-date  pro- 
fessionally, and  is  an  enthusiastic  member  of  the  Southern  Wisconsin  Dental 
Society. 

CLARENCE  SNYDER,  agent  of  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company 
of  New  York,  was  born  at  Gorham,  Ontario  Co.,  N.  Y.,  March  12,  1853.  He 
was  educated  at  Canandaigua  Academy.  Coming  West  in  1873.  he  first  lo- 
cated at  Racine,  where  he  acquired  the  art  of  printing,  and  for  two  winters 
taught  country  schools  in  the  counties  of  Racine  and  Kenosha.  In  1875  he 
moved  to  Kenosha  where  he  was  local  editor  of  the  Ibiiou  up  to  the  time  of  the 
death  of  its  publisher,  Hon.  I.  W.  Webster.  After  three  months  of  law  reading 
in  the  office  of  J.  V.  and  C.  Ouarles.he  returned  to  Racine  and  became  a  student 
in  the  law  office  of  Fuller  &  Winslow.  The  following  year  (1877)  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Bar.  and  soon  thereafter  was  elected  to  the  ofifice  of  justice  of 
the  peace,  to  which  office  for  several  terms  he  was  successively  re-elected. 

In  1886  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Racine  by  President  Cleveland, 
and  served  four  years,  being  succeeded  by  H.  J.  Smith.  In  1890  he  moved  to 
Ashland,  where  for  several  years  he  was  one  of  the  editors  and  publishers  of 
the  A.shland  Dailv  Nc7i's.  In  1891  he  was  appointed  a  memlier  of  the  board 
of  control  of  State  charitable  and  penal  institutions,  and  served  as  president  of 
said  board  for  two  years.  He  continued  to  be  a  member  of  the  board  until  1897, 
and  in  1898  returned  to  Racine,  where  as  a  private  citizen  he  has  since  re- 
sided. Since  1899  he  has  been  a  local  agent  of  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Company  of  New  York.  He  believes  there  is  no  higher  calling  in  the  world 
than  the  promotion  of  life  insurance  among  people  who  have  not  yet  acquired 
a  competence. 

NICHOLAS  PIRSCH,  deceased.  Originality  is  in  these  times  frequently 
one  of  the  surest  roads  to  success,  and  proved  to  be  such  in  the  case  of  tlie  late 
Nicholas  Pirsch,  a  manufacturer  of  carriages  and  wagons  in  Kenosha,  Wis. 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  629 

His  early  practical  experience  in  the  work  led  him  to  develop  new  lines  of 
construction,  and  many  of  the  features  which  are  now  generally  adopted  by 
carriage  manufacturers  were  in  the  first  place  devised  by  Mr.  Pirsch. 

Nicholas  Pirsch  was  French  in  birth  and  ancestry.  His  father,  Frank 
Pirsch,  of  Luxemburg,  also  a  manufacturer  of  vehicles,  never  left  his  native 
land,  and  died  when  about  eighty-five  years  old.  He  married  Margaret 
Calteux,  who  bore  him  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  now  living,  viz. :  John, 
in  Sioux  Falls,  S.  Dak.;  Catherine,  wife  of  John  Lentz,  of  Ionia,  Iowa;  Car- 
rie, of  Gonderingen,  Luxemburg,  and  Margaret,  Mrs.  John  Ries,  of  the  same 
place. 

Nicholas  Pirsch  was  born  in  1838  in  Luxemburg  and  there  served  his 
apprenticeship  to  his  trade  under  his  father.  He  went  first  to  Paris.  France, 
while  hardly  more  than  a  boy,  and  later  to  America,  landing  at  Philadelphia 
when  he  was  alx)ut  eighteen  years  old.  After  spending  a  short  time  there  he 
became  impressed  with  the  future  opening  before  the  western  States,  and  de- 
cided to  throw  in  his  fortunes  with  that  section  of  the  country.  He  visited  Chi- 
cago and  Milwaukee,  and  finally,  in  1856,  settled  in  Kenosha,  wdiere  he  re- 
mained for  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  conducted  a  carriage  and  wagon  business 
and  established  a  high  reputation  for  the  quality  of  his  work.  Continuing  at 
the  same  location  for  forty  years,  he  built  up  a  large  business  and  was  pos- 
sessed of  a  considerable  property  when  he  died. 

Mr.  Pirsch  married  Miss  Celia  Spilman,  a  native  of  Belgium,  and  to 
them  were  born  thirteen  children,  ten  of  whom  are  still  living,  namely:  Min- 
nie, who  married  William  Kupfer,  and  has  four  children,  Raymond  J.,  Urban 
N.,  Omer  and  Cletus;  Mary,  at  home;  Peter  P.,  who  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Ritter  and  has  three  children,  Margaret,  Celia  and  William;  John  B.,  who 
married  Miss  Minnie  Reynolds;  Elizabeth  P.;  George  R..  who  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Pigott,  and  has  one  child,  Georgianna  I.;  Catherine;  Aima,  who 
married  Charles  Graefif  and  resides  at  Rock  Island,  111. ;  Celia,  and  Carrie  C. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pirsch  were  Ixith  Catholics  and  the  children  were  reared  in 
that  faith.  Mrs.  Pirsch  passed  awav  a  few  years  before  her  husband,  on  June 
21,  1898,  aged  fifty-five,  while  he  died  Sept.  21,  1904,  aged  sixty-six.  His 
demise  was  sudden,  caused  by  heart  disease. 

Mrs.  Celia  S.  Pirsch  was  a  granddaughter  of  one  of  Napoleon  Bona- 
parte's bodyguard.  Her  father,  Peter  Spilman,  was  a  native  of  Belgium,  and 
he  married  a  Miss  Dumarsh,  of  Herstoff,  Luxemburg.  They  came  to  America 
in  1853,  some  time  after  their  marriage,  and  settled  at  the  State  line  in  Keno- 
sha county,  where  Mr.  Spilman  engaged  in  farming.  For  a  time  they  removed 
to  Port  Washington,  Wis.,  but  returned  to  Kenosha,  and  there  Mrs.  Spilman 
died,  when  forty-nine  years  of  age.  Her  husband  survived  her  for  many  years 
and  lived  to  be  eighty-two.  Of  their  children  the  following  grew  to  maturity : 
Mrs.  Kathern  Londick,  of  Red  Wing,  Minn.,  who  died  a1)Out  ten  years  ago; 
Mrs.  Celia  Pirsch,  mentioned  above;  Mrs.  Margaret  Kingsroth,  of  Elizabeth, 
Minn.,  who  died  prior  to  1889;  Peter  Spilman,  of  Red  Wing,  Minn.;  Mrs. 
Kate  Hamm.  of  Faribault,  Minn. ;  Mrs.  Maggie  Ammon,  of  Los  Angeles, 
Cal. ;  Harry  Spilman.  of  Elizabeth,  Minn.,  who  died  about  fifteen  years  ago; 
and  Mary  Myers,  of  Red  Wing,  Minnesota. 


630  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

\\'ILLIAM  \'AN  ARSDALE,  a  prosperous  and  enterprising  business 
man  of  Racine,  Wis.,  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  saddlery  hardware,  was 
born  in  Kenosha,  Wis.,  Sept.  25,  1858,  son  of  George  T.  and  Zerviah  (An- 
drews) Van  Arsdale.  natives  of  New  York  State. 

Tunis  Van  Arsdale,  his  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  New  York,  of  Hol- 
land-Dutch descent,  son  of  Christopher  Van  Arsdale,  and  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation. He  married  Catherine  Thiers,  who  was  of  Huguenot  descent.  In 
1825  Tunis  Van  Arsdale  went  to  Ohio  to  buy  sheep,  and  was  never  heard  from 
again,  it  being  supposed  that  he  was  murdered  for  his  money.  His  wife  lived 
to  be  seventy-one  years  old,  and  died  in  Chicago  in  1877.  Their  only  son, 
George  T.,  was  the  father  of  William. 

George  T.  Van  Arsdale  was  a  foundryman  and  manufacturer,  and  lo- 
cated in  Kenosha  in  1855.  He  established  a  foundry  and  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  agricultural  goods  in  1865.  In  1871  he  removed  the  business  to 
Chicago,  continuing  there  for  a  number  of  years,  after  which  he  established  a 
hardware  business  in  DeKalb,  where  he  died  in  January,  1883,  aged  fifty- 
seven  years,  after  living  retired  for  some  time.  His  wife,  Zerviah  Andrews, 
was  a  daughter  of  an  Orange  county  (N.  Y.)  farmer,  and  died  at  the  age  of 
thirty-seven  years.  She  left  a  family  as  follows:  Frank  L..  of  Cincinnati, 
Ohio;  William,  of  Racine;  and  Edward  D.,  of  Newark.  Ohio.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Van  Arsdale  belonged  originally  to  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  In 
Wisconsin  they  were  Congregationalists,  because  there  was  no  church  of  their 
faith  there  at  that  time.  Mr.  Van  Arsdale  married,  for  his  second  wife, 
Carline  M.  Durant,  of  Kenosha,  and  to  this  union  were  born  two  children : 
Henry,  of  Pasadena,  Cal. ;  and  Winnifred.  wife  of  Louis  L.  Gaboon,  of  Ra- 
cine. 

William  Van  Arsdale  attended  the  public  schools  of  Kenosha  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  high  school  there.  When  thirteen  years  of  age  he  went  to  Chi- 
cao-o,  spending  the  next  seven  years  there.  He  then  went  to  DeKalb,  111., 
where  he  was  emploved  in  his  father's  store,  subsequently  becoming  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  DeKalb  Hardware  Company,  of  which  company  he  was  sec- 
retary for  some  time.  He  traveled  for  seven  years  for  the  Superior  Barbed 
Wire  Company,  and  then  located  in  Racine,  engaging  in  the  manufacture  of 
specialties  in  saddlery  hardware.  He  started  in  a  small  way  and  gradually 
increased  his  business  until  it  has  reached  its  present  proportions.  Mr.  Van 
Arsdale  was  for  several  years  vice-president  of  the  Racine  Cement  Company, 
manufacturers  of  sewer  pipe.  He  is  one  of  the  directors  of  tlie  Manufacturers 
National  Bank,  of  Racine. 

On  Aug.  4..  1S92.  Mr.  Yru  Arsdale  married  Miss  Susie  Rav  Patrick,  of 
Ogle  county.  111.,  daughter  of  Harding  H.  and  Anna  (Swan)  Patrick,  the  for- 
mer of  Massachusetts  and  the  latter  a  native  of  New  York.  Of  their  five 
children,  three  are  now  living:  Carrie,  the  wife  of  W.  W.  Light,  of  Racine; 
Susie  Ray,  Mrs.  Van  Arsdale;  and  Floyd  H..  of  Racine. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Arsdale  have  three  children :  Helen.  Maurice  and 
Anna.  The  family  are  members  of  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist.  Polit- 
ically Mr.  Van  Arsdale  i?  ^  Republican,  The  family  residence  is  at  ^'o,  1505 
College  avenue,  '  ...  .    ._ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  631 

WILLIAM  F.  REYNOLDS,  superintendent  of  the  Dowd  farm,  Pleas- 
ant Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  a  tract  of  865  acres  in  Sections  5  and 
8,  was  born  Nov.  26,  1880,  at  Brookston,  Ind.,  son  of  Walter  W.  and  Mary 
Frances  (Byers)   Reynolds. 

Edward  Reynolds,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  William  F.,  was  a  grocery 
merchant  in  Lafayette,  Ind.,  for  a  number  of  years  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
died  there.  Their  children  were  :  Charles,  deceased ;  Walter  W. ;  and  Belle, 
wife  of  Robert  Sherman.  The  maternal  grandfather,  George  Byers,  was  a 
native  of  Indiana  and  was  a  farmer  and  trapper  there.  He  was  also  a  soldier 
in  the  Civil  war.  He  lived  to  be  ninety  years  old  and  died  at  Wheatfield,  Ind. 
His  venerable  widow  is  still  living,  and  is  about  ninety  years  of  age.  She 
was  the  mother  of  a  large  family,  many  of  whom  she  has  outlived.  The  sur- 
vivors are:  Charles;  Newton;  William;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  E.  R.  Wills; 
Frank;  Rebecca,  wife  of  Elwood  Davis;  George;  and  Edith  and  Edgar, 
twins. 

The  children  of  Walter  W.  and  Mary  Frances  Reynolds  are :  William 
F.,  of  this  sketch  and  Charles  Benton.  Walter  W.  Reynolds  was  born  June 
16,  1849,  S'ld  now  lives  retired  at  Rensselaer,  Ind.;  he  still  owns  his  farm  lo- 
cated five  miles  north  of  Brookston,  Ind.  Mary  Frances  Reynolds  died  in 
1887,  aged  thirty  years.  Mr.  Reynolds  married  (second)  Miss  Jennie  A. 
Thornton,  and  three  children  were  born  to  this  union,  viz. :  Louisa  A.,  Jennie 
Geneva  and  Lucy  Belle.     Politically  Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  Republican. 

William  F.  Reynolds  resided  with  his  parents  on  the  farm  near  Brooks- 
ton, Ind.,  until  he  was  six  years  old.  Then  he  lived  three  years  at  Francis- 
ville.  Ind.,  and  later  lived  in  Surry  and  Brookston.  From  there  he  went  to 
Des  Moines,  la.,  and  completed  his  education  in  the  Des  Moines  high  school. 
From  this  time  Mr.  Reynolds  depended  upon  himgelf.  working  at  various 
places  prior  to  being  appointed  route  inspector  for  the  Dowd  Pure  Milk  Com- 
pany, a  position  he  satisfactorily  filled  for  four  years.  For  a  short  time  there- 
after he  was  connected  with  the  Bowman  Dairy  Companv,  but  on  Aug.  28. 
1905,  he  became  foreman  of  the  Dowd  farm  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township. 
This  is  a  very  responsible  position  and  Mr.  Reynolds  is  fully  qualified  to  fill  it. 

Mr.  Reynolds  was  married  Oct.  29,  1902,  to  Miss  Lora  Kathryn  Gil- 
more,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Ann  (Burns)  Gilmore,  and  they  have 
one  bright  little  daughter,  Marian  Gertrude,  born  April  14,  1905.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Reynolds  are  consistent  members  of  the  Free  Will  Baptist  Church.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  Prohibitionist,  and  fraternally  is  a  Modern  Woodman  of 
America.  He  is  a  man  held  in  high  esteem  in  his  neighborhood  and  is  counted 
one  of  the  representative  young  business  men. 

Nathaniel  Gilmore,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Reynolds,  was  a  native  of  Ohio, 
and  died  in  middle  life,  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  w'ar.  He  married  Catherine 
Scott  and  she  lived  into  old  age.  They  had  seven  children,  the  six  still  surviv- 
ing being:  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Anderson  Jenkins;  William  F. ;  Thomas  B. ; 
Charles;  John;  and  Fishburn.  Mary  Catherine  (deceased)  was  the  wife  of 
George  Warren.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Reynolds  was  Isaiah 
Burns,  who  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Jasper  County.  Ind.  He  bought, 
cleared  and  cultivated  a  large  farm  north  of  Rensselaer.  Ind..  on  which  he 
lived  into  old  age.     He  married  Ruth  Barnes  who  also  lived  to  old  age  and 


632  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

they  had  ten  children,  the  survivors  being:    Martin;  Joseph;  Robert;  Charles; 
Lura,  wife  of  Samuel  Potts;  and  Olive,  wife  of  Schuyler  Thornton. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Reynolds  was  born  in  Ohio  and  for  some  years  was 
engaged  in  farming;  he  is  now  a  commercial  traveler.  The  mother  of  Mrs. 
Reynolds  was  born  after  her  father  settled  in  Indiana  and  she  died  Feb.  16, 
1900,  aged  fifty-seven  years.  The  children  born  to  Thomas  and  Mary  Ann 
(Burns)  Gilmore  were  eleven  in  number  and  the  surviving  members  of  the 
family  are:  James  A.;  Mary  E.,  wife  of  Arthur  Freeman,  of  Newman,  111.; 
Jacob  E. ;  Lora  Kathryn,  Mrs.  Reynolds;  Edward  P.;  Myrtle  R. ;  and  Ethel 
C,  all  of  the  family,  with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  Reynolds  and  Mrs.  Freeman, 
still  being  residents  of  Indiana.  They  are  well  known  and  stand  very  high 
in  public  esteem  in  the  vicinity  of  Rensselaer  where  the  family  has  been  promi- 
nent for  many  years. 

PETER  F.  LEONARD  was  born  in  the  Rhein  Province,  near  Cologne, 
Germany,  son  of  Francis  Leonard,  who  was  also  a  native  of  the  Rhein 
Province.  Francis  Leonard  immigrated  to  America  in  1847,  ^•^'^  bought  a 
farm  in  Caledonia  township,  Racine  Co.,  Wis.,  near  Racine.  There  he  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  days,  dying  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years. 

Peter  F.  Leonard  accompanied  his  parents  to  America  in  1847,  when  he 
was  ten  years  of  age,  and  grew  to  manhood  on  their  Wisconsin  farm.  He  was 
a  natural  musician,  and  in  his  young  manhood  became  very  proficient,  being  for 
some  years  a  successful  teacher  of  that  art.  Until  1867  he  traveled  as  a  violin 
soloist,  being  musical  director  in  some  of  the  most  noted  minstrel  troupes  of 
the  day,  among  them  the  original  "Dixie"  minstrels.  His  travels  took  him  all 
over  the  LInited  States.  In  1867  he  retired  as  a  minstrel  and  took  up  the  art 
of  photography,  also  engaging  as  bandmaster  in  Illinois,  Missouri  and  Wis- 
consin, until  his  death,  Jan.  7,  1903,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years.  He  married 
Olive  W.  Davis,  who  was  born  in  Ottawa,  111.,  daughter  of  Harrison  and  Emma 
(Greenleaf)  Davis  and  granddaughter  of  Harrison  Davis,  Sr.,  a  native  of 
Maine,  whose  home  was  at  Industry,  that  State,  and  whose  wife  was  a  Norton, 
a  member  of  one  of  the  earliest  settled  New  England  families.  Harrison 
Davis,  father  of  Mrs.  Leonard,  was  born  in  Maine,  and  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation. By  his  marriage  with  Emma  Greenleaf  he  became  the  father  of  four 
chiklren,  one  son  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  only  Mrs.  Leonard  survives. 
After  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Emma  (Greenleaf)  Davis  married  (second) 
Nathan  Woolsey,  a  match  manufacturer,  by  whom  there  were  five  children,  of 
whom  two  now  survive:  Laura,  wife  of  John  Core,  of  Grand  Ridge,  111. ;  and 
Carrie,  wife  of  Simeon  Looker,  of  San  Francisco.  To  Peter  F.  and  Olive  W. 
(Davis)  Leonard  were  born  two  children:  Irene  (widow  of  Andrew  Abra- 
hamson)  and  Harry  Jewett. 

Harry  Jewett  Leonard,  one  of  the  leading  photographers  of  Racine, 
W^is.,  gives  evidence  in  his  life  of  the  sturdy  characteristics  of  honorable  and 
industrious  ancestors  of  the  good  German  and  New  England  stock  from  which 
he  comes.  He  was  born  in  Macon,  Mo.,  Feb.  2,^,  1879.  and  has  lived  in  Ra- 
cine since  he  was  three  months  old.  He  attended  the  public  and  high  schools 
and  also  the  business  college,  and  in  every  way  can  be  said  to  be  a  product  of  his 
home  town.  When  he  left  school  he  began  the  study  of  photography  in  Chi- 
cago for  awhile  and  afterward  under  his  father,  and  at  the  latter's  death  was 


^^f^^-t-Z^^^^^ 


^ 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  633 

fully  equipped  to  carry  on  the  business.  He  has  made  a  careful  study  of  it, 
and  has  mastered  some  of  the  most  difficult  branches  of  the  profession,  taking 
high  rank  with  the  leaders  in  that  line. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Leonard  is  a  member  of  the  F.  &  A.  "SI..  Racine  Lodge, 
No.  18,  R.  A.  M.,  Orient  Lodge,  No.  12;  B.  P.  O.  Elks,  Racine  Lodge,  No, 
252;  K.  of  P.,  No.  32;  Royal  Arcanum,  and  Sons  of  St.  George. 

GEORGE  B.  McCARRON.  In  the  development  of  unionism  into  a 
position  of  strength  and  efficiency  for  the  protection  of  the  rights  of  labor, 
as  found  in  Kenosha,  the  name  of  McCarron  has  been  an  important  one,  no 
small  part  of  the  credit  for  the  successful  organization  of  the  bricklayers' 
union,  as  well  as  of  several  others,  belonging  to  George  B.  McCarron,  a  resi- 
dent of  Kenosha,  holding  the  office  of  a  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  born  in 
Pleasant  Prairie  township,  Kenosha  county,  June  29.  1866,  son  of  Patrick  and 
Margaret  (Craig)   McCarron. 

Mr.  McCarron  is  of  Irish  lineage,  and  his  paternal  grandparents.  Jere- 
miah McCarron  and  wife  lived  and  died  in  Ireland,  reaching  advanced  age. 
Jeremiah  McCarron  was  a  distiller,  and  was  well-to-do.  His  family  was  a 
large  one.  The  maternal  grandparents  were  James  and  Rose  (Harkinj  Craig, 
natives  of  Ireland,  and  they  were  also  well  off.  They  came  to  America  and 
located  in  Boston,  where  they  reared  their  family  of  eight  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters. 

Patrick  McCarron  was  born  in  County  Donegal.  Ireland,  in  March, 
1808.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  the  early  days  of  Kenosha  county,  locating 
for  four  or  five  years  near  Antioch,  after  which  he  sold  his  farm  and  moved 
to  another,  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township,  containing  some  180  acres.  There 
he  brought  up  his  family,  remaining  until  within  some  six  years  of  his  death, 
when  he  moved  into  Kenosha  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  well-spent  life.  He 
married  Miss  Margaret  Craig,  also  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  they  had  the  fol- 
lowing family :  Bridget,  wife  of  Joseph  Tully,  of  Kenosha ;  James,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  nineteen ;  Rose  Ann,  of  Kenosha ;  Mary,  widow  of  John  Harkin, 
who  was  marshal  and  chief  of  police  in  Kenosha ;  Jeremiah,  living  in 
Kenosha ;  Thomas,  foreman  of  a  department  in  the  Simmons  :Manufacturing 
Company;  Margaret  Ellen,  of  Kenosha;  Alice,  wife  of  Henry  Rohlfing,  of 
New  Albany,  Ind. ;  and  George  B. 

Mrs.  McCarron  died  Sept.  3,  1889,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years,  in  less 
than  a  year  after  they  had  moved  into  Kenosha.  Her  husband  lived  to  the 
age  of  eighty-six  years  and  died  in  1894,  very  suddenly,  while  sitting  quietly 
smoking,  apparently  in  the  best  of  health.  He  was  of  a  quiet  disposition  and 
highly  respected. 

George  B.  McCarron  remained  on  his  father's  farm  for  the  first  twelve 
years  of  his  life,  and  then  left  home  to  learn  the  printer's  trade,  working  a 
year  and  a  half  for  his  board  only.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  went  home 
again  and  attended  school  for  a  while,  but  soon  tired  of  the  life,  and  ran  away. 
He  went  to  Russell  Station,  Lake  Co.,  Ill,,  where  he  learned  telegraphy,  fol- 
lowed that  business  for  a  number  of  years,  and  holding  various  good  positions. 
At  one  time  he  was  train  dispatcher  at  ^Milwaukee  for  the  Northwestern  Rail- 
road Company.  He  finallv  left  that  business  and  learned  bricklaying,  which 
trade  he  followed  until  the  spring  of  1900,  when  he  was  elected  justice  of  the 


634  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

peace.  Re-elected  in  1902  and  1904,  he  is  still  filling  that  position,  and  gives 
general  satisfaction.  Mr.  McCarron  is  at  present  president  of  the  Bricklay- 
ers" Union  of  Kenosha,  an  organization  which  was  put  upon  a  solid  basis 
largely  through  his  efforts.  Various  other  labor  unions  in  the  city  have  also 
received  the  benefit  of  his  advice  and  direction.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat, 
-while  the  fraternal  organizations  to  which  he  belongs  are  the  M.  W.  A.,  the 
A.  O.  H.,  and  the  Yeomen  of  America  at  Kenosha,  of  which  last  he  is  presi- 
dent. 

Air.  McCarron  was  united  in  marriage  in  September,  1899,  to  Miss 
Frances  Getchman.  daughter  of  Frank  and  Catherine  (Muth)  Getchman,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  two  sons.  Ward  Willis  and  Earl  B.  Howard.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  McCarron  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church.  The  family  reside  at 
No.  653  Park  street.  Mr.  McCarron  has  been  held  in  much  esteem  as  a  man 
for  his  many  good  qualities,  which  have  made  him  a  useful  citizen  wherever 
his  lot  might  be  cast.  During  the  period  when  he  was  a  telegraph  operator  he 
saved  many  lives  by  his  carefulness  and  the  close  watch  he  kept  of  everything. 
At  one  time  he  discovered  a  broken  rail  just  in  time  to  prevent  the  wrecking 
of  a  passenger  train. 

Mrs.  Frances  McCarron's  parents,  Frank  and  Catherine  (Muth)  Getch- 
man, came  from  Berlin.  Germany,  in  1853,  and  settled  in  Kenosha,  where  Mr. 
Getchman  followed  his  trade  of  wagonmaking  for  the  rest  of  his  life,  with  the 
exception  of  the  three  }-ears  he  served  in  the  army  during  the  war.  There  w'ere 
ten  children  in  his  family,  namely:  Amelia,  wife  of  Willis  Tenbrook,  of  Ne- 
braska ;  Frank,  of  Kenosha ;  Lena,  Mrs.  Gust.  Stein,  of  Kenosha ;  Gustav,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  seventeen ;  George,  of  Kenosha ;  Louisa,  who  lived  but  one 
year:  Minnie,  of  Kenosha:  Edward  and  Ernest,  of  that  city:  and  Frances, 
Mrs.  McCarron.  Frank  Getchman  was  a  son  of  Gotthelf  Getchman,  a  native 
of  Germany,  who  died  there  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  His  wife  died 
in  1830,  leaving  three  sons.  The  maternal  granrlparents  were  Jacob  and 
Mary  (Schetzel)  Muth.  The  former  was  born  in  Germany,  son  of  John 
Muth.  w'ho  married  a  Miss  Lose.  He  brought  his  family  to  America  in  1850, 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Burlington,  Wis.,  and  died  there  in  1871,  aged  seventy- 
six.  Of  five  children  only  Mrs.  Getchman  and  her  brother  George,  of  Deshler, 
Neb.,  are  living. 

Jeremi.\h  McCarron,  an  elder  brother  of  George  B.,  was  born  in  Pleas- 
ant Prairie  township  Oct.  18.  1858.  He  was  educated  in  the  district  schools 
and  lived  on  his  father's  farm  until  the  spring  of  1889,  when  he  moved  into 
Kenosha  and  became  watchman  of  the  Scotford  Novelty  Company.  After  a 
year  in  that  employment  he  turned  his  attention  to  brick  masonry,  at  which 
he  has  ever  since  worked.  When  the  International  Bricklayers'  Lhiion  was 
formed  Mr.  McCarron  was  made  the  first  president  of  the  organization,  and 
has  always  taken  an  acti\-e  part  in  union  affairs.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat. 
Mr.  McCarron's  entire  life  has  been  passed  in  Kenosha  county,  and  in  his 
forty-eight  years  he  has  lived  in  but  two  houses.  At  present  he  resides  at 
No.  678  Park  avenue  with  his  two  sisters.  Rose  Ann  and  Margaret  Ellen. 
They  are  all  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

GEORGE  A,  SHIELDS,  one  of  the  well-to-do  and  influential  agricul- 
turists of  Kenosha  County.  Wis.,  who  is  operating  his  fine  tract  on  Section  20, 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  635 

Bristol  township,  was  born  May  15,  1859,  in  Morgan  County,  Ohio,  son  of 
Eh  and  Lydia  (Hamilton)  Shields,  the  former  of  Maryland,  and  the  latter 
of  Pennsylvania. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  George  A.,  was  a  native  of  North  of  Ire- 
land, born  of  Scotch  parents.  William  Hamilton,  the  maternal  grandfather 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  died  well  advanced  in  years,  leaving  a  large 
family.  Eli  Shields,  the  father  of  George  A.,  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and 
later  followed  farming  in  Morgan  County,  Ohio,  near  Pennsville.  He  died 
in  1890,  aged  seventy-nine  years,  while  his  wife  passed  away  Oct.  27,  1882, 
aged  sixty-five  years.  He  held  several  town  offices;  both  he  and  his  wife  were 
Quakers.  They  had  ten  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living:  Benoni,  of 
Minnesota;  William,  of  Chicago;  Charles  O.,  of  Crooksville,  Ohio;  George  A.; 
and  Annie,  wife  of  Dexter  Carr.  of  Chester  Hill,  Morgan  County,  Ohio. 

George  A.  Shields  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Ohio,  and  attended 
the  district  and  high  schools.  He  left  home  when  twenty  years  of  age,  and 
in  1879,  locating  in  Chicago,  worked  for  his  brother,  Joseph,  in  the  coal  busi- 
ness for  one  year.  In  1880  he  came  to  Wisconsin  with  his  wife,  and  rented 
land  for  a  number  of  years.  Then  he  purchased  a  farm  of  280  acres,  in  Bris- 
tol township,  where  he  now  lives,  and  to  this  he  has  added  100  acres.  All 
this  land,  which  was  in  its  rough  state  when  Mr.  Shields  settled  it,  is  finely 
cultivated,  and  compares  favorably  with  any  other  farm  in  the  section. 

On  March  24,  1880  Mr.  Shields  married  Miss  Callie  Stoneman,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Mary  Jane  Stoneman,  and  five  children  were  born  to  this 
uiiiim :  Raymond-  Eli,  Leta,  Clarence  Hamilton,  Alfred,  and  Lydia  Cath- 
arine. Mr.  Shields  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Politically 
he  is  a  Republican. 

Edward  and  Marv  Jane  Stoneman,  Mrs.  Shields'  parents,  were  horn 
in  Ohio,  in  which  State  they  spent  their  lives,  the  father  dying  when  Mrs. 
Shields  was  an  infant.  Mrs.  Stoneman  married  again,  her  second  husband 
l.eing  Jesse  Hiatt,  and  four  children  were  born  to  this  union,  two  of  whom 
are  now  living:  Jasper  Clarence  and  Lena.  Isaac  Stoneman.  the  paternal 
grandfather  of  Mrs.  Shields,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  died  when 
past  eighty  years  of  age.  He  married  Susan  Schroeder,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  a  large  family. 

WILLIAM  J.  STANLEY,  one  of  the  rqjresentative  farmers  of  Keno- 
sha county,  Wis.,  residing  on  his  fine  farm  in  Section  13.  Pleasant  Prairie 
township,  was  born  in  that  township  Jan.  14,  1876.  a  son  of  William  and 
Mary  (Dabbs)  Stanley. 

William  Stanley  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Kenosha  county,  being 
seven  vears  of  age  when  he  came  here  from  his  native  State.  Vermont,  with 
his  parents.  At  a  later  period  he  bought  a  farm  of  208  acres,  which  he  culti- 
vated, and  on  which  he  died  in  April,  1902.  aged  seventy-two  years.  His 
wife  survives  and  resides  on  the  homestead,  aged  about  fifty-six  years.  She  is 
a  native  of  Somersetshire.  England.  They  had  seven  children  born  to  them, 
the  survivors  of  the  family  being:  Marv,  wife  of  Arthur  W.  Kineman.  of 
Kenosha:  William  I.:  Franklin  C.  of  Pleasant  Prairie  township;  Jesse  D.. 
of  the  same  township:  Allen  L..  of  Kenosha:  Elmer  E.,  of  Pleasant  Prairie 
township;  and  Abbie.  who  is  at  home. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Stanley,  also  named  William  (the  name 


636  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

being  a  family  one),  was  one  of  the  hardy  pioneers  from  the  Green  Mountain 
State  to  Wisconsin  and  was  one  of  the  tirst  settlers  in  Paris  township,  Keno- 
sha county.  He  took  up  a  large  tract  of  Government  land  to  which  he  added 
by  purchase  until  he  was  possessed  of  a  very  large  estate.  He  died  in  Pleas- 
ant Prairie  township  in  advanced  years.  He  married  Polly  Hyde,  who  also 
lived  to  past  middle  life.  They  had  seven  childrai,  two  of  these  surviving  to 
maturity,  William  and  a  daughter. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Charles  Dabbs,  who  was 
born  in  England,  but  came  to  America  and  was  an  early  settler  in  Kenosha 
county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  He  had  eight  children,  those  still 
surviving  being:  William;  Angeline,  wife  of  John  Lucas;  Annie,  wife  of 
Nicholas  Thomey,  of  Kenosha ;  James ;  Mary ;  and  Flora,  wife  of  Geirge 
White. 

William  J.  Stanley  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Pleasant  Prairie 
township  and  was  educated  very  liberally,  attending  first  the  district  schools 
and  subsequently  the  Kenosha  College  of  Commerce  and  Bryant  &  Stratton's 
Business  College  in  Chicago.  Immediately  after  his  marriage  he  settled  on 
his  present  farm  of  160  acres,  a  part  of  his  father's  estate,  and  has  improved 
the  property  and  owns  one  of  the  township's  fine  farms. 

Mr.  Stanley  was  married  March  12,  1902,  to  Miss  Lizzie  Umland, 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Jane  (Williamson)  Umland,  and  they  have  one  son, 
Lyle  W.     Politically,  Mr.  Stanley  is  a  Republican. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Stanley  was  a  native  of  Germany  and  her  mother 
of  Ireland.  The  former  came  to  America  with  his  parents  in  childhood,  and 
they  lived  for  some  years  in  Milwaukee  and  then  came  to  Kenosha  county, 
where  Henry  Umland  bought  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  on  which  property  he 
died  Feb.  8,  1899,  aged  sixty  years.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Stanley  was  a 
young  lady  when  she  came  to  America  with  her  uncle,  Mr.  W'ilcox,  and  she 
was  married  in  Kenosha.  Seven  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Um- 
land, four  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely:  Chauncy;  Daisy,  wife  of  F. 
M.  Frazier;  Lizzie,  wife  of  Mr.  Stanley;  John;  George:  Jennie,  wife  of  F. 
A.  Lucas ;  and  Frankie.  who  died  in  infancy.  The  mother  still  survives,  in 
the  enjoyment  of  good  health. 

Mrs.  Stanley's  paternal  grandfather  was  born  in  Germany,  and  he  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Kenosha  county,  and  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty 
years,  dying  on  his  farm  in  Pleasant  Prairie  township.  He  had  a  very  large 
family,  all  now  deceased,  although  many  of  their  descendants  still  survive. 
On  the  maternal  side  Mrs.  Stanley  is  of  Irish  extraction,  her  grandfather  and 
grandmother  Williamson  both  having  been  born  in  Ireland,  where  tliey  died 
in  old  age.  the  grandmother's  life  being  extended  far  beyond  fourscore  years 
and  ten.  She  was  the  mother  of  a  large  family,  five  of  whom  still  sur\'ive, 
namely :  John ;  Jane,  mother  of  Mrs.  Stanley :  Eliza,  widow  of  Joseph  LTm- 
land;  Maggie,  wife  of  Paul  Pabst:  and  W^illiam,  of  Ireland. 

ARTHLTR  N.  BEVINS,  a  progressive  and  enterprising  business  man 
of  Salem,  Kenosha  Co.,  Wis.,  who  operates  a  meat  market  in  that  thriving 
village,  was  born  Dec.  25.  1877,  in  Leicestershire,  England,  son  of  Xathaniel 
?nd  Charlotte  (Sharpe)  Bevins,  natives  of  England,  who  lix-ed  in  Higham  on 
the  Hill.  Leicestershire. 

William  Bevins,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  provision 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  637 

dealer  in  Barton,  Leicestershire,  and  died  well  advanced  in  years.  His  wife's 
maiden  name  was  Ann  Butler,  and  they  had  a  family  of  five  sons  and  one 
daughter.  On  the  maternal  side,  William  Sharpe  was  the  grandfather  of 
our  suhject.  He  was  a  native  of  England  and  a  stone  mason  by  trade;  and 
now  lives  in  Teen,  Staffordshire,  England.  Two  of  his  sons  are  now  in  this 
country;  Rev.  Thomas  Sharpe,  a  Methodist  preacher,  who  preached  for  sev- 
eral years  in  Racine  and  Bristol ;  and  Harry,  a  machinist  in  Milwaukee. 

Nathaniel  Bevins  was  a  sailor  on  the  ocean,  when  a  young  man,  and 
followed  that  calling  for  eleven  years.  He  had  formerly  been  apprenticed 
to  the  cooper's  trade,  but  later  in  life  became  a  farmer.  He  died  in  England 
in  1901,  aged  fifty-eight  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  His 
widow  still  survives  him.  They  had  eight  children:  Arthur  N.;  Ethel,  a 
professional  nurse;  Ernest,  of  Bath,  England;  Amy,  the  wife  of  Albert  Clay- 
field,  of  Higham ;  Hubert,  of  Lake  Villa,  111. ;  Elsie ;  Hilda  and  Harry,  of 
England. 

Arthur  N.  Bevins  lived  in  England  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  at- 
tended the  common  schools  of  Higham.  He  learned  the  butcher's  trade, 
and  in  1894  came  to  America,  and  located  in  Bristol,  working  for  Charles 
H.  Whitcher  for  seven  years.  He  then  bought  out  Mr.  Whitcher's  business, 
which  he  operated  for  three  years,  then  selling  out  to  Gunter  Brothers  and 
locating  in  Salem,  where  he  bought  the  market  of  Marvin  W.  Acker,  and  has 
successfully  conducted  it  to  the  present  time. 

On  June  9,  1902,  Mr.  Bevins  married  Miss  Mary  Harrison,  daughter 
of  John  and  Priscilla  (Gamble)  Harrison,  and  one  son.  Lawrence,  has  been 
born  to  this  union.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bevins  are  Episcopalians.  Mrs.  Bevins 
was  born  in  Twycross,  England.  Her  father  and  mother,  natives  of  Wales, 
and  now  living  in  England,  had  seven  children :  Charles.  Berthie.  Mary, 
Ada,  Alice,  Priscilla  and  Fannie.  Mrs.  Bevins'  paternal  grandfather  was 
John  Harrison,  a  native  of  England,  who  died  at  an  advanced  age,  his  widow, 
Fannie  (White)  Harrison,  still  surviving  him.     They  had  three  children. 

ROGER  X.  KIMBALL,  vice-president  and  manager  of  the  Kenosha 
Gas  &  Electric  Company,  of  Kenosha,  Wis.,  is  one  of  that  city's  progressive 
and  enterprising  business  men.  He  was  born  in  Kenosha.  July  i,  1879.  son 
of  Julius  H.  and  Emily  N.  (Maulsby)  Kimball,  the  former  a  native  of  Sher- 
brooke.  Canada,  and  the  latter  of  Fredericksl)urg.  Alaryland. 

George  Kimball,  the  paternal  grandfather,  of  Charlestown,  Mass..  was 
a  lawyer  and  practiced  in  Montreal,  making  his  residence  however,  at  Sher- 
brooke,  Canada.  He  came  to  Kenosha.  Wis.,  in  1834,  being  undecided  for 
a  time  whether  to  locate  here  or  in  Chicago,  but  the  latter  place  being  at  that 
time  a  swamp  and  mudhole,  he  decided  to  remain  in  Kenosha.  Kenosha  was 
then  known  as  Pike  Creek.  He  became  a  large  land  owner,  and  here  died, 
well  advanced  in  years.  His  wife,  Caroline  Swift,  was  born  in  Charlestown. 
Mass.,  and  lived  to  the  remarkable  age  of  ninety-eight  years  and  six  months. 
Their  only  son  was  the  father  of  our  subject. 

Julius  H.  Kimball  came  from  Canada  to  Kenosha  county  in  1834  and 
bought  a  quarter  section  of  land  from  the  Government  on  Pike  creek,  after- 
wards Southport,  and  now  Kenosha,  and  he  and  his  father  gave  half  of  the 


638  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

present  park  where  the  Gilbert  Simmons  library  is  now  located,  having  also 
set  out  the  trees  now  growing  there.  Mr.  Julius  H.  Kimball  operated  the 
County  Bank  here  in  the  early  days,  and  was  also  in  the  grain  business,  and 
operated  an  elevator  at  the  time  the  Rockford  Division  of  the  Northwestern 
Railroad  was  built.  He  and  his  father  erected  the  first  two-story  frame  house 
ever  built  in  Kenosha,  formerly  a  four-room  house,  but  which  has  largely  been 
added  to  since,  and  still  stands  at  No.  414  Prairie  avenue.  Mr.  Kimball 
made  this  house  his  home  until  his  death.  He  bought  the  gas  works  here 
some  time  in  the  sixties,  and  also  purchased  the  Racine  Gas  Works,  which  he 
likewise  operated,  finally  selling  the  Racine  plant.  His  death  occurred  in 
1902,  in  his  eighty-fourth  year.  He  was  active  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 
His  wife  survived  him  but  one  year,  when  she  passed  away  in  the  faith  of 
the  Episcopal  Church.  His  first  wife,  Catherine  Donaldson,  of  Baltimore, 
had  borne  him  five  children:  William  D.,  of  Seattle,  Wash.;  Dr.  George  D., 
of  Kenosha;  Henry  S.,  of  Council  Blufifs,  Iowa;  Richard  S.,  of  Kenosha; 
and  Catherine,  wife  of  Herbert  L.  Boehm,  of  Baltimore.  By  his  second  mar- 
riage, Mr.  Kimball  had  seven  children:  Caroline  S.,  wife  of  N.  A.  Rowe, 
of  Kenosha;  Maulsby,  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y. ;  Miss  Anna,  of  Kenosha;  Emily  C, 
wife  of  W.  S.  Forrest  of  Chicago;  Roger  N.,  of  Kenosha;  John  Ritchie,  of 
Chicago ;  and  Norman,  of  Kenosha. 

The  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  William  P.  Maulsby  was  a  na- 
tive of  Maryland,  of  English  and  French  descent.  He  was  a  lawyer,  was  a 
prominent  military  man,  and  formed  a  regiment  in  Frederick  Co.,  Md.,  of 
which  he  was  colonel.  He  and  his  wife,  Emily  Nelson,  had  a  good  sized  fam- 
ily, only  three  of  whom  grew  to  maturity. 

Roger  N.  Kimball  has.  lived  in  Kenosha  all  of  his  life,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  three  or  four  years.  He  attended  the  public  schools,  and  the  Univer- 
sity School  here,  and  later  the  University  of  Chicago.  He  then  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Milwaukee  Gas  Company,  where  he  remained  two  and  one- 
half  years,  and  in  June,  1900,  he  returned  to  Kenosha  and  became  superin- 
tendent of  the  gas  department,  a  year  later  of  the  electric  department,  and  in 
June.  1904.  became  vice-president  and  manager,  which  office  he  still  holds. 

On  Sept.  8,  1904.  Mr.  Kimball  married  Miss  Frances  Lewis  Bain,  daugh- 
ter of  Lewis  and  Sarah  G.  (Frary)  Bain.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kimball  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Politically  he  is  independent.  He  belongs  to 
Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  a  college  fraternity.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kimball  reside  at 
No.  463  Park  avenue,  Kenosha. 

WESLEY  SHEPHARD.  junior  member  of  the  f^rni  of  McQuarrie  & 
Shephard,  was  born  in  Yorkville  township  Dec.  30,  1875.  and  has  spent  the 
thirtv  years  of  his  life  in  that  immediate  vicinity. 

Hannibal  Shephard.  father  of  Wesley  Shephard,  was  born  in  Cornwall. 
England,  in  1839,  and  was  only  two  years  old  when  his  parents,  Hannibal 
and  Elizabeth  (Foxwell)  Shephard,  came  to  America  and  settled  on  a  farm 
in  Yorkville  township.  Wis.  He  was  one  of  a  family  of  three  sons  and  three 
daughters.  His  father  died  in  middle  life,  but  his  mother  lived  to  be  over 
seventy.  He  himself  grew  up  on  a  farm,  and  became  in  turn  a  farmer,  own- 
ing eighty  acres  in  Yorkville  township,  where  he  made  his  home  until  his 
death  in  '1904.     Hannibal  Shephard  married  Miss  Catherine  Elizabeth  Rob- 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  G^f)- 

erts,  who  still  survives  him,  and  they  had  five  sons  and  three  daughters.  The' 
seven  survivors  are:  Charles;  Allen;  Bertha,  wife  of  George  Wallace,  of 
Rochester,  Wis.;  Luella,  Mrs.  Albert  Fritchen,  of  Yorkville  township;  Wes- 
ley, of  Yorkville;  Anna,  Mrs.  O.  Kehr,  of  Milwaukee;  and  Edwin,  on  the 
homestead.     The  parents  were  both  Methodists. 

James  Roberts,  maternal  grandfather  of  Wesley  Shephard,  was  also  born 
in  England  and  migrated  to  America.  He  first  settled  in  Illinois,  where  his 
daughter  Catherine  E.  was  born,  but  afterward  he  became  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  Raymond  township,  Racine  county,  where  he  took  up  Government  land. 
He  had  four  sons  and  two  daughters.  He  himself  departed  this  life  in  York- 
ville township  at  an  advanced  age. 

Wesley  Shephard  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm,  and  received 
his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  the  Union  Grove  high  school.  Aftet 
finishing  his  studies  he  left  home  to  work  for  three  years  in  a  creamery  at 
Yorkville,  being  similarly  engaged  for  another  year  in  Union  Grove  and  in 
Beaumont  for  a  like  period.  In  1901  he  married,  and  in  the  following  year 
he  embarked  in  the  mercantile  business  with  his  father-in-law,  Frank  Mc^ 
Quarrie.  The  firm  of  McOuarrie  &  Shephard  have  become  well  established 
in  Yorkville,  and  are  doing  a  constantly  increasing  business. 

On  Sept.  25,  1901,  Wesley  Shephard  and  Miss  Lillian  McOuarrie  were 
united  in  marriage,  and  one  daughter  has  been  born  to  them,  Mildred  Louise. 
Mrs.  Shephard  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  She  and  her 
husljand  are  popular  in  the  social  life  of  the  village,  with  which  Mr.  Shephard 
is  still  further  identified  by  his  membership  in  Union  Grove  Lodge,  No.  288, 
F.  &  A.  M.     Politically  he  is  a  Republican. 

DOW  J.  VINCENT,  a  substantial  and  representative  stock  farmer  and 
agriculturist  of  Kenosha  county.  Wis.,  who  is  carrying  on  operations  on  his 
fine  farm,  in  Sections  29  and  30,  Salem  township,  was  born  in  Randall  town^ 
ship,  this  county.  May  4,  i860,  son  of  George  W.  and  Anna  M.  (Burns) 
Vincent,  natives  of  New  York  State  and  residents  of  Albany  county. 

Gilbert  Vincent,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  nati\e  of  New  York. 
He  came  to  Wisconsin  about  1845  ^"f'  settled  in  Bristol  township  for  about 
two  years,  after  which  he  bought  Government  land  in  Randall  township, 
which  was  then  called  Wheatland  township.  He  died  there  aged  eighty- 
seven  years,  his  wife,  Rebecca,  also  attaining  advanced  years.  They  had  a 
family  of  thirteen  children,  twelve  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  married  and 
had  families.  All  are  deceased.  We  have  record  of  Justice:  Willett;  Owen: 
Phoebe,  who  was  the  wife  of  Samuel  Earing:  Jerusha,  who  was  the  wife  of 
a  Mr.  Wadsworth:  Eliza,  who  was  the  wife  of  Charles  Rector:  Matilda,  who 
was  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Wilbur:  Samuel:  Gilbert,  George,  and  Dow.  Our 
subject's  maternal  grandfather  was  Richard  Burns,  also  a  native  of  New 
York,  as  was  his  wife,  Phoebe  A.  Sniffing.  They  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1851, 
settling  first  in  Kenosha,  from  whence  they  removed  to  Wilmot.  where  Mr. 
Burns  died  in  1869,  aged  sixty-one  years.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1878.  aged 
sixty-six  years,  in  the  faith  of  the  Baptist  Church,  to  which  Mr.  Burns  also 
belonged.  They  had  three  daughters,  two  of  whom  are  now  living:  Mary 
C.  the  wife  of  John  Swenson,  of  Wilmot,  Wis. :  Anna,  the  mother  of  our 
subject,  and  Adelaide  died  when  seventeen  years  old.     The  father  of  Richard 


640  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

Burns  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  a  wagon  maker  by  occupation,  who 
died  in  his  native  state  when  upwards  of  ninety  years  of  age.  His  wife 
was  Lvdia  (VanSlyke)  Burns,  wlio  was  alx)ut  eigiity  years  of  age  when 
she  died.     They  had  quite  a  large  family. 

George  \V.  Vincent,  father  of  Dow  J.,  came  to  Wisconsin  in  the  forties, 
settling  first  in  Bristol  township,  from  whence  he  later  removed  to  Randall 
township,  purchasing  a  tract  of  i6o  acres.  He  also  took  up  Government  land 
in  Dane  county,  which  he  afterwards  disposed  of.  After  a  number  of  years 
in  Randall  township,  he  removed  to  Wilmot,  where  he  spent  the  rest  of  his 
life.  His  death  occurred  in  1895,  when  seventy-four  years  old.  Mr.  Vincent 
served  for  many  years  as  school  director.  His  wife,  who  still  survives  him. 
and  who  has  been  a  resident  of  Randall  township  and  Wilmot  for  a  period 
of  forty-nine  years,  was  born  in  Greene  county,  N.  Y..  April  4,  1847,  ^""^  came 
with  her  parents  to  Kenosha  in  185 1.  in  1856  located  in  Wilmot,  and  here  she 
has  since  made  her  home. 

Dow  J.  Vincent  grew  to  manhood  in  the  village  of  \\'ilmot,  where  he 
attended  the  public  schools.  On  reaching  maturity  his  father  gave  him  a 
start,  and  he  began  farming  on  137  acres  in  Salem  township.  He  now  has 
320  acres,  owning  what  is  known  as  the  Voak  farm,  one  of  the  finest  in  Salem 
township.  In  addition  he  owns  his  old  place  of  267  acres,  owning  in  all  587 
acres.  In  addition  to  general  farming  Mr.  Vincent  engages  in  stock  raising 
to  some  extent,  and  he  is  the  owner  of  "Wisconsin  Chief,"  a  mule,  "Silver 
Duke,  Jr.,"  a  Percheron  stallion,  and  a  hackney  stallion. 

On  Oct.  22,  1882,  Mr.  Vincent  married  Kate  Brown,  daughter  of  Henry 
E.  and  Constantia  G.  (Ford)  Brown,  and  si.x  children  were  born  to  this  union : 
Henry  E..  Anna  Maude,  George  E.,  Mildred  M.,  Clarence  B.  and  one  who 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Vincent  belongs  to  Wilmot  Lodge.  No.  241,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  to  the  Equitable  Fraternal  Union.  Politically  a  Republican,  he 
served  four  years  on  the  board  of  supervisors,  of  which  he  was  chairman  for 
two  years.  He  has  also  served  nine  years  as  school  director,  and  is  at  pres- 
ent a  member  of  the  school  board  and  chairman  of  the  town  of  Salem. 

Mrs.  \'incent"s  father  was  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and  her  mother 
of  Massachusetts.  They  had  seven  daughters:  Julia  A.,  deceased,  was  the 
■wife  of  Henry  Watson:  Sarah  S.,  the  wife  of  Alexander  McDongall.  of  Lake 
Co.,  111.:  Georgia  C.  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Lavafette  Owen:  Catherine 
H.,  died  when  three  years  old;  Hattie  B..  wife  of  John  Conrad,  of  Paris 
township:  Beatrice  H.,  wife  of  Louis  Hegeman.  of  Salem  township;  and 
Kate  A.,  the  wife  of  our  subject.  Mrs.  Vincent's  father  followed  farming  all 
of  his  life,  and  was  an  early  settler  in  Salem  township.  Kenosha  county. 

HARVEY  B.  GAINES,  a  dealer  in  lumber,  coal  and  feed  in  the  village 
of  Bristol,  is  one  of  the  rising  young  business  men  of  the  township,  whose 
enterprise,  sound  judgment  and  integrity  are  winning  him  not  only  a  sure 
place  in  the  respect  of  the  community  but  also  a  good  measure  of  financial  suc- 
cess. He  was  born  in  Bristol  township.  Kenosha  countv,  Dec.  3.  1878,  a  son 
of  Charles  and  I^Iary  A.  (Raynor)  Gaines,  natives  of  New  York  State. 

Harvey  Gaines,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  born  in  New  York  and 
came  of  Mohawk-Dutch  stock.  He  ioined  the  pioneers  in  Kenosha  countv. 
and  taking  up  Government  land  lived  there  on  his  farm  in  Bristol  township 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  641 

the  rest  of  his  hfe.  He  died  when  eighty-eight  years  old,  and  his  wife, 
Adelaide  (Lawrence)  Gaines,  when  eighty-nine.  They  had  one  son  and  two 
daughters. 

Charles  Gaines  was  only  a  boy  when  his  parents  came  to  Wisconsin,  and 
he  grew  up  there,  accustomed  from  that  early  age  to  farm  life.  As  a  man 
he  continued  in  that  same  occupation  and  became  the  owner  of  400  acres  in 
Bristol  township.  He  brought  this  large  farm  to  a  fine  state  of  cultivation 
and  lived  there  till  his  children  were  well  grown.  In  1893  he  sold  190  acres 
and,  moving  into  Bristol,  engaged  there  in  the  lumber,  coal  and  feed  busi- 
ness, continuing  same  until  he  died.  He  was  an  influential  man  in  the  region 
and  held  various  town  offices,  being  at  one  time  supervisor  and  for  many 
years  .school  clerk.  He  married  Mary  A.  Raynor,  daughter  of  Davis  B.  and 
Lucy  Raynor.  The  father  was  a  farmer,  born  in  New  Jersey,  of  Scotch  de- 
scent. He  came  West  at  an  early  date  and  settled  near  West  Bend,  Wis. 
He  served  all  through  the  Civil  war  and  was  three  times  wounded  at  Shiloh, 
injuries  from  which  he  never  fully  recovered,  although  he  lived  to  a  good 
old  age.  His  wife  died  in  middle  life,  the  mother  of  one  son  and  two  daugh- 
ters. To  the  union  of  Charles  and  Mary  A.  Gaines  were  born  six  children, 
as  follows :  Emma  A.,  wife  of  John  Evans,  a  lumberman  in  Salem,  Wis. ; 
Harvey  B. ;  Arthur  D.,  of  Merrillan,  a  mail  clerk  on  the  Northwestern  rail- 
road; Nettie,  who  died  aged  fifteen;  Willard;  and  Vera  L.,  at  home.  Charles 
Gaines  and  his  wife  were  both  Methodists,  and  he  served  as  trustee  and  stew- 
ard of  the  church  nearly  all  his  life.  Seven  years  after  locating  in  Bristol, 
his  earthly  life  ended,  in  January,  1900,  when  he  was  fifty-two  years  of  age. 
He  was  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  that  section  and  his  loss  was  deeply  felt. 

Harvey  B.  Gaines  has  spent  his  whole  life  so  far  in  his  native  township. 
He  was  sent  first  to  the  public  schools,  and  finished  by  taking  a  course  in  the 
Kenosha  Commercial  College.  After  his  father's  death  he  assumed  the  man- 
agement of  the  business  in  Bristol,  and  has  been  very  successful.  He  deals 
in  lumber,  hard  and  soft  coal,  mill-feed,  lime,  doors,  windows,  etc.,  and  does 
a  thriving  trade. 

On  June  29,  1904,  Mr.  Gaines  was  united  in  matrimony  to  Miss  Bessie 
Whitcher,  daughter  of  Charles  H.  and  Jennie  (Gunter)  Whitcher.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Gaines  both  belong  to  the  Methodist  Church.  Politically  he  is  a  Repub- 
hcan,  and  fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  Washburn  Lodge,  No.  145,  F.  & 
A.  M. ;  Kenosha  Chapter,  No.  3,  R.  A.  M. ;  of  the  Mystic  Workers ;  and  of 
the  Hoo-Hoo  Lumbermen's  Association. 

FRANK  J.  SMITH,  who  operates  a  farm  in  Section  11,  Salem  town- 
ship, is  one  of  Kenosha  county's  representative  citizens.  He  was  born  in 
Salem  township,  March  9,  1858,  son  of  James  K.  and  Charity  (Mcx\rthur) 
Smith,  natives  of  New  York  State,  who  lived  near  Hudson. 

The  grandfather  of  Frank  J.  Smith  was  a  farmer  and  a  native  of  New 
York.  He  lived  in  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  and  was  killed  by  a  train  in  a 
runaway  accident.  He  and  his  wife  had  ten  children.  The  maternal  grand- 
father was  Reuben  McArthur,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  of  Scotch  descent. 
He  and  his  wife.  Nancy,  had  a  good  sized  family. 

James  K.  Smith,  father  of  Frank  J.,  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1846  and 
purchased  forty  acres  of  land  to  which  he  added  forty  more.     This  farm. 


642  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

located  in  Section  3,  he  improved  and  cultivated,  and  there  died  Jan.  28, 
1899,  aged  seventy-four  years,  while  his  wife  survived  him  until  1901,  being 
seventy-five  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Of  their  children  Avis  became 
the  wife  of  James  Rufton,  of  Union  Grove,  and  Frank  J.  is  mentioned  below. 

Frank  J.  Smith  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Salem  township.  He  was 
reared  on  the  farm,  attending  the  district  schools,  and  the  Normal  school  at 
Oshkosh.  After  his  marriage  he  purchased  a  farm  of  sixty  acres  one  mile 
and  a  quarter  northeast  of  the  village  of  Salem,  and  he  has  lived  there  ever 
since.  The  farm  is  finely  improved,  and  compares  favorably  with  any  in  the 
section. 

On  July  9,  1878,  Mr.  Smith  married  Miss  Zetta  Bassett,  daughter  of 
Volney  L.  and  Adeline  (Foster)  Bassett,  and  seven  children  were  born  to 
this  union :  Ray  A.  married  Amy  A.  Moran,  and  they  live  in  the  village  of 
Salem  and  have  one  daughter,  Ethlyn ;  May  B.  married  F.  J.  Balch ;  and  Ira 
J.,  Maud  M..  Virgil  L.,  Florence  P.  and  M.  Lester  are  at  home.  Mr.  Smith 
belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Politically  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican. He  is  treasurer  of  the  Farmers'  Salem  Creamery,  and  is  financially  in- 
terested in  other  business  enterprises.  He  is  prominent  and  influential  in 
township  affairs,  and  takes  a  great  interest  in  anything  that  promises  to  be  of 
benefit  to  the  community. 

SOREX  CHRISTIAN  SORENSON,  a  promising  young  business  man 
of  L'nion  Grove,  was  born  in  Klarp.  Denmark,  Sept.  16,  1872,  son  of  Snren 
Christian  and  Margaretta  (Jensen)  Jensen.  The  paternal  grandfather  was 
a  farmer  and  a  veterinary  surgeon,  who  lived  to  an  old  age.  He  and  his  wife 
had  a  small  family.  The  maternal  grandparents  also  lived  to  old  age  and  had 
only  a  small  family. 

Soren  Christian  Jensen  was  a  blacksmith,  and  died  in  Klarp,  Den- 
mark, when  nearly  seventy  years  of  age.  His  widow  still  survives  him,  now 
alx)ut  eighty-four,  and  lives  in  Klarp.  Both  were  Lutherans.  He  was  in  the 
war  of  1864  between  Germany  and  Denmark.  They  had  ten  children,  three 
sons  and  seven  daughters,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living :  ^Maria :  Jens ; 
Christina,  wife  of  Peter  Hansen;  Peter:  Annie,  wife  of  Andrew  Olesen; 
Soren  Christian ;  and  Margaret. 

Soren  C.  Sorenson  lived  in  Denmark  till  he  was  nineteen  years  old 
attending  the  common  schools.  At  the  age  of  about  fourteen  he  began  learn- 
ing the  blacksmith's  and  wagonmaker's  trade,  which  he  has  followed  ever 
since.  In  1891,  when  nineteen  years  old.  he  came  to  America,  and  settled  in 
Racine,  where  he  worked  in  Fish  Brothers'  wagon  manufacturing  establish- 
ment about  six  years.  He  then  went  to  Beaumont,  and  established  a  business 
of  his  own  which  he  conducted  until  January,  1905.  when  he  sold  out  and 
moved  to  the  village  of  Union  Grove.  There  he  bought  Emmett's  wagon  and 
blacksmith  shop,  and  has  ever  since  devoted  his  entire  attention  to  the  busi- 
ness. He  is  not  only  a  blacksmith,  but  also  a  manufacturer  of  buggies  and 
wagons.  Mr.  Sorenson  is  an  enterprising  young  man.  already  has  a  fine  pa- 
tronage in  Union  Grove,  and  is  popular  with  the  public.  He  is  a  good  work- 
man, and  manufactures  and  deals  in  the  best  quality  of  goods  in  his  line. 

In   1892.  Mr.   Sorenson  married  Miss  Christina  Hansen.     There  have 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  643 

been  four  children  bom  to  this  union,  Nannie,  Edmund,  Ehia  and  Belva.  Mr. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sorenson  are  Lutherans  in  faith.  Socially  he  belongs  to  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  while  politically  he  is  a  Republican,  though 
not  active  in  the  local  party  ranks. 

ABRAHAM  De  VUYST,  who  is  engaged  in  business  as  a  barber  in 
Bristol,  Kenosha  county,  is  comparatively  a  newcomer  in  this  country,  but  in  the 
nine  years  of  his  residence  has  become  completely  identified  with  his  adopted 
land.  By  birth  a  Hollander,  Mr.  De  Vuyst  has  acquired  since  coming  to 
America  an  unusually  good  command  of  the  English  language,  which  he 
speaks  fluently  and  correctly. 

Isaac  and  Jane  (Le  Clercq)  De  Vuyst,  his  parents,  were  both  natives  of 
Holland.  Although  the  grandparents,  whose  history  is  now  lost,  were  all 
long-lived,  Isaac  De  Vuyst  only  reached  the  age  of  thirty-three,  dying  in  1880, 
while  his  wife  passed  awav  eighteen  months  later,  when  thirty-two  years  of 
age.  Both  belonged  to  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  They  were  the  parents 
of  eight  children,  viz.:  Catherine,  of  Middleburg,  Zeeland;  Mary,  of  Zierik- 
see,  Zeeland ;  Jacob,  of  The  Hague ;  Abraham ;  John,  of  Middleburg,  Zee- 
land  ;  Sarah,  of  Groede,  Zeeland ;  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  Isaac  De 
Vuyst  was  a  painter  by  trade  and  was  established  in  Breskens,  Zeeland.  A 
brother,  John,  who  remained  in  Holland,  lives  at  Breskens  and  is  employed  by 
the  government  in  the  harbor  there.  Two  brothers  of  Mrs.  De  Vuyst  are 
also  lived  in  Holland,  both  now  well  advanced  in  years  and  prominent  men 
in  their  respective  communities.  One,  Abraham  Le  Clercq,  is  a  well-to-do 
architect  in  Krenningen,  where  he  has  lived  for  the  past  thirty-five  years.  The 
others,  Philip  Le  Clercq,  is  a  wealthy  druggist  in  Ter  Neuze. 

Abraham  De  Vuyst  was  born  near  the  seaport  town  of  Flushing,  Holland, 
Feb.  12,  1874.  Left  an  orphan  when  less  than  seven  years  old,  he  went  to 
live  with  his  uncle  Abraham  Le  Clercq,  at  Krenningen,  and  there  received  a 
good  education.  He  early  learned  the  trade  of  a  painter,  like  his  father  be- 
fore him,  and  for  some  twelve  years  was  employed  at  such  work  in  Holland. 
In  1896  he  came  to  America  and  went  West  to  Kenosha  county,  Wis.,  where 
he  worked  on  a  farm  in  Bristol  township  for  a  time  and  then  spent  a  couple  of 
years  at  his  old  trade,  painting.  He  was  next  employed  by  Dr.  F.  E.  Stevens, 
and  then  took  up  his  present  occupation,  that  of  barber,  which  has  been  his 
calling  since  1902.  Mr.  De  Vuyst  since  becoming  a  citizen  of  the  Republic 
has  supported  the  Republican  party.  He  is  public-spirited,  a  young  man  of 
much  enterprise,  and  enjoys  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  entire  com- 
munity. 

Abraham  De  Vuyst  was  married  April  18.  1906,  to  Ella  M.,  daughter  of 
Newton  and  Alice  (Van  Wie)  Van  Alstine.  of  Boyd,  Wisconsin. 

ORLANDO  A.  JASPERSON,  engaged  in  the  general  merchandise  busi- 
ness in  the  thriving  village  of  North  Cape.  Wis.,  is  one  of  Racine's  enterpris- 
ing and  energetic  young  business  men.  Mr.  Jasperson  was  born  in  Raymond 
township,  this  county.  March  15.  1872,  son  of  Hans  and  Hannah  ( Jorgen- 
son)  Jasperson,  natives  of  Denmark. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was  James  Jasperson.  also  a 
native  of  Denmark,  who  came  to  America  about  1848,  and  settled  in  Raymond 


644  COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD. 

township,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death,  in  his  eiglity-sixth 
year.  His  wife  Anna,  bore  him  five  children,  our  subject's  father  being  the 
only  son.  Orlando  A.  Jasperson's  maternal  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Den- 
mark, who  died  in  his  native  country  in  middle  life,  after  which  his  wife,  Jane 
came  to  America,  where  she  spent  the  remainder  of  her  life,  dying  when 
eighty-four  years  of  age.  She  and  her  husband  had  two  daughters :  Hannah  ; 
and  Mary,  the  wife  of  Peter  Howley,  of  near  Fargo,  North  Dakota. 

Hans  Jasperson,  father  of  Orlando  A.,  is  a  farmer  near  Sonora,  Ala. 
When  he  was  six  years  of  age  he  came  to  America,  and  located  in  Raymond 
township  with  his  parents,  growing  to  manhood  there,  and  accumulating 
sixty-five  acres  of  land.  In  1896  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Yorkville  township, 
upon  which  he  resided  for  two  years,  when  he  removed  to  Racine.  For  the 
past  three  years  he  has  lived  at  Sonora,  Ala.,  engaged  in  farming.  He  and 
his  wife  are  Baptists,  and  in  politics  Mr.  Jasperson  is  a  Republican,  and  while 
a  resident  of  Raymond,  served  as  supervisor  and  treasurer.  Mr.  Jasperson  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war.  serving  eighteen  months  as  a  private.  To  him  and 
his  wife  were  born  nine  children :  Charles  and  Julius,  of  Sonora,  Ala. ;  Or- 
lando A.,  of  North  Cape.  Wis.;  Amy,  of  Racine,  Wis.;  George,  of  Sonora. 
Ala. ;  Mamie,  wife  of  John  Berryman,  of  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  and  Lydia,  Edna  and 
Ruby,  all  of  Sonora.  Alabama. 

Orlando  A.  Jasperson  was  reared  in  Raymond  township,  where  he  at- 
tended the  district  schools,  and  remained  at  home  until  seventeen  vears  of 
age.  when  he  began  working  out  for  himself.  He  went  to  North  Cape, 
clerked  there  for  alxiut  three  years,  then  spent  a  few  years  in  a  tile  factory, 
after  which  he  engaged  in  barbering,  and  later  conducted  a  meat  market  in 
North  Cape.  Mr.  Jasperson  then  having  accumulated  enough,  erected  a  busi- 
ness house,  and  engaged  in  a  general  mercantile  business,  which  he  still  con- 
ducts, being  also  the  proprietor  of  a  tonsorial  parlor. 

On  March  26.  1896,  Mr.  Jasperson  married  Aliss  Delia  Pierce,  daughter 
of  Alonzo  and  Elizabeth  fSproat)  Pierce,  and  one  son  was  born  to  this  union: 
Harold  Lee.  Mr.  Jasperson  belongs  to  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
pnd  his  wife  to  the  I.  O.  G.  T.,  of  North  Cape.  Politically  he  is  affiliated  with 
the  Republican  party,  but  has  never  sought  of^ce. 

Mrs.  Jasperson's  father  was  a  native  of  Schenectadv,  N.  Y.,  and  her 
mother  of  Vermont.  They  came  West  to  Wisconsin  over  sixty  years  ago.  the 
Sproats  settling  one  mile  west  of  Waterford.  and  the  Pierces  in  Dover  town- 
ship. Alonzo  Pierce  grew  to  manhood  in  this  latter  locality,  and  continued 
thereabouts  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1893.  '"  ^^'S  sixty-sixth  vear. 
His  wife,  who  was  reared  in  Waterford  township,  survives  him,  and  resides 
with  her.  daughter,  IVIrs.  Jasperson.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce  had  four  children, 
two  sons  and  two  daughters,  namelv:  Calvin  L..  of  Waterford;  Sarah,  the 
wife  of  James  H.  Hankinson,  of  Dover  township;  Edward  C.  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Dover  township;  and  Delia,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Jasperson. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Jasperson  was  Benjamin  Franklin 
Pierce,  a  native  of  New  York  State  and  a  blacksmith  by  occupation.  He  was 
one  of  Racine  county's  early  pioneers,  following  his  trade  for  a  time  in  this 
section,  having  started  in  business  for  himself  with  a  capital  of  fifty  cents.  He 
was  of  a  saving  and  thrifty  nature,  however,  and  it  was  not  lone  before  he  had 
accumulated  enough  to  engage  in  farming,  at  which  he  was  highly  successful, 


COMMEMORATIVE    BIOGRAPHICAL    RECORD.  645 

and  he  continued  at  that  occupation  until  his  death,  aged  eighty-nine  years. 
His  wife,  Sarah  Rowena  Pierce,  also  attained  advanced  years,  being  eighty- 
three  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pierce  were  the  parents  of  five 
children,  four  sons  and  one  daughter. 

Mrs.  Orlando  A.  Jasperson's  maternal  grandfather  was  David  C.  Sproat, 
who  was  born  in  Vermont,  and  who  was  also  a  pioneer  of  Racine  county, 
having  settled  in  Waterford  township  at  an  early  date.  Prior  to  coming 
West,  he  had  been  a  papermaker,  but  on  locating  in  Wisconsin  he  took  up  the 
occupation  of  farming,  which  he  followed  for  the  rest  of  his  active  life.  He 
was  in  his  sixtieth  year  at  the  time  of  his  death,  while  his  widow,  Sarah 
(Kittredge)  Sproat,  lived  to  be  about  sixty-five  years  old.  They  had  a  fam- 
ily of  nine  children,  all  of  whom  grew  to  maturity.  Mr.  Sproat  was  frater- 
nally connected  with  the  Masons,  and  very  influential  therein. 

Mr.  Orlando  A.  Jasperson  is  justly  considered  one  of  North  Cape's  rep- 
resentative young  men.  He  has  always  been  interested  in  anything  that  prom- 
ised for  the  advancement  of  his  town,  and  is  known  as  a  fair  dealing  business 
man  of  strict  integrity.  He  and  his  wife  are  well  known  and  very  popular  in 
North  Cape.